63 thoughts on “Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church Blowing Rock, NC”

  1. I really like the photo of the church, anything made with solid stone conveys stability. Your drawing of the church is also very nicely done.

    1. Lissa,

      I probably will add color to the Smoky logo. I just ran short of time and really didn’t feel comfortable tackling that job just yet. I still am a bit apprehensive but I think I’m ready. Thanks for visiting.

  7. That collage is so neat and crisp. Enjoyed the photos. A place of worship should give a person an inner peace and calmness, the architecture is a visual treat.

  8. Your collage of churches are great and show how each are different. I have seen some beautiful cathedrals and some beautiful country churches with great windows. I love your sketch of the country church you attended. Love both dogs and the last one is good! I can tell that it is that type of dog and yes, use your prisma pencils….nothing to lose and you won’t be able to grow in colouring the way you want if you don’t try. I know you will do well. What would you say…have faith? 🙂

    1. Birgit,

      I love stained-glasses windows in churches. The country church DH & I attended, then married in had some beautiful windows. When they built it, they purchased the windows from another church that was being torn down. It was an especially beautiful experience to see the sun come through the stained glass for the Easter morning sunrise service. I’m not sure how well the Prismacolor pencils will work now on my drawing since I did a lot of shading but I did manage to sketch another hound dog picture yesterday and I think I’ll use my Prismacolors on it. I hope to share this finish illustration next week. 🙂

  9. both of your sketches are good and I especially like the dog – very cute! How strange you mention church today in your post. I literally spent over an hour trying to identify a church I photographed from the window of a tour bus in Montego Bay, Lucea, Jamaica in 2017 when we were there for a son’s wedding. I wanted to sketch the church but I only had a quick photo of just the side angle and no name. I finally found it. “Lucea Methodist Church”. I plan on a sketch of it some day.

    1. Sandy,

      I guess we were on the same wavelength with our thoughts but that’s kind of peculiar when this happens, isn’t it? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve come across other bloggers who are thinking like me on any given day. It’s actually kind of fun when it occurs I can’t wait to check out your sketch. 🙂

  10. I love quaint little ol’ churches and seeing what’s inside & how they set up for services, and the older the better!. Ahhhh Once again if walls could talk, but then again I also love big cathedrals. I have a few pics of like where my mom was baptized & married. I was baptized in that same church, All Saints Church in Bridgeport (Mayor Daley’s neighborhood), but progress must move on and it was torn down so the city could put in I55… The Eisenhower. Sad… very sad. Our Church was big like a cathedral and paintings on the ceilings and everything, I loved it so much & cried when the Pope gave permission to tear it down. Very sad. Very sad indeed. I just heard that 2 blks down where they took over All Saints sanctuary, statutes and their following, which was called All Saints/St. Anthony’s is getting torn down now & combing with another church. Even more sad. 🙁 Oh well, don’t get me started. I’ll make a post about it one day soon. Hugs, Marie

    1. Marie,

      Oh, I can imagine how sad you were when these beloved churches came down. I hate it when anything beautiful is lost forever. The old buildings are never replaced with something charmingly warm and inviting, it’s usually cold and sterile feeling. I dislike modern day church, especially those you can’t even tell that they are a church, you know?

  11. What a pretty church! Thank you for sharing it and your wonderful sketches also!

    Lisa

  14. Your comfort zones genuinely are sacred ground, especially the churches.

    Nice to see you out and about today. Stay inside. It is cold out.

    1. Myke,

      I know God is wherever His people serve but honestly, it’s hard to sense God’s presence in some big, big, churches. I won’t even entertain going to a church that doesn’t look like one. I’ve seen some that look like an office building, there’s no cross or bell tower or anything other than a sign that says ‘blah-blah-blah church’. I love steepled churches and the old fashion bell towers. 🙂

  15. Every spring New York State does a Sunday event where houses of worship open their doors for tours. It is an absolutely amazing thing to visit these buildings, learn their history, and sometimes listen to their congregants sing. The event is called Sacred Sites.

  16. Old churches are cozy and warm like old libraries. They have a peaceful charm about them. Love those sketches, Cathy. I hope you are feeling better. 🙂

    1. Eugenia,

      I am feeling better. My TMJ is sensitive and I expect it’ll take more time than the doctor said for it to heal. Old churches are cozy. In the Cades Cove community in the Smoky’s, they have a few old churches along the one-way loop road and there’s one that I really love to visit. It’s so reverent to step inside and to sense God’s presence filling that building years ago as people came to divine leadership. It’s a beautiful thing!

  19. I love the churches. I didn’t realize religion played such a huge part of your youth and into your adult years. Way cool.

    Love your drawing. You’re really good.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday, Cathy. Love you. ♥

    1. Sandee,

      Some of my fondest memories are from those early years listening to my grandpa preach and going to Sunday School at the little church near our home. I can’t imagine my life without the Christain influences of my parents and grandparents, as well as my personal walk with God.

  21. Hi Cathy 🙂 I love this post! That church is a beautiful structure and I love your drawing! Though you and I don’t share our calling, the basis is the same, faith. Once I let go of my own cares and trusted blindly in my own spirituality, my cares of the past disappeared. It’s a wonderful thing! 🙂 I like your Vols drawing too! It’s great! And I say GAMBLE!!! 🙂 Colour is fun. I started drawing about a year ago and I have Prismacolor pencils too. I ended up buying blenders to smooth out the colours, it’s very relaxing! 🙂 By the way great job on the Smokey drawing! He does look houndish! 🙂

    1. Rain,

      My life is spiritually rich. While I don’t attend ‘church’ any longer, I feel the ‘church’ within since that’s where I carry Jesus. Having faith in the One on high gives me calm and clarity. I plan to get more involved with my Prismacolor pencils with my sketches. I keep saying this but have yet to fulfill this one little goal but I will get to it. 🙂

  26. Both your drawings came out great. Thanks for hosting. Have a wonderful day. XO

  27. Your pictures of the churches are beautiful Cathy. I always loved the architecture of the buildings. Our city is trying to save the church that my son was baptized in. It’s been in our city for over 200 years (very tall steeples and fantastic artwork on ceilings and pillars and the most gorgeous painted glass windows).
    You have such a talent for sketching! I really love the dog. I’m a sucker for dogs!

  28. Those of us raised in the 50’s & 60’s will someday be regarded as the generation that lived during the Golden Age of America. One of the cornerstones of that golden age was a firm foundation of faith throughout the land, built on the sermons of “old timey” preachers. Evangelical congregations held Revival Meeting twice a year and countless souls were added to the book of life. I believe the only thing that will make America great again is a spiritual awakening. Have a blessed Wednesday.

    1. Driller,

      You’re right about that, the only way to make America great again is putting God first in our lives and in our country. The US has slipped so far from our Christian foundation. Thank you for visiting!

    1. Melody,

      A country church like this is very basic with wooden pews and hardwood floors, nothing fancy about it. Just a humble house of God. Thanks for visiting!

  31. Hi, Cathy!

    Happy Almost Wordless/Scribble Picnic Wednesday, dear friend! I hope all your aches and pains are continuing to get better this morning and that you are in good spirits.

    I enjoyed the collage of church pictures you have snapped over the years, and your sketch of a little country church is very charming and realistic. I also think you did a fine job rendering the Tennessee Vols mascot, Smokey, both the logo and the actual hound dog. Your drawing might make Smokey look more like a Beagle, but you captured his good-natured determination. My favorite part is his long tongue. I think you’d have fun coloring one or both of those mascot sketches.

    Thanks for playing Wednesday show and tell, dear friend Cathy. Have a safe and happy day!

    1. Tom,

      I am doing better. I imagine my jaw/ear will be slow to heal but I’m taking care to speed up the process. Thanks for your kinds words as always regarding my art sketches. I enjoyed drawing each of these despite any impurrfections. 🙂 Have a blessed day, my good friend!

  32. Hi Cathy; Churches have the most interesting architecture and beautiful interiors! I enjoyed your photos and the sketch, as well. You obviously have a deep connection and conviction to your faith.

    The cute little Beagle mascot is adorable! Happy #WW to you. I hope you’re healing well.

    1. Debbie,

      Yes, my Smokey looks like a Beagle. The ‘REAL’ mascot is a hound dog. I really need to revisit this illustration again to try to get it right! Churches are very interesting, especially cathedrals I’ve seen in pictures or TV. I’m not a fan of modern churches, though. The architecture is too impersonal, almost sterile feeling IMO. Thanks for hoping and linking up, my friend!

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