Weedpatch, CA
 

Does anyone know of the church in Weedpatch, CA

Scooter,

As you know, I KNEW of it but I do not now KNOW of it.

Hopefully someone can fill us in. I would love to find out about the church in Weedpatch.

Maybe DizzyDe can help us out .... she is pretty much in the Know! :D

Yes, i do, Sis Rita Dawson was the pastor. she was one awesome Lady.

is the church still in existance ?

Thad,

I recall Sis. Rita Dawson from way back in the 70s. She passed away in 1991 and her husband in 2005.

Here is a copy of the obituary for her husband:

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb...son7533gob.txt

That congregation moved closer to Bakersfield. The church at Lamont where Jimmie Davis pastored is the closest. Elder Blotto is the pastor now.

Thanks, everyone for your input.

I preached a revival in Weedpatch many years ago when the Dawson's were pastoring. I experienced my first earthquake while there. The parsonage had upstairs bed rooms and it was just about breakfast time when I started down the stairs and almost fell down because for some reason it seemed the chandelier over the dining room table was swinging back and forth and the china hutch seemed to be dancing. I thought I was the one who was moving. It was a unique experience. I can't imagine what an earthquake of size would be like.

As I recall their were vineyards just a few hundred yards from the church and parsonage. I also recall how arid it was. I could play basketball with the young people in 100 degree temps and hardly break a sweat and I am the kind that sweats at freezing temperature.

I enjoyed my time there and then I went north and preached for a black church in Fresno (offering church is what I call it) and then on up into the big tree country for a revival in a small home missions work. I can't remember the pastor's name but I found some pictures of them the other day.

Boom, I may scan the pictures and see if maybe you or some of the others from the Northern areas of CA might recognize them. they may have pastored in the Redding area. i am not sure.

Elder Vaughn was the preacher in Fresno. Steinbeck used Weedpatch in his "Grapes of Wrath" novel.

That name "Weedpatch" always intrigued me.
Why would anyone name a town something like that?

So the name of a church there would be "Weedpatch Pentecostal Church" or "Weedpatch UPC" or something like that. Of course, a OP church in a town called "Trinity" could have some interesting names.

Has it been that long since she passed?? surely not.

Her son was killed in some type of accident in '07
I'm glad it was After she passed- she suffered so much sorrow as it was.

really? I'll have to check with some of my friends about that.

Most of Jimmy's members scattered and went to either IHT's or Mullings after he passed- i think it was during the time that the son was pastoring??