'Foundations of Faith'
New mural, which will be dedicated Saturday, represents area's churches
By BARRY HALVORSON bhalvorson@journal-spectator.com

Forming the foundation of faith in Wharton, the early church congregations of the city will be celebrated on Saturday with the dedication of the mural of churches recently placed on the side of the building at the northwest corner of North Fulton and West Milam Streets across from First Bank.

The outdoor dedication ceremony will be held starting at 10 a.m. on May 10. If the weather turns bad, the ceremony will be shifted to the lobby of the Caney Creek Church, 118 W. Milam. Refreshments will also be served at Caney Creek following the ceremony.

A total of 13 churches are depicted on the mural and representatives from each of the churches have been invited to attend the ceremony. Among those committed to attending will be Mack Mathis, the pastor at First Baptist Church. He will be serving in a dual role as both church representative and event organizer.

"I'm also chairman of the city's beautification commission so I'll be there in that role as well," he said.

In discussing the mural, he said the congregation at First Baptist takes pride in the fact that it is the oldest of the churches listed, founded in 1858. But he said the real impact of the mural is what it represents for all people of faith.

"For First Baptist, there is a great deal of pride in the church's history and the influence its had on Baptist life across the state. But the real importance is what it represents in terms of a community seeing fit to recognize its Foundations of Faith and the moral character of the community."

A pastor since 1963, Mathis served congregations in North Carolina, Montana and in Texas before arriving in Wharton eight years ago. He said he's always been impressed by the spirit of religious tolerance he's found here.

"In other places I found it strange because the people of faith were very territorial," he said. "I've always found a more positive relationship in the Ministerial Alliance. One of the first things that happened when I arrived was the Alliance coming up with the Wharton County Church, a covenant between the churches for mutual support and consideration. Many of us still get together for weekly prayer sessions on Thursday and I still offer prayers on Sunday's for the other churches. The people in this city understand that the Universal Church is a community of believers and despite following different traditions we still have more in common as believers than differences."

The list of 13 churches includes some that are no longer functioning. That group includes the Sherith Israel Synagogue, the only non-Christian church included. But still an important part of the community according to former member and local attorney Larry Wadler.

"I think including Sherith Israel is important to show that while there is diversity in how people believe this is a community based on faith," he said. "Actually, the first record of a Jewish person settling in Wharton was a jeweler back in 1850. And people of the Jewish faith kept coming. The congregation was chartered in 1913 (with the building put up in 1921) but we were having active services before then."

He added that Jews were embraced for their contributions and leadership abilities in Wharton.

"The first school board was chosen in 1921 and my grandfather Joe Schwartz was among those named," Wadler said.

"There was very little anti- Semitism here. That can be seen in the fact that those escaping religious persecution in Europe were finding their way to Wharton and settling here. Do you think they would have come and stayed if they found oppression here?

"At one point, we had almost 100 children in our religious classes."

The synagogue closed in April 2002 when the local congregation became too small to support itself on a full-time basis.

In offering his own opinions, Rev. Lance Ousley of St. Thomas Episcopal said the mural is reflective of the community in more than just its faith.

"We've always been a diverse community," he said.

"You have to remember that in the original Wharton County Courthouse, there were commissioners that were both Anglos and African-American.

"We've had a diversity of leadership and I think that's also reflected in our history of a diversity of faith. I'm proud to be part of a congregation that is included in something depicting such a wide range of worshippers."

Originally know as New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. A. Charles Sterns is pastor at New Hope Community Church.

He said the inclusion of some of the predominantly black congregations that served early Wharton is important.

"It shows this city is a true community of faith and the willingness of the community to go beyond their own denominations in recognizing the importance faith has had in the building of this community and its values."