Cannon's Camp Ground UMC - Precious Memories

Submitted by Imogene Fisher ***
One of my most vivid memories is about Miss Ella Bennett and how creative she was. We had Sunday night service and she would call me and say, "I've just been thinking." When Miss Ella thought, creative ideas just poured out. She never ceased to amaze me.

Another memory that I have from Sunday night services was Pastor Ken Bobo's willingness to share his time with me. If I told him I had something I wanted to share with the congregation, he willingly made time for me.

Submitted by Mrs. Vera Arthur ***
Back in 1965 or 1966, it snowed real deep. My daughter, Kathy, was 5 or 6 years old. We came to church and had only 11 people there.

Submitted by Sandra Cartee ***
I remember when our church had a devotional time about 15 minutes before we went to our Sunday School classes. We all gathered in the sanctuary and Hugh Lark would have a short devotional which always had a special message. Then, for the last song, if you had a birthday that week, you went up to a small box on the altar and put your money (usually the amount that you were turning in your age). I still have a small box.

I also remember Ken Bobo’s soft sermons that would bring tears to your eyes and his as well, and ending with us singing, “Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

And I remember when we had the church bell in the tower and it rang at 12:00 noon and music played.

Submitted by Jan Frady Martin ***
I have always gone back in time to where I can remember me and my Dad (Fred Frady) going to church and at the end of the preaching going to the altar and praying. I was a little girl but by Dad went so I thought I had to go as well

One of the songs I remember singing was "Blessed Assurance." That was a song I knew as a little girl and I knew it by heart. My cousin, Lisa, and I used to sing in the children's choir and we both now have stripped vocal cords from trying to see who could sing the loudest!!

One last, never forgotten, moment was when my Mom worked third shift. During that time, women wore beehive hairstyles. At one service, Mom fell asleep and kept going down, down, down in the pew. I kept nudging her but she was really tired. I love Cannon's Church and all the friendly people here.

Submitted by Sandra Cantrell ***
A favorite memory of mine is from the early 1950's, when our church had no electric fans or air conditioning. We used those paper fans with the stick handles, and the windows were raised hoping for a breeze. We were sitting in preaching and the preacher is praying, you can hear the sound of the paper fans and the giggles of some of the kids. A pew was also squeaking. This was because a bee had flown in the window and lit on some hats with flowers or just someone's head. Oh, for the good ol' days!

Another memory of mine is of Mrs. Bessie Huskey. I loved to hear her play the piano. Her fingers would just glide over the keys.

I also remember playing basketball as a child for our church in the old smokehouse gym. Jimmy Frady drove us in his Volkswagen. I remember playing church softball as a youth and young adult. Other memories are attending services in the gym while the new sanctuary was being built. Another memory is attending Sunday School classes upstairs, the family reunions, and dinners in Huskey Hall.

Submitted by "Name not given" ***
I remember the Wednesday and Sunday night singing from the Cokesbury and “raggedy book” hymnals and the wonderful old songs we all love. I remember going to Mrs. Alma Scott’s house for prayer meeting before a revival. Back then, we had prayer meetings for a month before revivals to prepare ourselves for the revival. Finally I remember Bill Vines playing his guitar and singing some wonderful songs that really touched each heart.

Submitted by Jean Vassey ***
I remember “Miss Ella” singing spiritual songs and playing the piano in her special way. She taught us so many songs. Many of them we are still teaching in our Sunday School classes today. I remember how much fun it was to come to church on Christmas Eve. The real Christmas tree would take up the entire Amen Corner. There were so many presents there! Usually, the youth would present a play and then pass out the gifts while we waited for Santa Claus to make his annual stop. The bag of fruit and nuts would be given out before we sang, “Joy to the World.” I remember our first full-time preacher, Bill McDonald. He and his beautiful wife Joyce, and their two daughters Janet and Joy were so sweet and kind. I enjoyed going to the new parsonage. I thought it was the most beautiful house in the world. I also remember wandering through the education building addition while it was under construction.