Church in the Windshield
Sutphen Mill
Christian Church
June 2, 2019
*About Sutphen Mill:
In 1872 W. H. Sutphen settled on an estate on what is now Sutphen Mill. He
erected a gristmill that was propelled by water from the nearby creek and by
1878 and in 1879 it became the town of Sutphen Mill. At that time, it had a
post office, stores and numerous residences. Sutphen Mill became a trading
center for the grain and livestock raising rural community. Like many small
towns in Kansas by the 1960’s only a church and a few residences remained in
Sutphen Mill.
One
of the joys of the “Church in the Windshield” is finding small historical
country churches.
A
sign at the corner of Highway 18 and Paint road just north of Chapman, Kansas
identifies the location of the church.
If you look to the north of Paint road, you can barely see the front of
the church between groves of trees. The
actual address of the Sutphen Mill Christian Church is 3117 Paint Road
Upon
arrival at the church, we saw another sign identifying the church and another
view of the church. The church grounds
were well groomed; the children’s playground inviting and we felt a sense of
God’s presence. We climbed the six steps and stood briefly at the door of this
Holy place of worship.
There
is something about standing in front of a church door that makes me think about
Revelations 3:20 (KJV) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Upon entering the church we saw a beautiful
country church sanctuary. Our eyes were immediately drawn to the worship place;
the “Holiest of Holies.” A closer look brought our focus to a striking picture
on the wall behind the baptistery. The picture was that of Jesus being baptized
by John the Baptist it was a comforting picture and we thought about its
meaning.
Two attractive curtains adorned the sides of
the Holy Place. For a moment we thought about the early Jewish portable
Tabernacle and its curtains as well. It
is amazing to us how much modern day churches connect with historical
traditions. For instance, all modern day
churches have a designated “Holy Place” that directs our attention to God just
as did the tabernacle and the temple.
Two flags were displayed, the one on the
left, an American flag and one on the right, a Christian flag. The two flags
represented the church’s allegiance to God and Country.
A well-lighted cross hangs above the worship
area. It is a strikingly beautiful cross
and its red glow symbolizes to us the spirit of God that radiates to all
believers. We find a warm and peaceful comfort in the spirit of that cross. It
seems to invite us to stay close to God and to share his spirt with those
around us. Isn’t it interesting that even a building can enhance and aid our
focus for worship? Praise God from whom
all Blessings flow!
Certainly,
we could not overlook the eloquent bouquet of redand white flowers placed in
front of the pulpit. The red flowers to us were the symbol of the blood of
Jesus and the white the symbol of spiritual cleansing and new life.The
worship service traditional in nature was uplifting, encouraging and
nourishing. It started with a general greeting
of one another followed by
announcements; a song to God Be the Glory and other traditional parts of
worship. Jason Johnson, a professor from Manhattan College, presented a very
inspiring message entitled “You, Said Jesus.” The message centered on, “what
Jesus would do and what Jesus would do if we followed His commandments. Sheron
and I were very impressed with the worship service and would attend it again if
we were in the area.
Until
next time, remember country churches are “down to earth,” God centered and a
vital part of the community.
Ron
& Sheron, Drivers behind the Windshield
Epilogue:
The Sutphen Mill Christian Church is a wonderful little country church that
would welcome your visit . . . or your membership.
* Borrowed from the following:
