Dear Church,
This week has taken on something special.
Last weekend, I was honored to be invited by Dr. Joel Brown and the Disciples of Christ Historical Society, to offer the Invocation for the 225th Anniversary Celebration of the Cane Ridge Revival. The Cane Ridge Revival fundamentally and irrevocably changed the landscape of faith on the frontier but also for each of us. On August 6-12 in 1801, during the period known as the Second Great Awakening, Barton W. Stone and nearly twenty thousand people of the Christian faith, varying in wealth, gender, beliefs, and freedom gathered in the hills of Kentucky to see the new thing that God was doing in and among God’s people. From that revival a vision for the future was cast and after time, prayer, and intentional collaboration with God and God’s people, that vision would eventually lead to the Christian Church Disciples of Christ…and to each of us.
I have been a Disciple as long as I have followed Christ and I have been to Kentucky a few times, most notably for the 2019 General Assembly in Louisville, but I had never been to Cane Ridge. Well, I am grateful that changed this week and I can honestly say I have been changed and revived.
You see it takes intentionality to get to Cane Ridge. From the closest regional airport in Lexington, the drive is still almost an hour into the beautiful farmlands of Kentucky. You pass pastures of horses and cows, crops of varying kinds (my favorite being the flowers because of the amount of butterflies they noticeably bring to the area), and you get a sneak peak of the lives of our neighbors who live in this part of God’s creation. To say it’s beautiful is an understatement. To say it was hot is also an understatement. But I cannot overstate how worth this drive was. Because it brought me to truly holy ground.
The first thing I noticed as I came up the driveway was the Barton Warren Stone Memorial Building, which houses the Cane Ridge museum and curators office, tucked into the side of the property. It reminded me of old camp buildings. A place where memories are stored and made (and a few gifts picked up!). Inside I read a letter from Barton Stone written in 1798, opposing slavery reminding all of us that social norms do not have the power to influence unjust actions when we have the just truth of Christ in our hearts. God’s message of love is eternal and that letter was a reminder of that as it spoke truth about our world today.
Just beyond the museum is the meeting house. Outside it reads “Cane Ridge Meeting House Built 1791.” It is a small historic building within a larger more modern one. One preserving the history of that space by simply existing, and the other protecting it so that our history makes it into the future. Inside, well worn floors and vibrant stained glass told the story of us. Stories about the courage it takes to publicly speak a true and just faith in the name of Jesus Christ. A story about collaboration and the connection that comes from diverse communal conversations. A story that is still being told.
Being in that pulpit, sitting on the hard pews and outside benches that have held the faithful as they deepened their faith, was like sharing in the spirit of communion with a new friend that instantly felt like family. And while I loved getting to join in the chorus of historic voices that have gotten to speak to those in the front and those in the balcony alike, it wasn’t the place that made Cane Ridge so special, it was the people, both past and present.
You see, between the Museum and the Meeting House is a graveyard. Peppered throughout the graveyard are the names and stories of disciples that have helped us become who we are and who we are growing into. After some big hugs and quick catch ups from dear friends, I left the living to walk amongst the past. During my careful steps through the yard, I came across names and stories of people I had faithfully learned about in Disciples history classes from Newell Williams, like Barton Stone, one of our denominational founders and Elizabeth Stone, a leader in her own right and Barton’s first wife.
And while most names at Cane Ridge are centuries old some names are a part of Disciples’ more recent legacy in the area. Laid to rest in this holy place, in the cool shadow of the Meeting House, is beloved Lexington Theological Seminary Dean, Rev. Dr. Anthony “Tony” L. Dunnavant. As I walked the property, I wiped the debris from Dr. Dunnavant’s gravestone and introduced myself to him. Then I walked through the unassuming mossy stones and toward the hard to miss obelisks to introduce myself to our founder. I told him about National City, how we were growing on his vision of church, and how I hoped he is proud of us (because I sure am). I told him about the state of the world, some concerns on my heart, and my hopes for our shared future. It was a holy moment that I will never forget.
I can’t wait to share even more from my trip this past weekend during worship this week and I hope that you will join us either in person or online as we imbue some Cane Ridge faithfulness into worship and continue on celebrating Cane Ridge’s 225th Anniversary. A while ago as I was choosing scriptures for the fall, I was reading about the frontier revivals and how Habakkuk 1:5 was a meaningful scripture for the newly faithful across the frontier. So, I chose this scripture for us this week as well in hopes that the words that inspired and sustained God’s people at Cane Ridge would ignite something in us too.
Look at the nations and see!
Be astonished! Be astounded!
For a work is being done in your days
that you would not believe if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:5 (NRSVUE)
If you have ever been to our columbarium at National City, you probably, at one point, have run into me. I spend a lot of time with our Saints. Some I have known and loved personally, and some I get to love through the stories I hear about their love and the communities they served and were a part of with God. I take caring for the final resting places of God’s children so seriously. So, it should probably not surprise you to hear that as I left my time with Barton Stone, telling him stories about Disciples today that as scripture promises, he would not believe. But as I left, I promised him that I would be back, that his message was coming with me, and that National City, his National Church, would be a place where historic Disciples stories such as his and the good people at Cane Ridge would continue into the future.
Thank you again to the Disciples of Christ Historical Society for hosting the event. I want to also thank the Cane Ridge Preservation Project for caring for this sacred place and the National City Christian Church Foundation Board members who attended; GMP Rev. Terri Hord Owens, Rev. Dr. LaMarco Cable, and Dr. Joel Brown. Thank you to the speakers, teachers, historians, and preachers for the good words. I want to lift up Rev. Dean Phelps for the always excellent jams and the Pension Fund for lunch. Thank you to the Board of Local Trustees for investing in my continuing education. Finally, thank you to everyone, past and present, who was there to celebrate this important moment in our life and faith together. Thank you for filling my cup and widening my table.
Let’s continue that good work, Church. I look forward to seeing you Sunday.
Gratefully,
Pastor Stephanie
