Around December each year, new faces begin appearing in the congregation of First Baptist Church, Gulf Shores. Some are in the choir, others are in Sunday School, but the fact that they are welcomed as old friends keeps them coming back to their winter church home.
“I have been at First Baptist Gulf Shores since 1999, and one of the happy surprises was that during the winter, we see about a one-third jump in worship attendance from winter guests,” Pastor Lloyd Stilley said.
That “jump” equals about 200 people, Stilley said, mostly Northerners escaping the cold and snow. Often called “snowbirds,” they are eager to not only enjoy the warmer Southern weather but also get involved in ministry during their stay.
“They work in the kitchen and join the choir, and we even have a Sunday School class especially for them that’s taught by one of our winter guests who has been coming for over 20 years,” Stilley said.
That teacher, Ray Ekhoff and his wife, Ruth, live on a small farm in Brimfield, Ill., about 25 miles from Peoria. They began coming to the Gulf area in 1989, and in 1990, they visited the Baldwin Baptist Association church. During a fellowship time between services, Ray Ekhoff spoke with three men over coffee and soon was joining them for golf.
Year after year, the Ekhoffs continued to attend the church, and about 10 years ago, he started teaching the winter Sunday School class.
The class started with about 15 members, he said, and has grown to about 40 members.
“We don’t lose anyone except to illness or death, which hasn’t happened yet,” he said.
While he and his wife both said the welcoming atmosphere of First, Gulf Shores, is an important part of why they have continued to attend, the church’s doctrinal stance has played an important role as well.
“I am most appreciative of the theology and scriptural beliefs of the congregation,” Ray Ekhoff said. “This church has not wavered in its scriptural stance.”
He called teaching Sunday School a privilege but added that singing in the choir is enjoyable as well since his home church, which is part of the Evangelical Free Church of America, does not have a choir. Ruth Ekhoff said she has enjoyed leading small groups in Beth Moore Bible studies and echoed her husband’s feelings about the warmth of First, Gulf Shores.
“Everyone is overwhelmingly friendly and they are such warm people. That’s what brings people back,” she said.
Reg Wiltshire, a London, Ontario, native, has been coming to Gulf Shores for 17 years.
His passion is evangelism so he serves on the church’s visitation team, along with singing in the choir and participating in Bible study. Whether he’s at the store or on the beach, Wiltshire is always looking for opportunities to share the gospel and invite people to church.
“You never know who you will meet, but it’s exciting to tell others about Christ,” he said.
Stilley said the best way to describe the feeling in the church during the winter is to compare it to a family reunion.
“It’s a happy influx,” he said.
“We’re their Southern church and we feel a great deal of joy around this time of year to see dear friends who are at home here for a while.”
Share with others: