The group was still traveling in New Mexico, but now Route 66 had turned north and they were in an area of mountains. It was a nice change from the desert and the scenery was awesome!
The Ugly Little Blue Bus struggled to go uphill, but it kept chugging along!
Eventually they got to the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico and they stopped by an unusual building. It kind of looked like a Church, it had a cross and a bell tower on top, but it did not look like any other Church they had ever seen. It was shaped kind of strange and the walls looked like they were made of clay that had been hardened in the sun. There were also several ramps of stone against the walls of the Church.
The kids and the leaders got to go into the Church and learn more about it. It is called the San Miguel Chapel and they say that it is the oldest Church in the United States. They started building the Church in 1610, so this Church building is over 500 years old. The walls of the Church are made of abode, which is sunbaked clay bricks. It is a Catholic Church, and the Catholics decorate their Churches with pictures and statues in the sanctuary. It was beautiful.
There was also a bell on display inside the building. This was the original bell that used to be in the bell tower.
Most people believe that the bell was made in Spain and then brought to this country to be put into this Church (the bell is probably older than the Church building). The kids also learned that the stone ramps on the outside of the building were added a little over 130 years ago to keep the adobe walls from crumbling and falling down.
After they had learned about the oldest Church, the group got back on the Ugly Little Blue Bus and went to a campground for the night.
That evening around the campfire, the Leader surprised the kids by saying, “The San Miguel Chapel that we saw today is not the oldest Church in the United States!” The kids looked at each other in amazement! What did the Leader mean? The Leader then explained that it is the oldest Church Building, but not the oldest Church in the United States. The building is not a Church! A Church is a group of believers who meet together for worshipping God, serving God, and encouraging each other. In Bible times, in the book of Acts, the believers did not meet in a Church building, they met in believer’s homes. There are still many places in the world today where Churches do not meet in a Church building, but still meet in homes or outside in a quiet or hidden location. The oldest Church in the United States happened much earlier than the San Miguel Chapel. Those who discovered and explored this country held Church services when they arrived and landed on shore. These were the first Churches in the United States!
So, what makes a Church different from a club or other group of people? The Leader had a list of things that all Churches need:
- A Church is made up of believers in Jesus Christ who have asked Jesus to forgive their sins and be in control of their life. It doesn’t matter how many people there are. The kids and leaders traveling in the Ugly Little Blue Bus could be called a small Church while they are on this trip together. In the Bible in Matthew 18:20 Jesus says:
For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.
- A Church is made up of believers in Jesus Christ who are committed to Jesus and to each other. In the Bible in Acts 2:44-47 it says:
And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
- A Church is made up of believers who put the needs of others ahead of their own needs. Remember that Jesus came to earth to serve people and to give his very life on the cross and then rose from the dead so that we could be forgiven for our sins. In the Bible in Philippians 2:3-5 it says:
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t lookout only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
- A Church is made up of believers who love each other always, not just on Sundays, Wednesdays, or special occasions. In the Bible in John 13:34-35 Jesus says
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
The Leader finish by asking all the kids: “So how are we doing? Is our group, traveling in the Ugly Little Blue Bus, really acting like a Church? Do we share with each other? Are we generous with each other? Do we put others needs ahead of our own needs? Do we love each other?”