Historic Church Tour in Clayton, New York & Link Up On the Edge #315
A few weeks ago, I mentioned in my travel inspired Thrifty Six post that we went on a historic church walking tour in Clayton, New York, to celebrate the town’s sesquicentennial. I had intended to share this post a few weeks ago, but you know how life can intervene and quickly change our plans and intentions. In the three and a half weeks since sharing my thrifty travel outfit that I wore for this walking tour, I had three Style Imitating Art posts, two Songful Style posts, one Good Buy/Good-Bye Book post, a room makeover post, a paid post about toys to boost kids’ imaginations, my Reiki certification announcement, and I came down with a bad case of the back-to-school crud which set me way behind my intended posting schedule.
I am finally feeling much improved from the crud and hoping to get motivated and moving on all the things that I want to get doing. I want to get the boys’ bedroom painted before Halloween, my living room painted before Christmas, and my bedroom completed by Easter. I don’t even know when Easter is this year but it seems like a reasonable goal! I am finding that the entire process for clearing and prepping a room to painting and putting the room back together takes approximately 1-2 weeks depending on the size of the room and how much stuff has to be moved around to do the job. So I am confident that I can meet all of my painting goals without too much stress.
But this post is about churches not painting goals so let me get to it.
While I do not adhere to any organized religion, I did grow up in the church then I studied the various world religions in my Religion Studies minor during college and eventually I settled into a life of non-denominational spirituality which focuses on unconditional love for all living beings. My religious and spiritual beliefs have undergone many transformations throughout my life. I guess we all begin our spiritual and religious journeys with the belief systems handed down to us from our parents and then our life experiences help to mold our beliefs in ways that are more meaningful to us on a personal level.
During my own journey, I have realized two very important things…
- Most people have some sort of spiritual or religious belief system.
- Our spiritual journeys are highly personal making no single set of beliefs right or wrong.
Back in June, I shared this post on Facebook which received mostly positive responses.
“Fascinating statistic of the day: 1/3 of the world’s population practices some form of Christianity. This means 2/3 of the world’s population does not. Please keep in mind that my god is not necessarily your god and not everyone lives by the same religious beliefs. I live by love. And that means loving everyone and respecting their choices in how they live their lives. Also remember that different doesn’t mean wrong. It just means different and we can all learn from our differences. Have your opinions, but for the love of god, be kind to one another.”
The only less than positive response was from a Christian follower who thinks it sad that only 1/3 of the human population identifies as Christian and she hopes that Christianity will spread quicker. Although her response did still focus on love and acceptance, I just can’t ever get behind the idea that one belief system is automatically better than all the others just because it is what you personally believe.
I don’t believe in every religious tenet laid out by any single religion which is why I do not adhere to one specific religion or even consider myself religious. My beliefs align most closely with the Eastern traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism with a focus on the Universe and the universal energy that connects everyone and everything. Personally, I think religious debates can get kind of silly because I truly think it is all the same thing just using different words to describe these ideals. Yet we continue to fight and argue and send absolute nastiness out into the world in the name of religion. To me, that is just dumb. Some of the meanest people I have encountered in life have been some of the most religious people which sends me the message that maybe religion is not as good as we would hope. If we all just focused on love and acceptance and being kind to one another, maybe we could see more clearly how very similar we all are and how far unconditional love can really take us.
This church walking tour gave me confidence that religious people of every different background can come together to spread love and kindness into a world that needs it now more than ever.
The first church we visited on this walking tour was St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The first St. Mary’s was constructed of wood and built in 1842. Construction on the current stone church in the Gothic style began in 1884 and was completed in 1889 with the stone for the building, the ash and oak for the pews, the church bell, and the pipe organ either locally sourced or donated by members of the church parish.
The priest at St. Mary’s shared a very interesting history of the church and its various buildings, but I mostly enjoyed learning about the artwork that adorns sacred places from the stations of the cross to stained glass windows. I also learned how important and integral pipe organs are to churches and their congregations. I think you could write a whole book focused only on the histories of church pipe organs! I have included photos of the pipe organs in all three churches that we visited during this tour. And of course, the architecture of religious buildings is always interesting as well.
Next we visited the United Methodist Church whose pastor, Earl LaLone, was our guide for this walking tour. His wife joined us as well and she was like an encyclopedia of church history and religious information. I found myself sitting near her in all three churches just so I could ask her questions during the presentations!
The Methodist church was very small but had lots of fascinating history which I now can’t remember! Of the three churches we visited, the Methodist church most closely resembled the church I grew up in, the Christ Evangelical Congregational “Blue” Church of Williams Township, so I felt very comfortable and at home in this particular place of worship. My tiny little church from childhood is generally referred to simply as The Blue Church because it is constructed entirely of blue bricks and it is the cutest little country church you can imagine. Both of my parents are buried in the very small but quaint cemetery located behind the Blue Church. Here are a few images of my childhood church, which coincidentally celebrated its sesquicentennial last year, making my church one year older than the town of Clayton, New York.
The third and final church on our walking tour was the Christ Episcopal Church and this was definitely my favorite church of the tour. This church is filled with gorgeous stained glass windows that all have a rich local history that was shared with us by one of the church’s oldest congregation members. She was so delightfully excited to share her seemingly limitless knowledge about this church and her lifetime of worship experiences there.
What I found more intriguing than the church history was the personal background and religious journey of the church’s reverend, Lisa Busby. She had mentioned that she was previously a social worker until 7 years ago at the age of 48 when she received a calling to become a worship leader as an Episcopal priest. I felt so connected to this spiritually evolved woman who changed her life’s direction in midlife that I had to introduce myself to her. Because at the age of 48 I have received my calling to become a Reiki practitioner in order to help humanity heal in whatever way that I am able.
In discussing my journey and my goals with Reverend Busby, she was very quick to ask me how we can work together within our communities to offer much needed healing using a variety of different approaches. I was so impressed and excited that a person affiliated with a specific religion would embrace Reiki as a valid healing method! We exchanged phone numbers and now that I have completed my Reiki II certification and healed from the crud, I do need to text her to set up a coffee and conversation date. Stay tuned…
Once the walking tour concluded, we continued exploring Clayton including getting some delicious ice cream from the Clayton Popcorn Company. Their homemade ice cream is delectable and their popcorn flavors are so fun and super yummy!
What are your thoughts about religion and spirituality? Or ice cream and popcorn? I could seriously discuss these topics all day long so feel free to share in the comment section. I wish you all a blessed and joyful weekend!
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shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
48 Comments
Pamela
What beautiful buildings but it’s the tales of local characters surrounding this center of the community that bring the history to life. A very interesting outing!
Pamela
http://www.style-yourself-confident.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I agree with you completely, Pamela. And I love the way you have phrased that! Local characters really do bring the history to life!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
Well, if you want to do that for Easter this year you will have to hurry, lol.
We often visit a church in England. I do think that you can get so much support if a church community. But I don’t go to church. I do believe though.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Ha, thanks, Nancy! I would love to see some old European churches! It is difficult for us Americans to imagine how very old the buildings are in other parts of the world compared to here. I think any community of like minded supportive people is helpful whether it is a religious or spiritual community or not. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Mica Away From The Blue
What a beautiful church! it looks like a really nice place to do a tour and you got some lovely photos!
Thank you for the link up! Hope you are having a good day 🙂
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mica! It was a really interesting tour on a gorgeous early fall day and so much fun to learn some local history!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kellyann Rohr
I love tours like the one you did – when we went to Scotland and Ireland we saw so many beautiful old churches and I was in awe. Text Reverend Busby asap Shelbee and connect – I think that is so exciting!
Religion is a huge part of my life and me – I have always felt this in my being but especially as an adult. When I worked in ocology I learned so much from my patients and knew the direction I needed to go in my spiritual life.
Can’t wait to see what you do next!
xo,
Kellyann
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kellyann! I am going to text Rev. Busby today! I am very excited for this new path in my life but I am unsure where to even begin. I am going to a Psychic Fair this weekend and hope to make some valuable connections there. And then I have some other opportunities to explore in the coming weeks. I am also thinking that I might want to work with terminal patients to help them find peace and clarity and healing at the end of life. There are so many ways I can go!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jennifer
The first church reminds be of a church I visited in Istanbul!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
The Catholic Church definitely had a very Middle Eastern feel to it! Those churches you visited in Istanbul were absolutely stunning!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jill
What a cool outing! It would be so interesting to learn about each church’s history. Love seeing your photos. The stained glass is beautiful!
Jill – Doused in Pink
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Jill! I wish I could remember more of the details about the church buildings and I couldn’t find much online except for the Catholic Church. It was really interesting learning about the detailed history of each church from the building architecture to the stained glass windows to the pipe organs!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Johnson
Oh, I love touring old churches! When we were in Vermont and New Hampshire we saw so many old churches. I also love the ones in Alburquerque. Thanks so much for the feature too! I really appreciate it!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Amy! I had a feeling that you might enjoy this post! Old churches and old cemeteries really intrigue me! We have some really small, quaint, beautiful old churches all around here. I should go out exploring and take more photos. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michele Morin
There are several historical walking tours in our area that we keep meaning to follow. Funny how we don’t take opportunities in our backyard!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I love being a tourist in my own town and surrounding areas! It is so fun to learn local history. You should definitely go do one of those walking tours in your area…before it gets too cold!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lisa Smith
Great post. Everyone can spread love and kindess. I love you, dear friend.
Lisa
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aw, thanks so much, my friend! Let’s get together soon for coffee or something if you are in town. Love you, too!
xoxo
Shelbee
Aletha Oglesby
Thanks for sharing these photos of your tour. I also enjoy touring churches when I travel. I think churches tend to bring out the best in people and it is sad that as you say, “religion” itself can bring out the worst. I wonder if the person who was sad that 2/3 of the world aren’t Christian feels that because they find it so satisfying, not that all the others are bad. When one finds something satisfying , it’s natural to want to share it, as you did here. I hope you’re right about most people having a spiritual belief system, as the world must look so dark for those who don’t.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Aletha! Churches can definitely provide us with very interesting and valuable insight into the communities which they serve. And religion can do such great things for humanity. But it also can do such bad things, too. I really appreciate your perspective on the 2/3 commenter. It is not one I had thought of and you are likely very accurate in your summation as the commenter was very kind in her phrasing. She probably did just want to share something that she finds greatly beneficial to her! I just get a little sensitive because I often find myself “under fire” from some religious folks. I, too, must drop my judgments since I hate when people judge me. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Laura Bambrick
This looks like such a gorgeous church! I love all of the stained glass!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
It was a really cool experience to see and learn about all the wonderful details of each church and its history.
xoxo
Shelbee
Cheryl Shops
I just got back from Croatia, land of a gazillion churches and monasteries! My view on that is, if you need to go to a church once a week (or more) to help you be a better person and be kind to others, then by all means, do so. It doesn’t hurt for it to be a beautiful building that you like spending time in 😉
Cheryl Shops | http://www.cherylshops.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh, I bet that was an amazing trip, Cheryl! I am totally with you on this. If church works for you, have at it! I support anything that makes people feel loved and safe and part of a supportive and caring community. I do not, however, support cruelty that is defended by religious beliefs. That is just a bunch of nonsense in my opinion! Be kind, be caring, be loving, and be respectful. Let love and kindness rule and we all win!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lucy Bertoldi
I’m totally with you that evryone’s spiritual beliefs are their own- and that love should be at the core of it all. And what a different but cool outing! Thanks so much for featuring me!!! Have a great weekend xx
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lucy! I remember having this epiphany about how personal our spiritual beliefs are when I was attending the non-denominational church on the Army base when Jeff was deployed. I didn’t take communion because I didn’t really believe in it and felt hypocritical if I were to take it. So I sat back in the pews during communion and I was the only one. I felt all the eyes on me, passing judgment for not taking communion, when it occurred to me that my reasons and how I practice religion is nobody’s business except mine! That might have been the first moment that I felt secure and comfortable with my own spiritual beliefs and I stopped fearing the judgment of others.
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
Those are such beautiful churches! I definitely grew up going to church each Sunday and even attended catholic schools for much of my elementary years but like you drew away from the church in high school/college. I began meandering back to the church around the time I had my boys and then we had a rather awful experience with how their Catholic school was shut down and handled and treated that I once again found myself pulling away. I finally realized that I don’t need a buildling or a special place to feel conected to the world and others and find I am happiest practicing a more spiritual belief quietly on my own as like you there has been no single church or religion in which I believe in everything they preach. Our world has so much unhappiness and strife that I’d rather put out love and good thoughts than fear and contempt.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Joanne, this is such a beautiful comment! Thank you for sharing it. I have gone back and forth with churchgoing my whole life, too. When Jeff was deployed, I relied heavily on the non-denominational church on the Army base for getting through such a trying time. I have attended a variety of churches in different denominations and have found wonderfully supportive communities in most of them. The whole organized bit just isn’t for me mostly because there is an expectation that you adhere to and believe every tenet taught in each church. Quiet spirituality on my own works so much better for me. Keep shining your beautiful light and love into the world, my friend! We definitely more of that!
xoxo
Shelbee
Pat
What an interesting tour of historic churches in your area. I always enjoy seeing how different religions worship and I am also a stained glass aficionado so I’d enjoy seeing the different styles in the windows. I agree with you that our world and our country could use more kindness and tolerance for each other.
Thaks for hosting On the Edge every week, Shelbee!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Pat! I am really happy that you enjoyed this post. I have always been fascinated by religion and the different belief systems. It’s probably why I decided to study it in college. What I find most interesting is all the different things that people do in the name of religion. It seems that both really bad things and really good things come out of religious beliefs. One of my mother’s closest friends suffered from unspeakable abuse as a child that happened in a religious cult (very bad) but she found all of her healing in a different religion (very good) which is a perfect illustration of the extreme poles that exist underneath the umbrella of religion. It is one of my favorite topics of discussion!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
Oh, there is nothing like an old church! I love the simplicity of them as well as the stained glass windows. But, I also love big old ornate cathedrals. There is a feeling in them…a remnant perhaps of souls that have passed through? My religious beliefs are definitely grounded in Christianity yet I can’t help wondering so many things. I wonder if God really cares if He’s called Jehovah, God, or Allah. I wonder just exactly who Jesus would be hanging out with. I wonder if we all lived up to the Christian ideals (Christian or not) so easily spouted wouldn’t this world be a much more peaceful and loving place? So, while I do deeply believe in my God, I am perfectly OK with you believing in your two or three (you being the universal you) gods. Because, like you, Shelbee, I think we’re all talking to and about the same entity…we’re the problem…not the entity!
http://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my gosh, Marsha, you brilliant human! We are the problem! And I personally don’t think that God cares what we call her (or what gender we assign…but I suspect that God, or the Universe as I prefer to call her, is actually genderless). If we all just led with love and focused on the ideals of kindness and caring for all living things and our planet, it would be a much more beautiful world for everyone in it. I have to ask this though…Who do you think Jesus would hang with in 2022???
xoxo
Shelbee
Melody Jacob
These churches are so lovely! I was raised attending church every Sunday and even went to a religious high school. I completely agree with you that everyone’s spiritual beliefs should be their own and that love should be the driving force behind everything.
I appreciate you sharing these images from your tour. When I travel, I also enjoy visiting churches. I will be attending church for the first time today in Scotland.
https://www.melodyjacob.com/2022/10/how-to-break-out-of-nzu-addiction.html
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Melody! I have always believed that God is Love and if we all strive to be loving in a godlike way, it would be such a beautiful existence for all. I would love to visit old churches in different parts of the world! There is so much history in religion and I love learning about all of it. I hope you have an amazing time in Scotland and that your church experience there is meaningful!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Churches have some of the most interesting and beautiful architecture. I will admit that The Blue Church is the one I found most inviting in those that you’ve shared. There is something so peaceful and welcoming about blue.
As for my religious beliefs, I have none; I’m an atheist. And yet, I find miracles in the knowledge that we are literally made from star stuff. The iron that courses through our bloodstream was forged in stars and freed into the universe when those stars went supernovae. I find these verified truths incredible and inspiring. That said, just because I have no belief in a deity or deities doesn’t mean I lack beliefs in how we humans should treat each other or the type of society we should construct. That would require a book to explain, so I’ll sum it up: Be kind.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Oh my goodness, Michelle, I love you! Thank you for sharing this brilliant comment! While you may not have any religious beliefs, I think what you just stated shows that you do still have some sort of spiritual beliefs…that we are made of star stuff. Well, that’s scientific stuff, but it is the very thing that connects us all in one giant web of energy, which is kind of spiritual stuff, too! The bottom line is that none of us really knows the answers to any of these things and so kindness seems like a reasonable place to start!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
I love you too! I will admit that the idea that we are all made of star stuff makes me all tingly the way I think spiritual beliefs should. 😄
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Star stuff keeps making me smile!
Patrick Weseman
What a great tour. Lovely churches. I always try to remember the words in Life of Pi which are “Faith is a house with many rooms.” We sometimes forget that on our journey’s. My faith journey is an interesting one as well.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Patrick! That is such a great quote and one that I absolutely agree with. If we were all more accepting and understanding of how personal our spiritual journeys are, maybe we would finally stop killing each other over religion.
xoxo
Shelbee
Emma Peach
I have very similar views to you Shelbee. I don’t consider myself to be at all religious, my guiding values are kindness, compassion and doing the least harm – which is the main principle of veganism. I do enjoy visiting churches and cathedrals though, particularly when I’m on holiday.
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Emma! I really like your guiding principles and adhere to the same ones myself even though I am not vegan. I think any lifestyle choices that make us happy without damaging the world or the people around us are beneficial. Keep shining your bright loving light into the world, my friend.
xoxo
Shelbee
Alexandra
Wow! It’s so beautiful!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks, Alexandra! It was perfect weather for a walking tour, too! Such a lovely day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kathrine Eldridge
What a cool tour! I would love to do this in my hometown and learn all the history. That is wonderful that you found someone to help you help others with reiki. Reiki is so helpful in healing the spirit and body.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kathrine! I love old churches and learning any local history, especially in small towns! I am really excited to start sharing more about my Reiki practice, too. I just need to get myself organized. I have been floundering around like a fish out of water lately!
xoxo
Shelbee
Carol
No matter what religious beliefs anyone might hold, it’s evident that churches, cathedrals, and synagogues are repositories of history, art, and architecture. As such, they contribute to our culture.
Thank you for sharing this post in the Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 37.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
So, so true, Carol! Thanks so much!
xoxo
Shelbee