Pleasant Grove Church

Just north of Ames there is a little church called the Pleasant Grove Church.  My friend and Brother Marty attends this church.  I have attended services there twice,  once with my great aunt Avis and another time with the DeMolay boys who attended as a group  It is a pleasant experience.  The Church has a web site where you can read the history and find out more about it.  One of the members wrote a charming poem about it.

My Church Author:   Stella Roberts

Through these doors, now worn and old, has passed a caravan untold,          Of those who proudly came to hear, the Word of God read loud and clear.          To them our humble thanks we give, to those who long ago did live          On this rugged virgin land, the beauty revealed by his own hand.          They searched and also found, this place to be their hallowed ground          On which to build a worship place, for those who trusted in his grace.          They gathered here from all around, and started building from the ground,          After hours of sweat and toil, this church was standing on their soil.          Then 'twas heard, come one and all, and many answered to the call,          There were the children to be blessed, and others who their sins confessed.          There also was the soldier boy, who  came to share his greatest joy          Of serving God and Country, too, and telling all the Word was true.          There was the widow with her mite, who gave her pennies round and bright,          So others would also hear, the Word of God read loud and clear.          To some, this was the perfect place, to wed, and standing face to face,          A kiss, their sacred vow to seal, their hopes and prayers were now made real.          Dear Lord in heaven, we humbly pray, that we might serve as well today,          And that, through these doors now worn and old, might pass a caravan untold.          With these old doors flung open wide, might we be standing side by side          A helping hand to gladly share, to lift a load someone might bear.

 The location of the church is near the Skunk River above Soper's Mill a place where many parties (keggers) were held in the 60's when I was just out of High School.  I, of course, never did anything like that but I do remember one time driving into the Mill after dark and someone sat up out of the weeds in my headlights.  He had a bloody face.  Seems some swimmers from Iowa State had beat him up.

The Churdh is surrounded by a Cemetery which, while pleasant to look at, kept them from drilling for a well or having running water.  You can read more about the church and its history on its Web Site.  Marty's mother Donna did most of the writing and it is very interesting.  The church has an Ice Cream Social every summer.  Not sure when the date is for the next one because the Web Site hasn't been updated but Marty reads this blog. Perhaps he will put the date in the comments.  They also have a family pot luck the last Sunday of the month (according to the Web Site.)  Might be a good time to attend this very Pleasant (Grove) Church.