LITTLE ROCK — Church leaders revealed traces of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church’s past Sunday after removing a 1950 time capsule set into the church’s cornerstone.
Inside the capsule, a letter dated Nov. 11, 1949, from the lead pastor at the time said the church’s “future belongs to us.” There were Sunday school brochures, a history of the early Sunday school program and a book on the Methodist discipline.
“Unfortunately, there weren’t gold, silver and jewels in here,” the Rev. Lynn Lindsey told children gathered at the front of the 500-plus congregation. But, she said of the capsule’s contents, “They’re still treasures.”
The capsule’s opening commemorated the church’s 100-year existence and 52 years at its current site at 4823 Woodlawn Drive. Churchgoers there called the capsule an uncovering of the church’s history and said they hope the historical reflection will help them forward their mission and membership in the next 100 years.
“To every church, organization [and] school, the preservation of your history is important,” said Skip Rutherford, co-chairman of the church’s centennial task force.
The capsule and its contents, which will all be on display in the coming weeks, will help fill out previously undocumented parts of the church’s history, specifically the Sunday school documents.
For Lindsey, as well as church members Georgiana Gunn, Lana Bethune, Mary Lou Billingsley and Glenda Gazette, the capsule’s opening stirred memories of the days they spent in Sunday school together when the new site opened in 1950.
Then between ages 11 and 13, they sang in the choir together. Now in their seventies, they hope to see the church turn 125.
Jordan Johnson, a church member on the task force, said the group plans to set the capsule back in the capstone with new items before the end of the year.
Those contents, Johnson said, should reflect the church’s first 100 years, including its service to Arkansas and the world through foreign mission trips and community blood drives.
“Hopefully, in 50 years, many of us will be around to see history unfold again,” he said.
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 07/23/2012