Memories of Vine Street

When I was a kid, our family attended Vine Street Christian Church in downtown Nashville. It was a beautiful old building on Vine Street (now Seventh Avenue), where we would make our way from East Nashville every Sunday. I didn’t understand why we had to go so far, but once we arrived I liked the church, the people, and the ice cream shop down the way. 

One Sunday I got too excited about the ice cream and ran out into the street, scaring my parents and cutting off my dessert supply for several weeks. 

As in many churches, we had special seats that we considered our own. They were just behind our grandparents, Nannie and Pop. I liked sitting there, except when Nannie turned to the front and her fox fur turned to the back.

After church, we frequently drove to West Nashville, where we had dinner at Nannie and Pop’s house. Sometimes on the way we would go past Woodmont Christian Church, and I would ask why we didn’t go there. Mom and Dad would explain that Vine Street built Woodmont, was 120 years older, and was where our families had gone for years.   

Today things have changed. Vine Street has moved to the suburbs and is struggling, while Woodmont is growing rapidly. Many of Woodmont’s members (including some of our friends) have no idea that their church is related to Vine Street. 

Which of the churches do we attend? Neither. Our parents and grandparents would be surprised to learn that we attend a United Methodist church.