The Old Rugged Cross

[cbtreks]

When we lived in Texas, the only time we had The Old Rugged Cross as a congregational hymn was when my dad was the song leader and I requested it. Maybe it was too Yankee to sing, having been written in Michigan! It's one I've known well since I was very young - the first one I actually remember from grown-up church. It always makes me think of my dad. (When it showed up in an episode of Dr Who https://youtu.be/ZtBkt-PE2p0 I was surprised because for whatever reason, I didn't think it was well-known outside the US.) Many years ago - over 23 because before I met Irish - I was driving up in southwest Michigan and came across the Old Rugged Cross church where it was written. A couple years ago, I tried to find it again to show Irish and couldn't, not even with Google Maps or Mapquest. Then a couple weeks ago, we were taking a Sunday drive and happened to see a sign pointing to a historical marker so we took the turnoff - and there it was! It looks a bit different now than it did then, with a beautiful little garden. It's in Pokagon, Michigan off M-51 between Niles and Dowagiac and you can't see it from the main highway.
















There's a little gazebo with a couple picnic tables, a small glass-fronted cupboard (sort of like an old medicine cabinet) attached to a pole with a guest book in it, and a place to leave prayer requests if you want to. Catty-corner to the old church is a more recent (but still old) United Methodist church that's has a congregation and services. The older church building I think has had services in the past but is closed for renovation right now.

Irish said he wished his mom had seen this when she was alive as it was her favorite hymn.