Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-12-31
THE COMMUNITY CHURCH.


less and less pronounced, and broader
Christian spirit is taking It's hold upon
the peoples of the world. The time
was when members of one church de-
nomination would scarcely worship in
the church edifce belonging to another
creed. After years Of persuasion by
advanced thinkers the union service
was occasionally, though doubtfully,
enjoyed Later came the federated
church and now we have what the Mon
itor pleases to term a community
church."
Such a church, the ideal church
for our smaller towns, exists in
Glover. It's pastor is the Rev. G. W.
DOUGLASS. young man of sound mind
and common sense. Only last spring
he was sent to this community, a
community with certain signs and ten
dencies of degeneracy. In this village
were two church edifices and the rem
nant of three church organizations, but
no resident pastor.
A few leading spirits in the place,
got pledges from the men and women
of the community toward a years sal
airy of a pastor, some pledglng only
after STIMULATING that the minister
must be liberal thinker and "satis-
factory" However that may be- a
comfortable salary was pledged and
tie pledges are being willingly paid.
The minister is satisfactory" Under
his leadership and guidance the
"Glover Church"-it has never been
called anything else,-is filling a place
in that community that no other church
or organization ever could fill. 1t
is the community's church. "Our"
church, say the townspeople.
Such church does not content itself
with mere worship. creeds and dogmas,
drawing it's skirts about itself and be.
ing content to let things drift. The
Glover church is a five. pulsatine
thing, the moral. social and intellec
tual center of that community. It fill:
place which nothing else can possibl!
fill. It's various enterprises and in
vestments are vital BECAUSE it has t.
do with the uplift of the community
the whole community. Not merely tn,
people who have attended "my'
church, or people whose church prefer
ence is "my'' church. In Glover it i
"our" church, the community's church
and anything that is for the better
ment of the community receives tn
support Of the church. That which i
harmful to the community is discour
aged by the church.
The Glover church has fostered
hourishing boy scout movement, plan
for girls campfire organization
mems Bible class and woman's class
both among the largest organize
classes of their kind in Northern Yer
Vermont have been formed. TIL
church has its young peoples society
has through its various department
brought outside speakers and tai
ent to the community and on
Sunday morning the community turn
out and fills the church week afte
week. The building itself has bee
extensively repaired and improved an
- is in almost constant use by some {
the interests Of the Glover church.
might be stated here that only a fe
years ago the basement of this sam
church was rented for feed store ar
an advertising sign prominently di
played thereon.
Here we have real church.
church which means something to tt
community of which it is an integr
part. A church that has changed tt
moral tone of the place because it e
lists the best side of all the people
the community in doing some thing, al
discourages the activities of that has
side of man which prompts him
lower himself and his associates.
Discouraged pastors, weak church
and despairing communities may W.
look at the work of the Glover chur
with hope. Let the day hasten VIII
the need of such church will bre
down the barriers of strife and Sec
rianism and pride found in many rq
village, and the spirit of "brothe
love and affection" make the co
munity church a possibility.
Every reader of the Monitor. "
please accept from the editor his w
best wishes for. a happy and prospert
1914.
The speeches of Wendell Phil
Stafford, just published by A. F. Ste
of ST. Johnsbury, is a volume tt
every Vermont library should poss
and every Vermonter ought to re;
Few public men that Vermont has p
duced have had such excellent CO