The Craigsfield Community Church stands amid the scenic hills just outside of a small Vermont town. It has been a source of history, beauty, and nostalgia to area residents for over a century. To passersby, the church appears to have changed little over the years. But if one could look beyond the white clapboard exterior and through the ornate stained glass windows, he or she would see the real changes that have occurred over time-those that lay hidden in the hearts and lives of the church members.

Alone with his thoughts as he worked at the church one Sunday afternoon, lifelong member...