The Charm of a Country Church by Pam Crooks

Fifteen minutes from our cabin at the lake, a quaint Catholic church resides amongst sprawling corn fields in eastern Nebraska.  If not for our son-in-law, an avid bicyclist who loves to ride miles and miles on gravel roads in the middle of nowhere, we would never have known Sacred Heart Church existed.  He was quick to text me a picture.

I fell in love.

Shortly thereafter, we drove out to see this adorable place of worship. The countryside was blissfully hushed, with only the rustling leaves on the soon-to-be-harvested corn stalks breaking the solitude. Though the sign states Sacred Heart Church – Cedar Hill, well, there is no Cedar Hill in Nebraska.  Not anymore.

However, there was once, back in 1872, when it was a tiny farming community that boasted a blacksmith shop, a post office, and a general store.  The townspeople hoped Union Pacific would lay track nearby and help them grow.  Unfortunately, track was laid farther north, and the little town eventually withered away.  But the church’s name remained.

Established in 1879, Sacred Heart Church – Cedar Hill was built in a field where the corn had been burned before the original 40′ x 60′ structure was erected.  The charred stalks can still be seen in the church’s crawl space to this day.

In later years, a bell tower and new entrance was added, as well as a sacristy and sanctuary.  Next door, an adorably cozy church hall was festively decorated for autumn and ready for donuts on its designated Sunday after Mass. Charmingly, the hasp on the door was held in place by a plastic spoon lest the wind catch the door and fling it wide.  The church remains a beloved parish for the little towns surrounding it, an astounding 142 years later.

But I digress.

Fast forward to the present and my arrival to Sacred Heart Church.  I couldn’t leave without seeing more, and I boldly walked up the narrow sidewalk and past the sign displaying the days and times of the Masses held every month.  Unbelievably, the door was unlocked, and I went inside.

My heart melted at the sight before me.  Colorful, clean and tidy, and lovingly decorated with flowers of the season, an array of beautiful statues stood in humble reverence to our Lord.  The altar drew me, as did the peace.  I couldn’t stop staring.  Or taking pictures.

 

Nor could I leave without spending time in the front pew, in quiet prayer.  I wanted to linger longer, but my husband and our dog waited by the car after a little outdoor exploring of their own.  After I left, still not quite believing there was no locks on the doors, we drove a short distance down a well-cared for gravel road, a path literally hewn through the corn field.

Behind the church, a cemetery appeared, and again, we parked and left our car to explore. I’ve always had a certain fascination with cemeteries and the wealth of history quietly contained in them.  I wondered about those who made their final resting place there, how they lived, how they died, some too young, some surprisingly old.

A meandering stroll down the rows and between the graves revealed Bohemian-Moravian immigrants born in the 1800s.  Many of their headstones were engraved in their native language.  Babies rested with their aged parents.  My imagination ran rampant with how drastically their lives would have changed after arriving in America and the strange place called Nebraska.  Yet they stayed, they worked, they prospered.

 

And they fought to keep America free.  Newer headstones, recently etched, revealed soldiers who enlisted in various branches of the military throughout various wars.  A flag blowing above the corn stalks is a symbol of the patriotism that still runs strong here.

 

 

On this Veterans Day, my visit to this little country church and cemetery couldn’t have been more timely.  Reluctantly, we left, my heart full, my pride strong, and my resolve fervent to come back again soon.

Note: Sincere thanks to Cecilia Hall, great-granddaughter of early Moravian settlers to Cedar Hill, for sharing her enthusiasm and knowledge as I wrote this article. Cecilia and her family still attend Sacred Heart Church. Her devotion to her heritage and her little country church was inspiring and joyful.

Do you have a veteran or two in your family? 

Tell me about him or her or them, and you could win a 3′ x 5′ American flag!

Pole not included.  US winners only.

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Pam has written 30 romances, most of them historical westerns, but she's proud of her contemporary sweet romances featuring the Blackstone Ranch series published by Tule Publishing, too! Stay up on the latest at www.pamcrooks.com

59 thoughts on “The Charm of a Country Church by Pam Crooks”

  1. My dad is an Army veteran, and he served in the Delaware National Guard. Currently, he’s in the Honor Guard/Color Guard of his local American Legion in Tennessee.

    One brother is a disabled veteran of the Army. His wife is also an Army veteran.

    No need to count me for a flag.

    Denise

    • How wonderful that your dad is still a part of the American Legion, Denise, and participates in the Honor Guard/Color Guard. Always so moving!!! I’m hopeful your brother is doing well after his disability. Certainly a reminder every day of the price he’s paid.

  2. My son is a military veteran. He insisted when he was 17 and has done three tours of duty overseas. Kuwait, Afghanistan and now Iraq. He will be deployed until April of next year. My father in law was in Vietnam and his three sons were in the military. I have at least seven others who were also in the military. I’m very proud of each and every one of them. My son is now 37 years old. I thank each of them for their service and those who have sacrificed to make sure the world is a safe place to live.

  3. My dad was in Montana National Guard, then at age 18 was part of the Army occupation forces in Japan in 1946. If you can imagine,, he was a farm boy from Northern Montana,, sent to a foreign land to serve.. All he ever said about it was it was very scary to an 18 farm boy.. He then relisted for the Korean Wall, but was stationed in Alaska.
    Both of my mom’s brothers served, and my dad’s brother served. Fast forward my nephew served in Iraq, and was Idaho National Guard. Unfortunately he died last November of unknown cause at age 30.
    Out of the uncles that served my dad’s brother is the only one still alive.

    • No doubt a huge culture shock for your dad when he went to Japan. He would’ve grown up fast – only 18 years old. Wow.

      My deepest condolences on the loss of your nephew, Veda.

      • My dad didn’t talk much about his time in Japan, but after he died we found a photo album of pictures he had taken. Some had what, or who, but I would have loved to talk to him about them. Found tons of photos of his time in Alaska, and National Guard. Just wish we had known about them when he was alive. He was a part of history being in the occupational forces. The one thing he did say, was he hated guard duty, in the dark, in a foreign country. No lights, or cigarettes allowed.

    • Hi, Veda. I think it was a generational thing for men to keep many things bottled deep inside them. Today, we encourage vets to ‘talk it out’ for therapy, but decades ago, there wasn’t such a thing per se. I understand what you mean if you would have known, you would have asked questions. My parents kept many things private from us, even when we were adults, and now that they are both gone, I truly, truly wished they would have shared more. I have questions that will never answers, I’m afraid.

  4. My father, Eugene Floyd Cole was drafted into the United States Army in 1941. He had been born December 5, 1919, in the Meat Camp community of Watauga County, North Carolina. His father owned a sawmill and the family moved around in Watauga and Ashe Counties to harvest the timber. During the Great Depression, his father bought a five-hundred-acre farm in Wilkes County, when the land prices had hit bottom, and the family moved there.

    Gene did his basic training in Fort Benning, Georgia. He spent a little time in Puerto Rico, but the bulk of his service came fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. He served in places like the Philippines (especially on the southern island of Mindanao), New Guinea, Corregidor, and Guam.

    One day he was walking through a field when a little girl saw him, became frightened, and turned to run. She stepped on a mine and was blown up. He would had been headed on that exact same path. At another time, he saw his best friend shot to pieces at his side. These two incidents always bothered him.

    Private Cole was given the opportunity to train for anti-aircraft. He would have loved this, but he found he didn’t have the math background needed. His parents had asked him quit school in the eighth grade, so he could work full-time at the sawmill.
    While on furlough, he married his girlfriend, Geneva Greene, by meeting her in York, South Carolina, because it was easier to obtain a marriage license there. The war ended about a year later. When Gene came home, he broke every trinket in the house that said, “Made in Japan.” He didn’t want any reminders around or the pain they brought.
    (Give the flag to someone else. I have two.)

    • Wow. Janice, your memories bring me to tears and show the trauma that our soldiers endure and often hide. The emotional distress must have been overwhelming.

      Thank you for sharing about your dad. So riveting.

    • I believe WW 2 was when the US had just begun using aircraft on a large scale. The technology was still pretty new, and your uncle would’ve been extra brave to be a pilot. No doubt your family was even more proud.

  5. My father, father in law, brother, and two brothers in law retired from the military. In addition, my husband is a vet but not retired. He served in the White House under Nixon.

    • What an amazing list of veterans in your family, Debra! That your husband is still serving in some capacity is amazing as well. He must’ve been very respected and accomplished to serve in the White House. Wow!!

  6. My 93 year old daddy is a US Army Veteran as well as my husband. We are very thankful for them and all the veterans of our wonderful USA.

  7. I have have4 Navy veteran sons. 2 served 8 years, 1 five years and 1 three years. My youngest son is a veteran of the Gulf War.

    • Four, Estella!! Oh, the worry you must have endured when they were gone serving our country. But to have them all join the Navy is a huge tribute to your family and dedication to our country. Wow.

  8. Happy Veterans Day! My Papa Douglas was on WWII, as was my Papa Lucas. My Papa Douglas was captured by the Japanese in the Philippines and was captive for 3 & 1/2 years. He saw the bombs that hit Hiroshima & Nagasaki. He has told me so many stories about his captivity that is just horrific. It’s a miracle he survived. By The time he was rescued he was so malnutritioned that he lost his eyesight & hearing.
    He’s my hero. He passed in 1994, he was my Rock growing up.

    • My eyes are full, Tonya. What a price he paid, not only physically but emotionally. I wish he were still here so I could tell him how much we all appreciate him for his service. He gave more than this share.

      I can see why you loved him so much.

  9. My dad was in the army and he was on the clean up crew that cleaned up after Pearl Harbor in 1942. My husbands father was also in the army. My husband was in the air force. So there were a lot of family members that were Vets.
    Happy Veteran’s Day to all military families.

    • Oh, wow, Quilt Lady. I don’t even want to think about the horrors he would have seen after Pearl Harbor. How very sad and traumatic.

      God bless him and all the vets in your family.

  10. My dad served in the army during WWII. His brother served at the same time. Both initially in New Guinea. My uncle Morris was a Morris code operator. My dad an infantryman. Eventually both men were serving in Japan. After my dad’s death 39 years ago. We found a box of letters while emptying out the house. Hundreds of letters written between my dad, his sister Ruth, and his parents. At the bottom of the box were letters describing the horrors of war. We were shocked to know the horrors my dad witnessed and lived through.

    Pam, your post today melted my heart. Thank you for the church pictures. My dad was a pastor and served a country church in Haven, Iowa. The town only exists by name now, but the white church continues to be cared for and open for worshippers. It too has a cemetery telling many stories of years gone by.

    • Oh, Kathy!! Those letters. I can’t imagine reading them (especially not knowing they even existed) and that he kept them hidden to spare his family gives me chills. I know (and hope) your family will keep those letters forever as a tribute to all he endured for our country.

      Wow. Just wow.

      But on a happier note, I know you understand about the charm of a country church! So cool that your dad was a pastor at one. What a coincidence!

  11. I have many family members that served in the military. Of special note: My Dad. He served in the merchant marines when he was a teen. He then joined the Navy during WWII serving aboard the USS Tarawa & then the Army which he was assigned in the 89th Tank Battalion in Korea. He received many medals for his service including the bronze star and the purple heart. My family and I are very fortunate he survived and went on to marry my Mom and raise our family. Unfortunately he has since passed on, but my Dad will always be my Hero!

    • Lynn, your dad is a true hero in every sense of the word. Wow. A bronze star and a purple heart. I’m impressed that you know so many details of his military career. Truly, patriotism was kept alive in your family through him.

      Thank you for sharing.

  12. My uncles and cousins served in the US military. My dad chose to stay home and be the farmer in the family, growing wheat and corn, and milo and alfalfa to feed the cattle and horses, all to help feed the troops and the nation during the wars while his brothers were serving in the military.

    • Interesting, Sherry. Without doing my research, evidently there was no military draft in your dad’s day? I know so many very young men were eager to join the military, but your dad was where he needed and wanted to be. There are many ways to serve our country without putting on a uniform, isn’t there?

  13. My Daddy, five of his brothers, my Mom’s brother, and Mom’s brother-in-law, were all in the military, with 5 of them in WWII, possibly one of the others, too. I have numerous cousins that have served from Vietnam to a few years ago. Thankfully, all of them returned home, and only one suffered injuries while in service.

  14. I have a son in law who has been in the Navy for about 27 years. He will retire in about 3 yrs. He is a Master Sgt. IV, I believe. I also had an uncle who fought in Hawaii. He was supposed to be on the aircraft carrier that was bombed, and all were killed, but his buddy had asked if he would do him a favor, and trade days with him. He had nerve problems from that day forth, thinking how that should’ve been him that got killed. He went to therapy for 60 years over what all he lived through.

    • Wow!! My heart is so sad for the “survivor’s guilt” he suffered, lanajburton. 60 years of therapy? God love him.

      But God had a different plan for him, and not an easy one, unfortunately.

      Thank you so much for sharing.

  15. My father was a veteran of the Korean War, although he never served overseas. My husband is a veteran of the Vietnam Conflict serving in Vietnam in the mid 60s so he was there when it was bad.

    • Thank you, Kit! I’ve written a ton of blogs over the years, but this one and all the veteran memories that have been shared today is one of the most memorable – if not THE most memorable.

      I appreciate you stopping by!

  16. Hi, I enjoyed your post and what a beautiful find, the little church looks beautiful! My father in law served in the Marines, and I have a niece and her husband served tin the Army and now their 2 sons are serving in the Army also.

    • I’m so glad you enjoyed the little country church, too, Alicia. It makes having a cabin at the lake even more special for us.

      Thank you for sharing about the veterans in your life. It’s pretty incredible to have four members of the same family serve our country in the Army. Patriotism certainly runs strong in their house, doesn’t it?

  17. My husband was in the National Guard from 1965-1971 and my Dad served in the army for 3 years during World War II.

    • The National Guard serves such an important purpose in our country. They do more to help America in ways I never would have imagined–whether it’s giving Covid shots, helping at food banks or natural disasters. It’s fascinating the different roles they’ve been asked to play without having to go overseas. There’s plenty to do right here!

      Thanks for stopping by, Connie.

  18. What a great post, brought tears to my eyes. I love lost little bits of history stuck in time.
    My father is a Vietnam Vet, my grandfather was a Korean War vet. Today, I’m taking my father to a Veteran’s Day concert the school does every year.

    • I love the intimacy of these stories, Kari, and I dearly hope and believe the families represented here today will always treasure and keep alive the sacrifices paid to keep America free. Sure is easy to take it for granted. I pray the memories will endure.

      Oh, a Veterans Day concert sounds lovely. Your dad will enjoy it immensely. I hope he and the rest of the veterans there will stand up for a round of applause!!!

  19. I grew up attending a”little white church” in the country that was built in 1850. My sister and brother-in-law are still very active members there. Small country churches are very special. Thank you for sharing this one with us.

    My dad was a farmer and like other farmers exempt from the draft in WWII. My husbands uncle was assigned to the Army Aircorp in 1918 but spent most of his service time cutting timber near Fort Vancouver and Fort Lewis, WA. My husband was drafted when he graduated from college, a big change of plans for him. Since it was between Korea and Vietnam he had some really good experiences including training horses for the 1960 US Modern Pentathlon Team. Our son-in-law served 22 years in the Navy as a Submariner. Our nephew served one tour of duty in Iraq as a Marine and then switched to the Army where he is now close to retirement after serving as a drill instructor and two tours in Afghanistan. He is the one I have worried about most and wonder how he will adjust to civilian life. He has a wonderful wife and children to help him.

    • Hi, Alice. How nice that your sister has a beloved country church, too. I would think everyone would feel close to one another because it would be easy to bond with a smaller group. Truly a gift to have relationships like that.

      Interesting about farmers being exempt from the draft. I didn’t know that, and it certainly explains why Sherry’s dad (comment above) stayed home from military service and farmed. Which, of course, is hugely important.

      Wishing the best for your nephew when the time comes for him to return to civilian life. Perhaps he can find other military organizations to volunteer his time with. He would fit right in. 🙂

      Thanks for sharing!

  20. Pam, love the church and the beautiful blog. Oh my goodness, so many touching comments! I’m glad you can’t see my teary eyes. So many of our followers are military families with members who sacrificed so that we might live free of nightmares and oppression. We take our freedom for granted, rarely considering those who bought it for us with their blood. My brother served straight out of high school and went to Germany. Thank goodness it was peace time. And my dad’s six brothers served during WWII. He tried to join but his health kept him out. He did however work at the air base in Roswell, NM as an airplane mechanic so I guess he managed to do his part. Big hugs, Filly sister.

    • You truly have a military family, Linda! Wow – six brothers (uncles for you).

      Yes, the military is deeply ingrained into so many of us. In a perfect world, all people would be at peace, and there would never be a need for armed forces. Alas, that will never happen, so we must truly appreciate the sacrifices the hundreds of thousands soldiers made for us.

      It’s incredibly humbling, if one thinks about it. Thanks for stopping by, Linda!

  21. My great grandfather was in the civil war, My 2 brothers in law one in the navy and one in the army in ww2. My father in law served in ww1 . My husband was in the army in the vietnam time and my oldest brother was in the Air Force in the vietnam error retired after 21 years. My brother had helped Alaska when they had an earthquake in the late 60’s.

  22. Pam, this is just a lovely blog for this very special day. My hubby is a Vietnam vet (Navy). I had many uncles and even an aunt who served in WWII and Korea, and my dad’s father served in WWI. My dad tried to go off to war (WWII) but his lungs were so bad they classified him 4-F and he couldn’t go. He always regretted that and there was no one more patriotic than he was, for his entire life. My hat’s off to every veteran, no matter what war they served in, for their service to our country. Incidentally, I’m still finding some wonderful “gems” in my genealogy search, too, of ancestors that served in wars dating back to the American Revolution. It is so humbling and so amazing.

    • The American Revolution! Wow!! I can’t imagine being able to go that far back in my ancestors. I hope some day to find the time to do genealogy research. I would get lost in it. And yes, humbling and amazing – but then again, maybe way too many wars for our country!?!

      Thanks for stopping by, Cheryl!

  23. I love this post! I am fascinated by old churches – the spirit in them is so compelling. I also love cemeteries, for the same reasons you described. My dad served in the Air Force, his uncle in WWI. We have a Civil War sword from my mom’s uncle who served in that war, and another uncle’s name is on a memorial at Gettysburg where he fell.

    • Jessie! So nice that you stopped by!! I love how you said it – the spirit in old churches is indeed compelling. I felt it as soon as I stepped inside Sacred Heart, and the more I learned about it, the deeper that spirit went.

      Whoa. You have some serious military in your background! A Civil War sword? That’s awesome. And Gettysburg, too? Double-awesome!!!

      Thanks for sharing!!

  24. Pam, I loved your post. There’s a little Missouri Synod Lutheran church only a few miles from me that still holds services every week.
    My dad served in Korea.
    His high school graduation…back then they sort of ‘awarded’ regents scholarships and my dad, who had no intention of going to college, got it. All of a sudden, my dad with plans to go straight into farming, went to college. Then the scholarship only lasted a year (he might have gotten low grades?!) So he wanted to finish school so he enrolled in ROTC.
    He met my mom in college and when he graduated he went to boot camp in Kansas. One day my mom, who had a job in southern Nebraska, said, here he came walking into her office. I think he hitchhiked there, and he comes up to her and says, “Do you want to get married now or when I come back from Korea?”
    She said, “Now.”
    They were engaged for two weeks, then the wedding, a lovely white dress, flowers, caked, bridesmaids, all arranged in two weeks. Then they went to Yellowstone on a driving honeymoon and then drove to where he had to ship out for Korea. She couldn’t talk about it, not even years later, without crying about his leaving.
    And for the rest of her life, she could barely stand planes taking off, buses leaving, trains rolling away. Always tears. She just carried the pain of seeing my dad off for the rest of her life.
    Dad was gone for about 18 months then came home and the baby boom lived and breathed in our house. Dad rarely talked about the time in Korea. He didn’t seem traumatized or anything, it was just a strange, separate part of his life that had little to do with farming and Mom and the eight kids they two of them managed to produce. Of which I am third.

    • When I read a story like this, Mary, I’m always struck by how different our parents’ generation was from our own. No bride would pull off a wedding in two weeks these days. Granted, your parents were on a tight timeline, but it sounds like your dad was pretty much assuming they were getting married without making engagement official. 🙂

      But how sad for your mom when he left. She truly mourned for him, and the worry that he might not come back had to have been very real for her. She is a perfect example of how military wives are affected just as much as their soldier husbands. Her tears, even years later, are almost like a form of PTSD for her. Bless her heart.

      I smiled at their baby boom. They were truly making up for lost time, weren’t they? God blessed them with a long life together, so it worked out, after all.

      Thank you so much for sharing!!!

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