Rural Routes: 'It's where I belong': Bollinger County parishioners reflect on church's history and future

Editor's Note: Rural Routes is an ongoing photo feature series about Southeast Missouri residents.

BOLLINGER COUNTY, Mo. — A little more than seven miles east of Zalma, Missouri, and a short distance off Highway 51, sits the rural Bollinger County church of Dongola Friendship Baptist.

With its adjacent cemetery and church hall, the place of worship doesn't have quite the number of congregants as it has at times had in its more than 130 years of existence, but it still has a faithful few.

Leo Adams said the few in the congregation are close-knit.

"There's more closeness with this few than there is in proportion to the many in other places," Adams said.

People attend Sunday school Sunday in the church hall of Dongola Friendship Baptist Church in rural Bollinger County.Jacob Wiegand

Kevin Holder has been attending the church "off and on all my life."

"I just felt I needed more than what this world had to offer," Holder said about going to church. "I enjoy the preaching, but I enjoy my Sunday school class better than anything."

The church members currently don't have a regular pastor and were unable to get a minister for Sunday's services. But there was still eight in attendance for Sunday school. A ninth individual showed up toward the end of the session.

Jim Vangennip said he came to Bible school at the church when he was a kid. The 79-year-old said now there's about 10 in the congregation.

Vangennip said the church was established in 1886 and eventually moved to its current location. He said the church is of the Missionary Baptist denomination even though "missionary" is absent for the church's name.

Peggy Winchester takes part in Sunday school Sunday in the church hall of Dongola Friendship Baptist Church in rural Bollinger County.Jacob Wiegand

While flipping through the book "Dongola Friendship Baptist Church 1886-1986," written by Jewel Reimler, Vangennip talked about the tornado of May 30, 1917.

"One of the biggest tornadoes ever come through was there," Vangennip said. "Come right through here and blowed the church away."

The current church building was erected in 1950, he said.

"Jewel was a real historian," Vangennip said. "She recorded about everything in this book."

Adams and his wife, Jeffrey, have attended the church "off and on" through the years.

Jeffrey Adams, in focus, and Wayne Voss, in foreground, bow their heads in prayer during Sunday school Sunday in the church hall of Dongola Friendship Baptist Church in rural Bollinger County.Jacob Wiegand

"I was a little kid when I started coming here," Jeffrey said. "We had quite a few members, but they have all pulled away or either passed away."

Wayne Voss, who attends church with his wife, Brenda, described the Sunday school as somewhat "unorthodox." He said they discuss whatever is on their minds.

"Right now we're working on Proverbs," he said.

He said people feel free just to talk. Sunday's study also included a brief sidebar about the television show "Gunsmoke."

Typically after Sunday school, Wayne said the worship service takes place at 11 a.m.

"We really hope to see it grow," he said of the congregation. "We've been down as low as three people."

Wayne said the church keeps losing members due to death and young people haven't been coming to the church.

"Average age is probably 75," he said. "Most of us are 80."

Holder said the problem right now is the church doesn't have a younger generation to keep the church going.

"If it don't change, it's going to look pretty bleak," Holder said about the future. "It could change very easily. ... It's just whatever the Lord wants."

Holder said he called three people Saturday night to try to get them to the church Sunday morning.

"I did manage to get two. Two out of three, that ain't bad," Holder said.

Despite the small number in attendance, Holder feels a sense of belonging at the church.

"It's where I belong," Holder said. "I'm sure a lot of these folks feel that they belong here, too."