THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 3, 1996 TAG: 9605020159
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 41 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARY REID BARROW, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
FOLKS CAME FROM as far away as New York and Florida and from as near as the apartments across the street to celebrate the Haygood United Methodist Church Chapel centennial Sunday.
Current church members, some in vintage clothing, former parishioners and ministers, along with local politicians worshiped outside in a big white tent, feasted on a huge covered-dish lunch, played 19th century games on the lawn and viewed historical exhibits inside the 100-year-old chapel.
The oldest visitor, 97-year-old W.D. Bill Keene Jr. of Norfolk, was a pastor at the chapel in 1923. Among the youngest was Christian Ullmann, not quite a year old, who almost made it through the long church service and re-enactment.
There also were visitors like costumed Helen Keith. Although she lives across the street from the church, she has never been a member.
``I just love this church,'' she said. ``The steeple shines at my apartment.''
The official count, 692, made it the largest single church service in Haygood's history and probably the largest luncheon for years to come. Like Keith, folks all came to worship and break bread together because they love the old familiar structure on Haygood Road with its quaint steeple and dormer type windows.
Built in 1896, the chapel was the third church sanctuary at the site. Haygood's present brick church next door was built in 1964.
Cleo Mast and her husband Howard, who live in Suffolk now, came back for the celebration because of fond memories of the old chapel. The two grew up on nearby farms and began coming to Haygood as infants in 1917.
``We were on the cradle roll together,'' Howard Mast said. ``I cut my teeth on those benches.''
His wife added, ``We were married in this church 55 years ago, right there,'' she said, as she pointed to a spot right in front of the altar railing.
Alberta Shelton Stornetta, of Annapolis, Md., returned with copies of a book she had written to commemorate the chapel centennial, ``Memories of Five Generations at Haygood.'' Stornetta wore a black cotton gown with a white, ruffled collar, copied after a dress worn by her great-aunt in a photo, which is included in the book.
They all have Alvis Oliver and her family to thank for the celebration. Without them, there may have been no chapel centennial. The Olivers, another multi-generational Haygood family, restored the old chapel in memory of Alvis Oliver's husband, Stanley.
Inside and out, from roof to siding, from wooden cathedral ceiling to benches and wainscoting, the chapel was lovingly rejuvenated last year. Once in such disrepair that church officials considered tearing it down, the chapel now may be the object of a bicentennial celebration 100 years from now. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
LEFT: Members of Haygood United Methodist Church, some dressed in
19th century period clothing, celebrated the centennial under a big
white tent. RIGHT: Among those joining in the revival-style service
and covered-dish feast was Phyllis Porter.
Randall Carlson, dressed in period clothing, joined in such 19th
century lawn games as croquet.
Past and current members viewed historical exhibits inside the
100-year-old chapel, including the 1922 photo, above, of a Tom Thumb
wedding and the photo, left, of Alice Millner Oliver.
by CNB