Many Forks Baptist Church in the Gum Log section of Union County, Georgia traditionally held Homecoming or Decoration Day the fourth Sunday each year in May. It wasn't held last year due to the Covid pandemic. It's a long held mountain custom to decorate the graves of loved ones on Sunday morning, then preaching in the country church. After the worship service, they had dinner-on-the grounds. In the olden days, loads of food were spread on picnic tables under the shade trees. People ate, fellowshipped until that afternoon when a singing was held in the church. It was a popular event decorating graves and seeing folks at homecoming you hadn't seen for maybe a year or longer. Unfortunately many young people aren't interested in Homecoming and this mountain tradition is passing away. I used to attend each year Decoration Day with my family. I enjoyed it very much, but like many aspects of our culture, Homecoming is fading away.
Here's a poem I wrote several years ago about the Homecoming or some folks called it, Decoration Day.
It's homecoming
at Many Forks Baptist Church.
Folks come from miles
to meet and to decorate
the graves of loved ones.
The sun ricochets through
pine trees, old-timers lift
hymns in the country church.
Kinfolks congregate
under the oaks, spread
dinner-on-the-grounds:
Aunt Dot with her walnut cake,
Cousin Frances stirs potato salad,
the tables are loaded
with all kinds of food,
nephews break the wishbone.
Aunt Mary Lou cuts up
with the Henderson boys,
Uncle George Lee places flags
on the graves of soldiers.
It's a yearly get-together,
a time to share memories
of laughter and tears,
a family gathering at Gum Log.
--Brenda Kay Ledford
Reprinted from the poetry book,
Sacred Fire,
by: Brenda Kay Ledford
The mountain women outdid themselves cooking, baking, and loading the tables with scrumptious
food at the homecoming held at Gum Log each year.
Here's one of the groups that sang spirit-filled Gospel songs in the Many Forks Baptist Church
after dinner-on-the-grounds.
