Oysterville Vespers Sign
Today or tomorrow Dianne Wickre is coming to spiff up the church. “No charge,” she said. “Consider it a donation in Carol’s name.” And my eyes stung a bit.
Summer Music Vespers begin this Sunday and, as much as I moan and groan about the difficulties of scheduling each year, I have to say that it’s kindness and enthusiasm of all the volunteers that makes it worthwhile. I wish I could be exact about how many people are involved. The best I can do is to point out that there are twelve Sundays in our ‘season’ so multiply that by ministers, organists, musical groups, and those who give the weekly ‘Oysterville Moment’ and I think we are well over the 100 mark.
And then, of course, there are the folks who fill the pews each summer Sunday. I never know whether to refer to them as a ‘congregation’ or an ‘audience.’ Maybe it’s a little of both. There are those who come every single summer Sunday and have done so for years. And there are always new faces – often visitors to the area who just drop in.
Church and Steeple
No matter who or why, it is the donations placed in the offering basket that allow the Oysterville Restoration Foundation to keep the church open year ‘round. That money goes a long way toward paying for heat during the winter, for the sanican out back, for repairs to the old building, and for all those ‘hidden’ expenses like insurance and who knows what else.
One Summer Sunday
Sunday morning as Nyel and I put out the hymnals and place flowers up front in readiness for this first Vesper Sunday, I know that my head will be full of past Vespers and, inevitably, of that old childhood finger game:
Here’s the church,
And here’s the steeple,
Open the door,
And see all the people!
There has never been a doubt in my mind that the church of that rhyme is our Oysterville Church. And for the past thirty-six years on any given Sunday afternoon of summer, open the door and there are all the people! Come and see for yourself!
I can’t wait to attend Vespers in Oysterville. It has become a summer tradition for us. You and I need to chat as next year is our 25th Anniversary and since we were married in the church and had our reception at the school house, I’d like to repeat the process!