Great Day at Franklinton Center

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Where and what is the Franklinton Center at Bricks? For openers, it's neither in Franklinton nor in Bricks. It's in Whitakers, NC - a UCC conference, retreat, and educational center that evolved from two separate institutions founded in the late 19th century. Franklinton Christian College was founded by the James O'Kelly Christian Church in 1880 to train black leaders for local churches. Julia Bricks established the Bricks Junior College in 1895 through a gift of land and endowment to the American Missionary Association. The two educational facilities merged in 1954.

The Rev. Ervin Milton, director of the Franklinton Center at Bricks, on the UCC Witness for Justice home page, wrote, " The Franklinton Center at Bricks was one of the few places in the rural south during the 1950s and 60s where blacks and whites could meet and eat together. It served as a spiritual center during integration, and continues to this day to be a place of justice and transformation. Every year, several hundred members of UCC churches of the Eastern North Carolina Association gather on the first week of August to celebrate a cultural and spiritual "homecoming" –Franklinton Center Day.

Traditionally, churches come to bring their annual gift to the center, often bringing along the choir to perform at the worship service held in late morning. ." This year, Marge Eckels, Robert Parrish, and Vandy Bradow attended, arriving in time for Robert to demonstrate his skill at horseshoes. There were vendors of African arts and crafts, toys and other temptations. The worship service featured a choir and Rev. Ike McDonald, who spoke of the Center as "holy ground" (Jacob's vision of a ladder to heaven, with "angels ascending like prayers to heaven and descending like grace to earth").

Everyone was ready after the service to dig into the barbecue, fish or chicken (also hot dogs, lemonade and ice cream). Since the food sales are the major Center fundraiser of the year, we could both enjoy the food and feel virtuous about supporting a good cause.

We met folk from all around Eastern NC, and Robert's horseshoe partner was the leader of an Ohio youth group that has come for several years to do service projects at the Center. Marge recalled that in years past, CUCC sent youth groups to Franklinton Center for camp activities and was once quite active in service projects. More recently, CUCC has chosen the site for confirmation and Pilgrimage retreats. We agreed it was a very good day and hope to return with more CUCC folk for future Franklinton Center Days.

Vandy Bradow
Deacons Ministry