A small white church covered in snow became the inspiration for this year's Bald Eagle Art League's church painting contest.
Mickey Mapstone, of Loyalsock Township, said she had not seen any snow yet and she and her husband decided to take a drive around Williamsport, Loyalsock and 220 one day. On their way back to town, they went through Linden, and that is when they saw the Victory Baptist Church.
The building itself was built in the 1800s, but was bought eight years ago this January, said the Rev. Donald Wakefield.
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"It's a small congregation," Wakefield said. "Faithful - We're preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and trying to reach other folks."
Mapstone, an art teacher at Lycoming Valley Middle School, won for the fifth year in a row.
"It's such a cute little white church," Mapstone said. "It looked nice."
The color of the church proved to be the most challenging part.
"It was a white church with a white sky in the snow," Mapstone said. "In order to make it look like there was something there. I had to see the colors within the snow ... I could see the pastel colors. I put lots of purples and greens and blues and pinks."
It took about three weeks to finish, painting on weekends, since she works full-time as an art teacher at Lycoming Valley Middle School.
"I've been painting my whole life," Mapstone said. "Since high school. I guess because I had talent. Teachers encouraged me. Being a Navy brat, we moved from one school to another school to another school. ... I just naturally got into it. I had the stability."
Mapstone said she usually tries to pick tiny, white country churches.
"They look more Christmas-y," Mapstone said. "... I just think churches are so beautiful, the architecture of them."
Victory Baptist Church started in Jersey Shore, then moved to Salladasburg in a double-wide trailer on the Wakefield's property.
For six years, they stayed there, until this building became available.
"The Lord opened it up at the time we were able to purchase something," Wakefield said.
The church features a very tall steeple, with a bell that works. The steeple has been repainted and the vinyl siding put on within the last two years, he said.
Inside is a sanctuary that is big and open.
"The acoustics for singing are great," Wakefield said.
There also is a basement, which has Sunday school rooms and a nursery.
It is sectioned off with movable walls so classes can be held in the fellowship hall.
There's a handicap entrance in the back of the church, which has a ramp leading right into the sanctuary.
"I was really surprised in one sense that we had someone interested in painting our church," Wakefield said.
