The Church on the Crest of the Hill

The Church on the Crest of the Hill

The Church on the Hill, Ijames Hill Baptist Church,

One very Special Place. 

The day and time saved by faith, by God's Heavenly Grace, 

Remind me of a very special place that I keep and protect deep within my heart. 

The place by belief and acceptance I received, by God's Grace, Jesus Christ, 

As my Lord and Savior, 

Then in Baptism followed to daily walk complete in Him. 

A place in love built on Crest of the Hill, then as today, one very Special Church, 

That is so very close and dear to my heart. 

Then one room with bench seats of wood,

To cool the heat of summer's day all windows to open, 

To keep out the cold one wood stove, 

And the room for needs built without. 

A Church built by love upon the Crest of the Hill, 

A Beacon a Lighthouse to and for the Lord, 

To bring all to gather within to sing praises to Him, 

And hear the Word of the Lord. 

Built to be shared by people I knew, 

Who truly cared and loved with the touch of the Lord, 

For I remember they sang as if part of a Heavenly Choir, 

For each word they sung directly to Him above in pure love. 

The joy in their voices echoed the Love of Christ in their hearts, 

And it appeared as tears of happiness on faces forgiven by faith's belief in Him. 

They shared the wisdom of His Word of Love and Grace, 

With this man so very young so long ago, 

That changed my heart within to follow and walk with Him, 

And to build from within to without,

With the Integrity of Character of Jesus Christ my Lord. 

I write these words for them who walked that Holy Ground

In love for the Lord and His Church, and what they all truly mean to me. 

For at the Alter of the Church on the Hill, 

The Lord touched my heart and changed me that day for today. 

I pray, those words of His love and grace they shared with me, 

Will continue long after I enter the Heavenly Gates, 

And look that day upon my Savior's Face 

To continue eternities walk with Him, 

And guide and encourage yet another His Way today, 

To forever be with Him. 

They remind me of one very Special and Holy Place, 

The Church on Crest of the Hill, 

Ijames Hill Church, 

About 7 miles south of the small country town of Mill Spring, Missouri, 

In the Hills of Southeastern Missouri, 

On the Crest of the Hill near Brushy Creek,

In which I followed the Lord in Baptism in May 1952. 

Lord, from the love of One Church and its people for me to eternity in Glory with You, 

Martin Lee Vance 

9/19/2006 

Since that day so long ago, 

A few changes have taken place 

To that Special Church on the Crest of the Hill, 

The Beacon, the Lighthouse to and for the Lord. 

You can now see, in the picture above, the room for needs that they built on the right, 

And a Baptist kitchen for fixings built on the back. 

The one wood stove, to keep out the cold,

Replaced by propane gas heat, several years ago,

And the windows to open to cool the heat of summer's day, 

Can now remain closed for A/C was put in three years ago. 

This picture was taken when I went home for a funeral in January 2009, 

A younger cousin now walks with the Lord, 

Another now waits at Heaven's Gates by God's Grace my coming Home. 

Martin Lee Vance 

1/12/2009