Portrait finds home in ERCC’s chapel

An important piece of Cowger Church’s history has found a permanent home at the Elkins Rehabilitation and Care Center.

The church donated a 70-year-old portrait of Jesus Christ to ERCC’s chapel in memory of Ada Doyle and Genevieve Doyle of Monterville, W.Va.

“We are really touched by the church’s generosity with this precious gift,” said Grace Roy, ERCC’s human resources director. “The chapel is a place where many of our residents and their family members gather to pray and provide support to each other during difficult times.”

Since the early 1940s, the 2-foot-high painted portrait hung above the pulpit in the Cowger Church, reminding members that Christ was the head of the church.

“It was the first thing you saw when you walked through the front doors of the church,” said Karen Ware, granddaughter of Genevieve Doyle. “It provided years of comfort to me and my family. I hope it can do the same here for ERCC patients and family members.”

Ada, 88, and Genevieve, 87, spent two years at ERCC in the mid-1990s prior to their deaths. Mary Ann Rodgers, Ada Doyle’s daughter, said the donation was a thank you to the facility and its staff for taking “such wonderful care” of their family members.

“The church and this facility played an important role in our loved ones’ lives,” she said. “This is where the picture belongs.”

During Ada and Genevieve’s lives the sister-in-laws did many things together, said Gene Doyle, Ada Doyle’s son.

“They purchased cars together and taught Sunday school together for nearly 40 years,” he said. “Ada taught primary class and Genevieve taught the junior class.”

The small community church in southern Randolph County started searching for a new home for Christ’s portrait after it closed due to a declining congregation.

“The conference closed the church about five years ago, in 2006,” said Dora Morgan, a close friend. “We wanted to keep it open so we created an association and purchased the furnishings and building. We were able to keep it open longer, but had to close it again this past spring.”

In addition to donating the portrait of Christ, the Cowger Church presented ERCC with a framed history about the picture.

“In November 1972 the janitor came in to build a fire and noticed the picture missing,” said Leona Arbogast, granddaughter of Genevieve Doyle. “The church members were very upset and started praying for its return.”

Rodgers said that prior to the incident the church kept its doors unlocked since August 1937, the year the church was built.

“It was so passersby felt free to enter and spend private time in worship,” she said. “After the picture went missing the church started locking its doors.”

The congregation’s prayers for the return of the picture continued until Sunday, Dec. 21, 1975, when they entered the church for the Christmas Sunday service.

“The picture was sitting in front of the altar,” Morgan said. “It was a wonderful Christmas present to the church members.”

Rodgers said the portrait holds a lot of memories and comfort for the Cowger Church congregation and the Doyle family.

“Many of our family members were baptized and married at the Cowger church, she said. “It is a piece of our families’ history as well as our church’s history.”

Roy thanked the church members for the donation and said that the portrait and the memories fit well within ERCC’s mission and home-like setting.

“We appreciate your thoughtfulness of ERCC and willingness to give us something so near and dear to your hearts,” she said. “I believe the portrait will serve our residents and families as it served the members of the Cowger church for many years.”

ERCC provides short- and long-term care and rehabilitation services for inpatients and outpatients on Beverly Pike in Elkins. For more information on ERCC visit www.ercc.biz or call 304-636-1391.