Eric and The Pointless Memories

               

I remember when our church split, I was eight or nine.  We had gone to Mineral Wells Christian Fellowship for most of what I can remember of my early childhood.  I remember the split was exciting, weird, and maybe a little scary, but mostly just confusing.  I didn’t understand, those were our friends, we had spent every Sunday, Wednesday, holiday, special event, and whatever other excuse to gather we had together and now we didn’t associate with them anymore.  I know that my mom tried to explain it to me maybe she sugar-coated it a bit, and maybe she didn’t but I still don’t know why we left, other than a difference of opinions and/or beliefs.

                When we left we went to a few different churches, we would meet at the days inn and I think we might have even gone to a few people’s houses, but we finally found a building.  We didn’t have a pastor for a long time, the elders or whoever wanted to, I guess, would take turns preaching.  I remember when the Well of Life kids (that’s our church’s name) went to S.M.A.K. (Summer Musical Activities for Kids) at the First Baptist Church.  One of the teachers was talking to us about asking our pastor something and I think it was Shawn Lynch who said “we like have 5 preachers”.  All of us laughed except for the teacher who looked at us like we were lost souls.  It was a strange time period for me and probably them too, but this isn’t about that this is about the MWCF.

                I have a lot of memories from MWCF that for some reason have come up since the elder at our church announced that he was going back(it doesn’t go by the same name anymore but as far as I know it’s the same leadership) after 22 years.  He said God told him to do it so I suppose it’s for the best but it doesn’t make me any less sad. 

I remember almost burning the field behind the building down with a magnifying glass (I got in some trouble for that).  I remember passing the communion grape juice around in one cup and sharing with everyone (blech!). I remember Charlie Steen standing in front of the church with his family crying about having to move away (I don’t remember anything else at all about that guy or his family).  I remember a camping trip where one of the elders told me that the fish were sleeping so I needed to throw rocks to wake them up (hilarious, kids are so dumb).  I remember being scared by “The Never-Ending Story” (stupid giant turtle).  I remember spending the night at one of the family’s houses with a babysitter watching us while all of the parents were out of town for a church related conference.  I was crying so the babysitter told me that if I stopped my mother would bring me back a present.  I stopped crying but there was no present.  I asked my mom at church the next morning and she had no idea what I was talking about.  I remember my mom announcing that she was pregnant when she raised her hand with a prayer request.  Jay Cawthon said it was too late for prayer, and everyone laughed.  There was some kind of anomaly on the sonogram, but I guess it all worked out because my brother is 22 now and he seems mostly healthy (mostly).  I remember Nancy Lynch holding Cory and my mom talking to her about me and Shawn possibly being friends because we were close to the same age, but Shawn and I never really clicked.  We got along fine and I liked him we just had different interests for the most part.  I always got along better with Cory anyway.  I remember us driving up on a car accident on the way to church one night and it was the Cawthon’s car (it was scary but they’re alright).  I remember every fall we had a harvest festival at the pastor’s house and I remember popping fireworks there on the fourth of July.  I remember eating too many potato chips while watching “Mary Poppins” at their house and throwing up all over their living room floor.  These were mostly good times I had as a child.

I don’t know why these specific memories are the ones that always pop into my head when I think about that church, and I know that this is a boring read with no real point. Sorry

Eric Anderson

P.S. One or more or all of these memories may be incorrect as I have slept many times since they occurred.  If you find any errors in the history I have presented please keep them to yourself. Thank you

P.P.S. My wife makes beautiful children.  I love you Charlotte