To everything there is a season.

Church homecomings are not usually thought of as a season but most are seasonal.

Why so many churches choose fall/autumn as the time for their homecomings has not been the subject of many doctoral dissertations. But, nevertheless, church homecoming season is here and now.

Mt. Moriah Baptist Church will celebrate Homecoming on Sunday with the morning worship service at 10:50 a.m. and a traditional Southern fellowship lunch to follow.

In the coming weeks, many more area churches will celebrate Homecoming and each will be looked forward to with great anticipation by members and former members and friends of the church.

The Rev. Mack Lowery, Mt. Moriah church pastor, said church Homecomings are special days.

“Home is a special place to all of us,” Lowery said. “Church home is equally so. Think of the many experiences you’ve had at church, involving all the different people around you. Whether you’ve stayed in the church or life took you elsewhere, the memories that you have made with fellow members are precious.

“On Homecoming the hope of rejoining some of your fellow members and sharing these memories is exciting.”

The opportunity to gather, once again, with those who are or were a part of the church family is the reason for homecomings.

And, it’s also a time to look back on the life of the church and give thanks for those who laid the foundation on which Homecomings stand.

Lowery said Mt. Moriah, like so many early churches, had a humble and earthy beginning.

The early church began under a brush arbor on Sept. 18,1868. The pews were made of boards placed across logs. There were few creature comforts for those who worshipped under the brush arbors and in the early primitive-type churches.

Much like the moves of most of the historic churches, Mt. Moriah moved from the brush arbor into the Old Prospect Church building and later into an old school building. Mt. Moriah was finally able to purchase an old Primitive Baptist church building for $10 and an acre of land for $2 becoming permanently located on its present site.

“Homecoming honors the memory of those of past generations who served and labored to make these moments in time possible,” Lowery said of today’s church homecomings. “At Mt. Moriah, we should enjoy what the Lord has provided and give thanks for the service of Christian servants preceding us for the past 145 years.”

The guest speaker for Mt. Moriah’s Homecoming service will be the Rev. Orris Sanders. A musical concert by Jason Clifford will be presented at 10 a.m. All church members and friends of the church are invited to attend.