MT. Mitchell Church Revival - East Texas

There is something very peculiar about East Texas.   Having ministered in East Texas for about 4 years I can attest that East Texas has its own culture and set of customs.   It had been a considerable amount of time since I ministered in the piney woods of East Texas.  As a matter of fact, not since I've been blogging on spirit spark have I had an engagement in East Texas.   So since I received the opportunity to minister there I certainly did not want to omit this experience from my blog.   Providence would have it that I was called to do a gospel revival in Omaha which is just 10 minutes from MT. Pleasant, the city where I ministered for 4 years out of college.   Because Omaha is a smaller community my accommodations  were in MT. Pleasant.  Upon arrival,  I began immediately noticing that MT. Pleasant had changed a great deal in the 10 years since I had been gone.   Restaurants, gas stations, hotels, supermarkets, department stores and privately owned businesses where added and flourishing there in MT. Pleasant.  Brother Joe Rivers,  who was actually my wife's youth minister back in the day, was the host minister and kindly saw to it that we had what we needed.  Brother Rivers, a very eloquent minister who always has a thirst for knowledge, had labored at the MT. Mitchell church for the last 14 years.   He was no stranger to that community because it was where he was raised.    Who all went?  Well this time it was myself, Wood (armor-bearer),  my three daughters and niece.  Carole was in Nashville and would join us a couple of days later on her way back.   When we arrived at the MT. Mitchell church, after having made a wrong turn and gotten a little lost, there awaited us an audience full of East Texas folk who I had grown familiar with over the 4 years that I ministered in that area.  Uncles, Aunts, cousins, in-laws, double related folk, "big mama's" and paw-paws usually made up the congregations down there.  I don't see how anybody ever marries in that area being that almost everyone is related (smile).  Anyway, it was good to see so many familiar faces from the area congregations... black and white.   

One of the things I really missed about East Texas was the home cooking.   I mean fresh greens (collards, turnips, and mustards), picked right from the back yard;  baked and fried chicken... I hope not from the backyard (LOL); black-eyed peas, fresh onion and candied yams are just a few of the tasty dishes that lingered longer on my hips than my lips.   Not only the food, but there is something about "church" in east Texas that is informal and just plain ole' sloppy.  I mean people just sing out.  You may hear a loud soprano, a wandering alto in the front, an unpolished tenor in the middle of the church and then bass on just about every octave that there is.  Then there was another pitch that I'll safely just call a joyful noise.  Just plain ole country church is what it was.   There is a song that they sing at the MT. Mitchell church that is led by an older brother whose name is C.C. Smith, (don't ask me what the "C.C." stands for; I didn't know then and I don't know now LOL), but he'd lead the song with a raspy yet strong voice entitled "I will travel on".   The song still rings in my head even as I type this blog.  The sisters had a part where they chimed in really strong.  It was just a good time.  Usually in East Texas, for whatever reason, you get to hear songs that perhaps you hadn't heard in a long time.  It was good.  

Before the Revival ended I was joined by my wife, there was one baptism, I had visited some members from my previous ministry, I sang a duet with my wife by request of her former youth minister, brother Rivers and I watched as Reginald Woodrow stood there with a shocked expression on his face from the unique country culture of the area.   There were people there from Omaha, MT. Pleasant, Pittsburg, Texarkana (my amen corner... Sister Ray), Dangerfield and other surrounding communities.  What a time!!!!   I do regret, however, that I didn't get to go over to Pittsburg for their famous hot links...maybe next time.  

So if you ever find yourself in the Piney woods of East Texas, riding up highway 30 east toward Arkansas... just know that the church of Christ welcomes you in that area. No need to bring sophistication with you, no need to bring formality; just bring yourself and BE yourself at the MT. Mitchell church or any congregation in that area.   They will definitely leave a light of hospitality on for you.   Thanks East Texas!!!  And Take Care!!!