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susandennisI suspect that personal religion is still a big piece of local mores in Winston-Salem these days but not nearly what it was in the 50's and 60's. The rep about the South was that every new acquaintance started with Who's your Daddy? and What church do you belong to? Not far from the truth at all.
There was massive religious diversity. Kinda. Within a narrow scope. My friends were all Methodist and Baptist and Episcopalians and Presbyterians and Moravians. I was probably 12 or so before I ever met a person who did not attend Sunday School and church every single Sunday and the Baptists went on Wednesday nights as well.
We belonged to a denomination that was fairly good sized in Oklahoma but tiny in North Carolina. Disciples of Christ. Our church was an old, crusty building downtown called First Christian Church. We were basically casual Presbyterians. When I was about 8, the church moved out of downtown into a fine, new building where it stands today. We spent a lot of time there. Every Sunday, of course, but sometimes Sunday evenings and other times as well. Both my parents sung in the Choir and we were all in the children's choir at one time or another.
I never really bought into the deal. It just didn't make much sense to me. And much of what they were teaching was that we needed to bring non believers into the fold. Apparently these non believers were prolific but I sure didn't know any. Plus, if I did, I'd tell them to go to First Baptist because they had an indoor skating rink at their church.
But church - whichever one - was tightly woven into the fabric of the life of everyone I knew. It was very subtle, expected and foundational. Once the What-church-do-you-belong-to question was answered, the subject rarely came up again.
We said a prayer before meals at home but never before meals anywhere else. We said prayers before bed but everyone did. Otherwise church stuff was confined to the walls of the actual church.
This was NOT evangelical at all. It was assumed (not really incorrectly) that everything was Protestant Christian and shared the same values. So no need to even discuss. And, in fact, it was a little gauche to discuss.
Of all my friends at school, there were 2 (sisters) Catholic kids and Hal Kaplan who was basically a class hero because, it seemed, he got out of school for most of the fall for some Jewish holiday or another.
The Moravians (a Christian denomination) had founded Winston-Salem in the mid 1700's so there was a lot of that and they have fabulous Christmas rituals. Good eats and pretty services and songs enjoyed by everyone regardless of any other affiliation.
None of that, however, stuck. I left Winston-Salem when I graduated from high school and only went back once for a brief visit. I pretty much left all organized religion at the same time. Interesting how something so ingrained for so many years can be excised so easily.
To Be Continued
There was massive religious diversity. Kinda. Within a narrow scope. My friends were all Methodist and Baptist and Episcopalians and Presbyterians and Moravians. I was probably 12 or so before I ever met a person who did not attend Sunday School and church every single Sunday and the Baptists went on Wednesday nights as well.
We belonged to a denomination that was fairly good sized in Oklahoma but tiny in North Carolina. Disciples of Christ. Our church was an old, crusty building downtown called First Christian Church. We were basically casual Presbyterians. When I was about 8, the church moved out of downtown into a fine, new building where it stands today. We spent a lot of time there. Every Sunday, of course, but sometimes Sunday evenings and other times as well. Both my parents sung in the Choir and we were all in the children's choir at one time or another.
I never really bought into the deal. It just didn't make much sense to me. And much of what they were teaching was that we needed to bring non believers into the fold. Apparently these non believers were prolific but I sure didn't know any. Plus, if I did, I'd tell them to go to First Baptist because they had an indoor skating rink at their church.
But church - whichever one - was tightly woven into the fabric of the life of everyone I knew. It was very subtle, expected and foundational. Once the What-church-do-you-belong-to question was answered, the subject rarely came up again.
We said a prayer before meals at home but never before meals anywhere else. We said prayers before bed but everyone did. Otherwise church stuff was confined to the walls of the actual church.
This was NOT evangelical at all. It was assumed (not really incorrectly) that everything was Protestant Christian and shared the same values. So no need to even discuss. And, in fact, it was a little gauche to discuss.
Of all my friends at school, there were 2 (sisters) Catholic kids and Hal Kaplan who was basically a class hero because, it seemed, he got out of school for most of the fall for some Jewish holiday or another.
The Moravians (a Christian denomination) had founded Winston-Salem in the mid 1700's so there was a lot of that and they have fabulous Christmas rituals. Good eats and pretty services and songs enjoyed by everyone regardless of any other affiliation.
None of that, however, stuck. I left Winston-Salem when I graduated from high school and only went back once for a brief visit. I pretty much left all organized religion at the same time. Interesting how something so ingrained for so many years can be excised so easily.
To Be Continued
(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 02:24 am (UTC)My son, Scott graduated from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, where another group of Moravians settled and founded Bethlehem. They sure DO have fabulous Christmas traditions, and they are especially known for their music. To me, they seem so joyful! Moravian College is known for it's music major (especially sacred classical music). Scott was an art history major, but he dated a few of those music majors!). Central Moravian Church (a huge church across the street from Scott's dorm) had these very well known Christmas Vespers every Fri., Sat., Sun. evenings in December. It was VERY difficult to get tickets, but for the years Scott was there, we managed to get tickets for 3 out of his 4 years. The music at that service was SO BEAUTIFUL - put on by the music department of Moravian College. Every window which faces the street in historic Bethlehem was lit with a white (electric) candle light, thanks to the town. Magical! Also, most houses in Bethlehem, PA had these lit up "Moravian Stars" in the windows (and outside) of their homes. For my 50th birthday, my family got together and gave me this GORGEOUS faceted lit Moravian Star. We hang it all year - not just Christmas. No - I'm not Moravian, but I think I could be - at least from what I've seen!
Did you notice any traditions like this in NC when you were there?
As I read how religion shaped you and others in your community in NC, it almost seems as if religion was less "personally spiritual" and more "cultural".
(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 02:30 am (UTC)I later went to a Moravian high school so really got a dose of it there for 4 years. I'd love to go to a Love Feast again sometime.
And you nailed the religious situation growing up - it was indeed way more cultural than spiritual. Great way to phrase it.
(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 03:25 am (UTC)Here is some information on the Christmas Vespers:
https://www.moravian.edu/news/events/vespers
This was an all sacred music Christmas service put on by Moravian College music groups (ensembles, orchestra, trios, soloists choirs, etc. etc.). In addition, there's congregational singing, plus a traditional, special hymn, "Morning Star", sung by a child soloist -- all to tell the Christmas story. I still have goose bumps thinking of that one hymn.... We used to get tickets through the Parents Council (of which we were a member), as well as some of the music majors Scott knew.
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Date: 2017-03-26 03:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 03:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 03:41 am (UTC)https://www.deweys.com/about-us-our-history/
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Date: 2017-03-26 02:43 am (UTC)Oh my goodness, we both grew up in the Disciples of Christ church, and look how we turned out. It's been 50 years since I went to that church.
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Date: 2017-03-26 02:48 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 03:10 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2017-03-26 04:56 pm (UTC)