Farmland Reserve Adventure: The Wee Church in the Woods

July 19th, 2021 the five of us sisters gathered at Massey's place (on the Kansas side) and worked together making quilts. Around noon we enjoyed a lunch of tacos and orange salad and then finished up. Some of us were sewers, some were ironers, some were cutters, and some were instructors.

As we travel back and forth to work on the Kansas side of the ranch, we would pass this little (and I mean tiny) church along the way. Beside it stands a large statue of Christ. We often wondered as we passed it, what the story was.

Did some guy build it for his family to worship in? What could be the story behind the church? On Monday as we were returning from quilting, we saw this lady walking her dog on the remote gravel road. We stopped and inquired and she said that her husbands grandfather had settled in the 1940's and then got cancer in the 60's and promised God he would do some things if he would spare him. I asked his name and was told it was Lotus Day. She said that it was closed to the public (due to vandalism) but said we were welcome to turn around and see it 'today'. (I decided not to worry about the ice cream in the bag on the floor of the front seat and go and see). It was absolutely beautiful and thrilled my soul! I did some research on the story and found the following fascinating information at this LINK. When I put his name into family search I was flabbergasted!!! He married my 8th cousin. Are you kidding me?

Mar. 3, 2012

We have many times in the past been fortunate to have been able to enjoy the picturesque serene countryside setting of The Wee Kirk of the Valley. Wee Kirk of the Valley was built by Lotus M. Day on his 80 acre farm 6 1/2 miles south of Cedar Vale, Kansas. This tiny chapel is on private land owned by the grandson of the Lotus M. Day.

The church is known as Wee Kirk is a Scottish word meaning little church and was opened to the public in 1964. Construction of the 8 by 14 foot chapel and was done in a year by Mr. Day.

After Lotus Day suffered a heart attack, he decided to retire from Day Monument Company in Arkansas City, Kansas but retained a partnership, to fulfill a long held dream to build a tiny stone church that seats 12 to represent seating for the 12 apostles.
s you near the chapel to the right of it you will see a gazebo/pillared shelter with a bench that overlooks a pond and the area known as Lookout Valley.

To enter, there is a gate that keeps the cattle out of the Wee Kirk yard. Across the top is written, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122." Then a country turnstile to go through to reach the chapel. Steps on the turnstile bear the engraved message "welcome," the other side "the Lord's House is Your House." Above the stile an archway gives the chapel name, "The Wee Kirk of the Valley."

The steeple of the chapel was made of copper. Inside the tiny sanctuary, the walls are of concrete, painted and marked to resemble stone. Mr Day's used craftsmanship skills and abilities he had acquired during of a man 40 years working with masonry, marble and stone made memorials for others in his monument company. The floor is concrete covered with tile. Most of the sand blasting and chisel carving that in the course of the construction were done by Mr Day.

When you open the door of the church it automatically plays the hymn, "Bless This House"

3 rows on each side will seat 12 (the 12 apostles). This is used for Weddings too.

Above: Inside looking out.

Below: The sun each morning (only it is actually the color of the edges all the way through). My camera makes it white. We woke to 64 degrees... and 95% humidity. It wasn't this humid in HAWAII!!

Happy horses on the ranch

I went back with a loaf of bread and thank you card to thank the lady for letting us take a look. Her German Shepherd "Dexter", met me and practically climbed into the truck with me. This dog smiles, and if I didn't know it was smiling... I might have been scared. Scroll down for what his mouth looked like!

Above: Calf in her yard

Below: Cows love to stay cool by standing in the many creeks in the area.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Today the ranch manager asked us sisters to get the "Hen House" ready for a new intern that will be here on Wednesday. So we hauled a twin mattress over, and cleaned the place up. Some of the sisters drive into Ark City and bought necessities at Walmart.