‘Little country church’ observes 150th birthday, needs financial help

If you’re going down Highway 110 near Lindale, you’ll see a few things. Mercy Ships, of course, there on the left. There’s a big white complex with a sign out front – that’s a church. A few houses here and there.
Then, there’s Garden Valley Baptist Church tucked away on the corner of 442 and 16, where hundreds drive by it every day but very few people stop to see it.
This little country church, made up of red and tan brick, has been in this spot for 150 years.
Now, it could use your help.
Known for its beautiful and stately cemetery, where Leonard Ravenhill, Keith Green and more are buried, GVBC is a sweet old country church with an average attendance of 23 every Sunday morning. Its congregation is mostly older, retired folks who have been attending the church longer than some of its younger members have been alive.
This gives the church family a sweet air of home, family and solidity; however, it also means that the church has not always been able to give the building and grounds the in-depth upkeep it might need.
Brynna Williamson, one of the church’s youngest members, decided that she was being called to use her “senior project” as an Honors Student at UT Tyler to fix that.
“I’m genuinely so excited about this project. To be able, with God’s help, to fix up the building, make God’s house pretty, involve other UT Tyler students, and be able to impact my church as a class project? Priceless,” she says.
Projects in the works include minor repairs on the building itself, re-paving the faded parking lot, replacing the carpeting, and finding someone to paint a mural in the fellowship hall.
“I could really use the community’s help with this. I am just plunging into doing all of this with no experience, so if there’s anyone out there who feels called to donate time, money or a service to the project, I would be so grateful. We’re going to see this project through,” Williamson said.
Although Williamson does hold that the project is “priceless” in value, unfortunately the cost has a definite price.
To this end, Williamson has set up a GoFundMe (available under the title “Help Our Little Country Church Renovate!”) and is looking for volunteers of individuals or groups to help kickstart the project.