Sandy Mush Cross Rock Church keeps traditions alive
By Catherine Hunter On a hill about three miles past
the Madison County line, three wooden crosses overlook a small white church and a graveyard. Cross Rock Missionary Baptist Church is one of the early churches in the Sandy Mush area. Tough none are sure just how
old the church is, Wade “Doc” Stanley, a deacon and the church’s oldest member, said the church used to be a plank building where the parking lot is located today. “Tey used to have school in
that building,” Stanley said. Te oldest markers in the grave-
THE ONLY
yard include three children of Grover C. and Essie N. Glance. Te youngest child, whose name is illegible, died in 1909 at age 1 and the other two died nearly as young in 1917 and 1919. Other family names in the graveyard include Caldwell, Reeves, Tweed, Clark and Stanley. Stanley said the current building
was a simple cinder block structure built in the 1940s. “We didn’t have bathrooms until about 15 years ago,” he said. Te church members added the
vinyl siding about the same time as the bathrooms. Te parking lot was gravel until a few weeks ago and they added a front porch this
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The current building for Cross Rock Missionary Baptist Church was built in the 1940s and covered with vinyl siding about 15 years ago. Photo by Catherine Hunter
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Cross Rock Missionary Baptist Church Deacon Wade “Doc” Stanley remembers when the church pews were just wooden slats with no cushions. Photo by Catherine Hunter
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18 THE TRIBUNE/LEADER - September 23 - September 29, 2010
past summer. Today Cross Rock Church boasts
BABKA Sweet and rich with
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only about 35 or so members said Pastor Danny Little. Little believes there is a strong need for the small- er, local churches today. “You can get lost in a crowd of
1,000 or more,” Little said. “Tat doesn’t fit for everyone.” According to Little, the mem-
bers of smaller churches get to know and look out for each other. “If a member is out we miss them,” he said. “If they’re out for a while we go check on them.” Little said the small rural nature
of the church allows the members to focus on helping the local com- munity and those nearby. Along with many other churches, mem- bers of Cross Rock helped with the construction of Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Big Sandy Mush and another church in Kentucky.
Tey also help with a food minis- try in Kentucky. Little said this year Cross Rock
held a very successful joint vacation Bible school with Jones Valley Bap- tist. Cross Rock also holds revivals from time to time throughout the year and gives old-fashioned bap- tisms in Sandy Mush Creek. In addition to Stanley, Kenneth
Reeves serves as a deacon. Sandra Reeves is secretary-treasurer, Don Branham is assistant and Brandon Rice is choir director. Anyone interested can contact
Little at 828-253-9261 or join the members at 10 am for Sun- day school or service at 11 am and 6 pm on Sunday and 7 pm on Wednesday.
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