KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A church in Lonsdale is celebrating an achievement that dates back more than a century.
"We want to serve the community, as we have the last 125 years, we'll be there 125 more," said Amy Mays Emert, a church historian.
Lonsdale United Methodist Church has been a staple in the community since its founding over a century ago.
"Lonsdale was established in 1890, we've been there since 1899 so our history is almost as old as Lonsdale itself," said Emert.
Emert used her expertise to put together a book that details the history of the church and the community.
"I think that people tell the history of the church, or they tell the history of Lonsdale, and I chose to weave them together because they are very much intertwined," said Emert.
she said the church can connect people of today with people of the past.
"We didn't know those people, but they would have read the newspaper that said the Titanic sank, or the creation of the National Parks, or the interstates," said Emert.
The Blue and Gold color of the book she said is a physical reminder of the history of Lonsdale.
"Rural High School was a very popular High School in Lonsdale for a long time. Of course, it closed," said Emert "I got the colors as close to the colors of the school, they were called the Golden Bears."