Grandview Covenant Kids

There's always activity surrounding a church. Grandview Covenant Church is my community and connects me with friends I grew up with and formed a history with. Grandview was built on the highest point in Lyon County, therefore the name. Below are a few views of the kids at Grandview back in the 60's. It's hard to believe this is more than 40 years ago, but many of these kids have kids older than we were then and a few grandchildren as well! These people were my first friends, some relatives, neighbors,... they've become family.

Pastor David Sems was our Pastor from 1965-67, and here are some photos he took of the kids at Grandview. (Hi Dave, I know you'll be reading this, how's your blog coming?) The front steps of the church was always the gathering place for photos, I lined up there after our confirmation to receive congratulations from family and friends. These are Bible School shots, back in the day when a sack lunch was just that. No coolers.
We'd open the double doors to let in cool breezes on hot Sundays before the days of air conditioning. The back door lead down the stairs the back way to the bathrooms and kitchen, an addition they built in my youth. I barely remember the old pump down in the kitchen and the cellar door that used to be there that led outside. I love the one in the top left corner above showing our old outhouse. There used to be a larger one there before this building.

There were always kids tables for eating at. One table was low to the ground, it's still in use - think of all the kids who have sat at that over the years. Simplier times...

Bible School group in 1964. Rev. Paul Nelson was the Pastor at this time. We played lots of games in the church yard, baseball and kick ball were favorites. Way back in the distance of this photo is our church cemetery. The Sioux River and the Iowa/South Dakota border is beyond that.

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. -Proverbs 22:6

As you can tell, I love reminising about the old days. Friends and family, do you recognize any of the faces here? I have more old photos scanned than the newer ones. I should get at that task and scan even more than I have, but I'll leave that for another day.