This page will introduce you to Bethany and invite you to her Garden.

In fall of 1991 the Glover's purchased the home and land they now call Bethany. They left Mich eleven years earlier with the dream of raising their family in this southern rural area. These years were spent at "Little house", a one room school that had been converted into a small, but comfortable home. It was the perfect place to raise their children and cultivate seeds of love and faith. Then when they thought they were finally ready to start building their dream home, something was changed, the dream had been to build on the land purchased in 1978. But now God showed them what he had been preparing for them all along, and it was love at first sight. The home sits on a hill and faces the east with a perfect view of the sunrise over the small town of Gainesboro. In the year 2000 they hosted the Easter Sunrise Service for their church. It was such a wonderful experience that it has become a tradition. They had found such peace and joy here and loved to share this atmosphere with all who came. In the year 2006 they decided to dedicate the home to the Lord. The name Bethany was chosen. Bethany, the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha was Jesus' favorite place to visit. His friendship with Lazarus and his sisters is talked about throughout the gospels.

 

The following are portions of the dedication service that was performed by Rev. Chris Haynes

Dedication of "Bethany House" Home of Charles and Jan Glover Easter Morning April 16, 2006

GREETING

Dear friends, we have gathered together to seek God's blessing upon this land and home, which is being dedicated anew to the service of God's kingdom. This home is not only a dwelling, but a symbol to us of God's loving care and of our life together as the family of Christ. Let us therefore bring praise and thanksgiving, offering ourselves as God's servants and as loving sisters and brothers to one another.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, grant to this place the grace of your presence, that you may be known to inhabit this dwelling and defend this household; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

SCRIPTURE--John 12:1-8

CONSECRATION OF THE HOME

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit we consecrate this home and the land it occupies. We name it Bethany, that it may serve as a place of hospitality, strength, beauty, and peace for all who seek sanctuary here. We commit to God's love and care all who come within its borders.

PRAYER

Eternal God, bless this home. Let your love rest upon it and your promised presence be manifested in it. Allow the Glovers to reach out in love to all who need to experience your grace. Let this place provide rest for the weary, hope for the discouraged, and healing for the wounded. May the members of this household grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

In November of 2006 a cross was donated to Bethany. The following article was printed in the Jackson County Sentinel in December of 2006

News Article

Along side of the Star that has appeared on the hill west of Gainesboro each year, there now stands a Cross.

The star was created to represent the one that led the wise men to a manger in Bethlehem some two thousand years ago. Its design matches the one I drew for my poem, The Coming, which I wrote in 1985 and made silk screen prints of. I love the poem and use it each year in some form or fashion during the Christmas season.

In the year two thousand, Charles and I started a tradition of having our church's Easter Sunrise Service here at our home which has a glorious view of the sunrise. Although some think we must be crazy to host such an event at six o'clock a.m. each Easter morning it has been a wonderful blessing for us.

It was for this reason that we gladly accepted the offer to erect the cross, which was made for Nathan Kernea. Nathan, at the age of eighteen, lost his life in a car accident. The cross was made with love and erected at the sight of his death by his close friends who were trying to cope with their loss. It remained there for about a year. When it was removed so that a barrier could be made to prevent another vehicle from going off the road as Nathan's did, his Mother Cindy, who is our close friend, asked if we wanted it.

After we brought the cross home Charles worked on it, scraping and repainting. He wasn't quite finished when it was time to put up the star. The star also needed some work and he took it to a friend to have a portion welded, bought some new lights to replace old ones and then up it went. Then attention went back to the cross. When it was finished the decision had to be made where to put it. I left that up to him and he placed it a few feet over from the star. He wanted to light it up and decided to shine a flood light on it. For me the result was breath taking. Immediately I was reminded of another poem I wrote, From the Cradle to the Cross.

Memories started rushing in. From the Cradle to the Cross was conceived in love, through both joy and sorrow. For just as our Lord's life began in a cradle and led to his cross, so do our own. I remembered how I had also written the poem no more than a year before Nathan was born. I remembered how Nathan had played the Christ Child in our church's Christmas play that year. How fitting that the cross made for him now stood beside the star that shines as a sign to all who seek this Lord whom Nathan served. As a community we have shared our grief for so many of our youth who have lost their lives as Nathan did. Though it is so hard to understand why we must suffer such great loss, our God in his infinite wisdom and mercy knows and understands our grief. He who gave his own son, that we might have eternal life, is with us through all of our days.

As I look at the star and cross today I know that were it not for the Cross, which Jesus chose to bare, the star would have no meaning. As you celebrate Christmas this year, may you be reminded not only of the Christ Child in the manager, but also of the child inside of you, the Child of God you are. May you find Peace, in this world of chaos, the Love of your heavenly Father, and the Joy of our risen Savior.

The Star came down after New Years as it does each year but the Cross stayed up. As Easter approched we looked forward to the first Easter with this Cross at Bethany.