“If these walls could talk” is
a familiar phrase that describes the scene at the Cane Ridge Meeting House in
Bourbon County, Kentucky as a group of new church planters entered the historical
building for the Super Peer Group worship service on May 19, 2010.
With amazement, the
ministers looked around the building, a huge old-fashioned log cabin, enclosed
by a limestone fortress. Its simplistic stature holds centuries of history, including
the wooden ladder, used as stairs leading up to the loft, which at one time was
reserved for slaves.Cane Ridge is Disciples
history.
This was the location where
the Great Revival, one of the beginning points of Disciples history, took place
nearly 209 years ago. The Great Revival was a gathering of 20,000 to 30,000 people
from various cultures. Cane Ridge was one of the few places where different
cultures could worship together during that era. More than two centuries later,
history repeated itself at the Super Peer Group worship service, in terms of
the diversity of people. Standing in the historical landmark were Disciples new
church pastors representing a variety of cultures and ethnicities from around
the world.
Rev. Dr. Carlos Cardoza was
the keynote speaker for the afternoon. “I am very much aware of the presence of
spirits and the presence of ancestry here and the presence of so many things
that have helped shape who we are,” he said.
This event was one of many
activities planned for the new church planters during the Super Peer Group and
Revival held May 17-20. Another highlight was the high praise worship service on
Tuesday, May 19 at Middletown Christian Church, host of the four-day event, in Middleton, Ky.David Emery, the church’s pastor, provided an
inspiring sermon for the night. “Our staff is very humbled by your witness and
inspired by what you are doing for the Lord,” he said.
As Emery looked out into the
audience of new church planters and their supporters, he said, “I told the
members of our church that our job is just to love you, nurture you and care
for you because you are doing the work of the kingdom.”
Our vision is to ignite the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in all expressions, as individuals, regions and general ministries, to become passionately involved in birthing, nurturing, engaging and encouraging sustainable new churches in as many ways as possible.
