Elizabeth and Sarah Henderson Make Room for Beauty and Belonging on our Church Grounds
The transformation began with plants that needed somewhere to go. A backyard drainage project had displaced a collection of Lenten roses and autumn ferns, and Elizabeth Henderson and her daughter, Sarah, received permission to give them a new home in First Presbyterian Church’s graveyard. That might have been the extent of it. But once they started working, they saw vines overtaking azaleas and weeds overtaking memorial markers. There were people they knew buried there. Having attended First Presbyterian for most of their lives, Elizabeth and Sarah were caring for a place woven into their own history. Finding room for a few plants became something considerably larger: three years of returning, together and separately, to weed, water, plant and care for the grounds of a church that had helped shape their faith.
Their work follows the demands of growing things, with summer plantings requiring extra trips to water and persistent vines demanding another round of attention. Photographs on their phones document the progress, a useful reminder on days when the work seems endless. Alongside fellow volunteers, including Judy Lett, who spent much of the summer tackling heavy clearing, Bill and Ginny Morrow, Michael and Sallee Reynolds, Susan Seagraves, Marcia and David Doyle, staff members Jane Holland and Victor Lenoir, along with everyone who has participated in the volunteer workdays, the Hendersons have helped restore the graveyard’s appearance while finding ways for its plantings to serve the church. Rosemary, lavender and other greenery now make their way into the Flower Guild’s arrangements for worship. Native and pollinator plants draw bees, butterflies and birds, including a goldfinch whose arrival was cause for great excitement.
Caring for creation brings its own rewards. For a family whose history at First Presbyterian includes a wedding in the old chapel in 1919, the work also offers a quiet connection to generations of faithful people. They describe working here as calming, even meditative, a way of serving those who came before them.
Working outside has also made Elizabeth and Sarah aware of the people who arrive without ever entering the sanctuary. Visitors stop to ask historical questions about the church. Downtown neighbors bring lunch or look for a quiet place in the shade. Some ask permission just to sit. The Hendersons would like the welcome to be unmistakable, with comfortable benches and a greater appreciation for what this green space offers the city around it. In their care, the church’s call to love its neighbors takes a tangible form: a pleasant place to rest, a friendly conversation, grounds tended with guests and community members in mind. Sarah puts the responsibility plainly: “I think it’s just important to take care of our stuff.” Week after week, she and Elizabeth put that belief into practice, helping make the grounds a place where people can feel welcome before they ever walk through the doors.
We are so thankful for Elizabeth and Sarah, for the time and energy they give so generously, and for the care and hospitality they extend to our church and everyone who visits.