Precious Moments Chapel

If you’ve traveled on I-44 through southwest Missouri, chances are you’ve seen the billboards for Precious Moments Chapel. These billboards feature drawings of wide-eyed, angelic children created by artist Sam Butcher, and they are featured at the Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, one of the most-visited attractions in the area.

The Precious Moments characters convey messages of kindness, love and faith. I remember seeing the Precious Moments children for the first time on greeting cards back in the 1970s. Then I started seeing porcelain figures of the children for sale at Hallmark stores, as well as collections of them in people’s homes.

When I moved to Joplin in the 1990s, I was surprised to learn that there was a nearby attraction that celebrated these figurines. Why here?

Apparently, Butcher was traveling through the area at a time when he was searching for a place to settle down and focus on his family and his art. He awoke in his hotel room one morning convinced that he was where he needed to be.

Butcher decided to settle on picturesque Center Creek near Carthage. Thankful for the many blessings in his life, Butcher wanted to create a place that represented his gratitude to God. He envisioned building a chapel featuring the Precious Moments children in scenes from the Bible. His hope was to inspire others with his messages of faith.

It took Butcher five years to complete the murals in the chapel. The chapel opened in 1989 and has been called the “American Sistine Chapel.” There are 84 hand-painted murals in the chapel: the largest one is called “Hallelujah Square” and it represents heaven.

Here are some neat things to look for in the chapel: The figure of Butcher’s mother, Evelyn Mae, who is painted in “Hallelujah Square. Her hair is jet black and she is wearing a lavender robe. Her image was the last thing that Butcher painted in that mural.

The Seven Days of Creation murals painted over the entrance to the chapel.

The unfinished angel on the ceiling.

In addition to the murals in the chapel, there are 30 breathtaking stained glass windows.

In the rear of the building is a room dedicated to the memory of Butcher’s son Phil who was killed in an auto accident. The mural shows Phil entering heaven, while down below his empty bed is surrounded by his family members.

There is also a room dedicated to the artist, and the walls are lined with photos of Butcher working on his masterpiece.

The intricate glass windows in this room are beautiful.

Outside, I followed a path that leads to a terraced area behind the chapel which offers a serene view of Center Creek, as well as a view of an island with a curious-looking building on it.

The chapel is surrounded by grounds that are inspirational, even in the bleakness of a Missouri winter (which is when I visited).

All visitors to the chapel pass through the visitor center. Located in this center is an indoor street scene from a quaint English village, dotted with Precious Moments characters. There is an enormous figure of a girl with a goose,

and a figure dedicated to the children whose lives were lost in the Oklahoma City bombing.

The center also houses the world’s largest Precious Moments gift shop which sells a variety of figurines, including a collection that is unique to the chapel.

If you work up an appetite while visiting, you can enjoy a fine dining experience at Taste of Italy, located on-site.

The chapel is open daily throughout the year, with the exception of a few major holidays. Tours of the chapel are free.

Even if you’ve never seen a Precious Moments character before, a visit to the Precious Moments chapel offers a chance to witness the creative talent and faith-filled messages of Sam Butcher.

Precious Moments Chapel is located at 4321 South Chapel Road in Carthage, Missouri. Click here to visit its website, and click here to follow it on Facebook. 

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Living Life to The Fullest!

I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.

I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.