_{*Quick Summary: The author writes about his friend Leroy Stowe, and the treatment by Leroy’s former church upon his death.*}

What you see above is quite a story. Not so much the accident that caused this sign to be knocked from its very foundation but more so the institution it represented. A church founded, built, and maintained, until recently, by the family the building is named after. The Stowe family gave the land, the building supplies, the manpower, and the love to build this church. Without their careful attention, love for Christ, and plain blood, sweat, and tears, neither this sign, nor the building it represents would stand.

This family has been the guiding force for the community I both live and work in. Every single one a fine example of Christian values and the pure love for one another Jesus himself taught us. One of the best examples of the good, kind, and generous heart these wonderful folks give to the community was my friend Leroy.

Leroy wasn’t a fancy man and he wasn’t a saint, but Leroy was one of the finest men I’ve ever known. When he died last year, it came as quite a blow to us all. He was such a fixture in this area that his absence will always be felt. Whether he was working on his tractor in the garden, doing maintenance at the church, or just visiting with neighbors, we all saw Leroy three or four times a week. He always greeted friends with a smile and wave. Even a horrible accident that nearly killed him wasn’t enough to slow him down much despite suffering significant permanent damage. Being a huge Dale Earnhardt fan, Leroy would take some ribbing from the guys where I work but he always stood up for Dale no matter what. And his homemade sausage was the best in the world, bar none!

What he represented until the day he died was the pure love God commands all of us to give freely, and every person that ever met Leroy felt that love and caring. If any person met the man and didn’t see what the rest of us saw, it was surely their loss because those close to him knew he was a fine example of God’s love. And the Stowe’s Chapel Baptist Church was one of the biggest recipients of that love. Whether it was his hard work laboring to build the church from the ground up, his regular maintenance, or something as simple as cutting the grass, Leroy was there. Every week he made sure the building and the grounds lacked nothing. His love for the building that bared his family name showed clearly to every one he met right up until the day he passed away. It was one of his greatest sources of pride.

After his death, the church that bares his family’s name, the church he helped build and maintain, the church his family founded, no longer felt comfortable with Leroy. That’s right, the man that worked with pure, God-given love for the Stowe’s Chapel Baptist Church was not allowed to be buried on church land. Despite the fact his family gave this church the land, despite the fact his family still owned unused burial plots in the church cemetery, and despite the fact this church had no issue with Leroy serving them until the day he died, they decided they didn’t like the way he lived. “Christians” passing judgment on an issue best left to God.

I think it’s a shame this sign still bears the name of the family that built it. A good name. An honest name. Leroy’s name. He deserves better, as do the rest of the Stowe family. But tonight, during an accident no one saw, the sign finally matches the church it represents – crumbled and off it’s very foundation.

Maybe I just passed judgment? Or maybe I just stated the facts? Either way, I forgive them for what they did to Leroy and the entire Stowe family. Because if I didn’t forgive them, it wouldn’t make God happy, and I certainly want to be a good Christian. Above all, I want to make Leroy proud. Rest in peace my friend. We all miss you. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62247836/lexy-flynn-stowe

*Update – Monday, November 7th, 2005:
The church has both changed leadership and changed its name. While it is sad the Stowe family will no longer be represented by the church they helped to build/maintain, perhaps one day the Stowe name will return. you.