Church of the Week: Russells Point Church of God

The lovely Robin and I had a great time just before New Year's Day. We drove north to Russell's Point, Ohio, between Troy and Lima, where our friends Bill and Lorraine Riley live and lead a church.

This is their church, Russell's Point Church of God. Soon after arriving in town, we joined Bill and Lorraine for the Wednesday night prayer gathering in the fellowship hall of the church, and were so blessed at the warmth of the fellowship and the beautiful love of this church for their pastor.

It's only a few blocks from the shores of beautiful Indian Lake, and while I tried very hard the whole time I was there to drive the Cowsills' song, Indian Lake, from my mind, I should have known I could easily (and fairly appropriately) have replaced it with the old Chuck Girard song, "Little Country Church":

Little country church on the edge of town
Doo-do- do-dn-do-do-do
People comin' everyday from miles around
For meetin's and for Sunday school
And it's very plain to see
It¹s not the way it used to be

Preacher isn't talkin' 'bout religion no more
He just wants to praise the Lord
People aren't as stuffy as they were before
They just want to praise the Lord
And it's very plain to see
It's not the way it used to be

They're talkin' 'bout revival and the need for love
That little church has come alive
Workin' with each other for the common good
Puttin' all the past aside
Long hair, short hair, some coats and ties
People finally comin' around
Lookin' past the hair and straight into the eyes
People finally comin' around
And it's very plain to see
It's not the way it used to be.