PART THREE, CHAPTERS 10-15, Pre-pub History from Three Rivers, Michigan

 

PART THREE

 

 

 

“Home”

 

(1932-1979)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whether this movement

 

is of divine origin

           

does not depend on the interpretation of a prophecy,

 

but

 

rather

 

on the truthfulness of its message

 

and the results that it achieves.

 

A. F. Gray

Gospel Trumpet, 1-7-1950

 

 

 

CHAPTER  ELEVEN - “Sunday School In 1925”

 

Art Clifton's Boyhood Recollection              

 

The Sunday-school is not … entirely a modern institution.

From a very remote period ... religious education

has engaged the earnest attention of thoughtful minds.

The      nucleus . . . is found in the Jewish religion …

Abraham was commended . . . Moses commanded the Israelites ... Elisha established schools … Nehemiah was diligent in teaching

. . . Jesus taught as well as preached.

D. O. Teasley, pp. 17-18

How To Conduct a Sunday School, 1911

 

 

 

Space and *Scan Art‘s sketch onto

top-half of page,

then begin the text as follows

 

 

 

            “The Church of God, when I first found it with the aid of Mrs. May Blair in 1925, was located upstairs in a building located at the southwest corner of the bridge on South Main Street that crosses the St. Joseph River into downtown. The above sketch, although drawn from a memory of sixty two-year vintage is, I believe, pretty correct.

            “In front we have a red brick pavement. On the north side was a small building used as a shoe repair shop. I believe the main front was made of Light colored bricks.

            To the right, in my sketch, we have the bridge and the river. In the background we see Horner Lumber Company, the Railroad Bridge, a grain elevator and our water tower. A few autos‘--some horse drawn wagons, people walking “up town” and bicycles were to be seen going to and from town. We entered a doorway at the south of the building, climbing one flight of stairs to a quite plain room - our Sunday School-Church.

            “As a child of five years my awareness perimeter was quite small, being mainly confined to the weekly walk of nearly a mile to Sunday school, climbing the wooden staircase to the assembly room, locating my class area in the southeast corner and waiting for the crayons, Christian coloring book, Sunday school paper, classmates and the teacher.

            “I knew very few people yet. Of course I remember May Blair, the lady who took me to Sunday school and sometimes played the piano. Also, Mrs. Maggie Thompson and her sister and family, who I believe were the proud owners of a new baby everyone checked each Sunday--anyway someone had a new baby there.

            “I don’t seem to remember any of my classmates nor my teacher. I remember Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Williams and family of six because he played the piano and Mr. and Mrs. Williams would sometimes sing for us. There was a black family (the Williams, Ed.).

            “I remember one specific picture we were to color. It was of four faces to be colored - one red, one yellow, one black and one pink. Along with the explanation that we are all God’s children and he loves us equally.

            “I learned of creation and of the Creator and about His Son born to Mary and Joseph to be our savior, dying later on the cross for us and our sins, coming back to life and now residing with His (our) father in Heaven--He’ll be back soon!

            “I learned of the Good Shepherd, Daniel in the lion’s den, David and Goliath, the Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, and the forces of good and evil. I was alerted to the truth that drinking, smoking, violating the commandments was wrong, and to avoid anything tinged with worldly sins.

            “Just recently I heard from a reliable source that 85 percent of a person’s personality development is accomplished by age six. I believe this. I believe everyone should take their child to at least Sunday school then Church at an early age. The Church of God, in this case, had a tremendous influence in my life giving me guidance I’ve used all my life. ”

Art Clifton*

 

*Gladys Barnhart introduced this writer to Art Clifton. She knew Art long before his unfortunate incarceration in the Coldwater Minimum Security Prison. She involved me in corresponding with Art, which I did for several years. Gladys and I visited Art--numerous times. I valued his friendship and treasured his artistic ability and our correspondence. His release and return home pleased me immensely. I have taken the liberty of sharing just one letter. Some letters, as with others in similar circumstances, shared the realities of prison life and the struggles prisoners endure.

***

 

 

“Dear Pastor Warner

 

            “I received your letter 2/23 and was pleased to hear from you since I’ve heard a lot about the Warner’s and others that I know who go to the Church of God. My mother died when I was 4 years old. I had nowhere to go so my grandmother took me to raise. Her good friend, May Blair, attended the Church of God, then located at the southwest end of the “uptown” bridge, where she played the organ. The ladies felt it would be nice if Arthur could attend Sunday school with her, which was OK with my grandmother. This was in 1925 and I was given two cents to put into the collection which I didn’t fully understand at the time.

            “The Church of God sort of spoiled me for they taught things to me which are not necessarily popular now, such as all people are alike in God’s eyes no matter what color they are. Codes of decency were taught - don’t take things that belong to other people, don’t swear, don’t drink beer, don’t smoke, and don’t attend movies, etc., all of which violate God’s temper.

            “So it was that when I grew up (I went to the Church of God till I was about twelve then we went to another Full Gospel Church) it was hard to find a church that embraced the lot of standards that I was initially taught at my first church. We were led to the New Hope church over by Centreville which is filled with good Christian people. So much for me, but I wanted to tell you I am somewhat familiar with and still have warm feelings for the Church of God. I know some of the people who still go to your church.

            “Since you share with me your newsletter, which had a cute little review about Amazing Grace which I will share with others, I’ll share this cute little thing I found in my November ‘86 Guidepost magazine:

                       

“Seen outside National Hills Baptist Church, Augusta, GA”

 

WHAT’S MISSING?

                                                               

CH _ _ CH

 

            “Gladys Barnhart is a good and faithful person remembering me from better times and visiting frequently and suggested that maybe you people might visit me here some time. If so, you are very welcome, this place is pleasant, neat, clean with courteous personnel. You must have an identification similar to a driver’s license. The hours are from 4 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. week days, and from 9 a. m. to 8:30 p. m. weekends and holidays.

            “There is a ‘pat down‘search which is a delicate personal search done in good taste with the utmost courtesy. I’m pleased with the supervision here. I’m at the Men’s Facility located at the northeast corner of Coldwater behind the State Police Post at the Lakeland Correctional Facility.

            “Thanks so much for your interest, and your efforts in sending the newsletter - I’m glad not to be at Ionia but sorry your letter missed me there. I didn’t give my change of address to everyone it seems. I’m happier here for many reasons, one of the best is I’m only 45 minutes from my loved ones. PTL. If I’m flattered when I find that people find my letters interesting enough to share and am pleased when it happens - it doesn’t happen often. Thank you for your comments. Your last sentence in your letter (note) was most important - ‘Know that we are here to be helpful when we can, Caring, Pastor Warner.’

            “I’ve learned a lot from this experience. I’m sorry it had to be learned this way - I’ve learned love of my fellow man, compassion, and appreciation - I had these qualities before but they are now sharpened.

            “Thank you, Pastor Warner, for all your efforts in my behalf. May the Lord bless and keep you and yours and cause your new church to flourish to honor the Lord always. ”

Art Clifton 181204

2/27/87

P.S. It is necessary to supply not only my name but my number to visit me if such a trip develops.”

__________

CHAPTER TWELVE - “Home”

 

 

                        I was once in bondage in Egypt’s dark night,

                        But Jesus brought me out into the light;

                        He banished my sins and has made my heart right:

                                    I’ll never go back, I’ll never go back.

 

                        I’ll never go back to the bondage of sin,

                        I’ll never go back to the place I was in,

                        A crown of rejoicing I’m striving to win;

                                    I’ll never go back again.

C. W. Naylor, 1906/B. E. Warren, 1907

           

            When Sister Ella Ferree died in 1932, her meager estate left the struggling band of Saints $200.00. The collective wisdom of the congregation determined this fund would help them launch the next level of congregational life. They used this small memorial gift to purchase two lots beside the railroad crossing at Pearl and South Main Streets.

            Eventually, they built two small frame structures. Later, the congregation purchased the large two-story residence at 1111 South Main Street from Carl Didato for their pastoral family. Finally, they acquired the small bungalow at 1109, just north of the parsonage. This site--now four buildings on three small lots--provided the launching pad from which the congregated initiated its ministry to the South side community and the metro-region for the next half-century.

            Pastor Leatherman and his staunch band of stalwart workers struggled hard to build their first chapel. It fronted on Pearl Street, dividing the space between the railroad spur and the alley that divided the block. From here, they began ministering to the community as the First Church of God--509 Pearl Street.

            This little-used spur line crossed South Main Street diagonally, midway of the eleven hundred block. It crossed Pearl Street and Broadway continuing north and passing through the city just west of Main Street downtown. It pressed through the northwest quadrant of the city northward, paralleling U.S. Highway 131. Continuing north through Schoolcraft and Kalamazoo, it connected to travel points in all directions.

            In time, the worshipers found themselves sitting “too close for comfort” to the increasing numbers of passing trains. This became especially obvious when trains began passing through more frequently on weekends and Sundays. Originally a spur line only, the track connected the city with the mainline. Weekday traffic remained modest, with weekends almost inactive. This site provided the congregation its first-ever permanent meeting place and offered modest parking. It served as home base for the next half century, signaling a new era in the life of the once wandering congregation.

            Due in part to the severe economic depression, church leaders failed to register the congregation in the annual Church of God Yearbook. First published by the General Assembly in 1917, the Yearbook is now published annually by Church of God Ministries of Anderson, Indiana.

            Registered or otherwise, the people did not forget who they were. Nor did they forget the purpose of their mission. They pressed forward, in spite of their difficult and discouraging times, forging ever forward. Actually, they remembered quite well! They believed God heard their prayers and answered their pleas for help. Assisted by friends and neighbors, they built their original chapel in 1932, although they did not become debt-free until 1949.

            They burned their mortgage on an Easter Sunday, celebrating more than half a century of ministry. They forged steadily ahead, only gradually comprehending that their new home had failed to keep pace with their growth. They worked hard at maximizing their ministry, but were eventually forced to realize they were simply paying too high a price for their comfortable circumstances.

            They discovered what others before them also learned--the high price of inadequate facilities. It took several more years of seriously processing their thoughts, and building consensus proved difficult. Finally, the pressures of ministering with overtaxed facilities became too great. Their once-proud home now became a burdensome handicap, from which they wistfully yearned to escape.

            When consensus did not come, they continued slowly forging forward as they faced ever-new challenges of congregational life. For the time being, however, the happy congregants joyfully followed the leadership of William Leatherman. Under his leadership, they invited M. L. Coffman to conduct revival services. These services proved profitable when Brother Curtis and Brother Charles (Charley) Thompson were saved and sanctified. Throughout the rest of Brother Charley Thompson’s life, he gave grateful and faithful service to God. Serving his church and his community, he gave dedicated time ... dedicated to the facilities that he maintained, serving both as the janitor and as a respected Trustee.

            In 1933, the congregation accepted the wisdom of Pastor Leatherman and called Evangelist M. L. Coffman as pastor. Coffman quickly rallied his troops. He led them in constructing a foundation under the small chapel. After raising the frame building, they built a full basement beneath it. This transformed their facility into a two-story building twenty-eight by forty (28 x 40). Later, they added twelve feet to the original length. By 1934, the Yearbook listed Brother M. L. Coffman as pastor, with 50 participants.

            With their Exodus years now history, the congregation enjoyed a new and permanent facility at 509 Pearl Street. Here, the Sunday school mushroomed to 98.

            The Coffman’s, who had begun their ministry in 1918, before coming to Three Rivers, now resided at 815 8th Street. Marietta, Coffman’s wife, served as Youth Leader. From this expanded base, the congregation ministered faithfully, attempting to address spiritual needs in this tightly knit, industrialized blue-collar community.

            From their Pearl Street quarters, they reached out to Lockport and Fabius Townships. Their witness affected a metro-area that easily included Mendon, Centreville, White Pigeon, Constantine, and Marcellus. Over the next half-century, (1933-1985) 509 Pearl Street housed important ministries where Christian people met regularly and prayed faithfully. They prepared and worshiped regularly, witnessing winsomely.

            By this time, they had worshiped and witnessed locally for forty-five years--1888-1933. They began without a permanent meeting place, and then wandered about the community, from place to place and home to home. Like Israel‘s forty-year wilderness wandering following their delivery from Egypt, this faithful band escaped from Egypt and pushed toward Canaan.

            They started with two couples attending a Camp Meeting near Grand Junction. Those two couples accepted this new approach to radical holiness and unity at a time when denominational competition and strife was intensely sectarian, even bitterly carnal. They, in turn, formed a tiny cell group that evolved into a congregation of zealous saints--now one more body of believers competing for public acceptance.

            This tiny band believed they had heard a radical call from Jesus to live free from sin and above denominational sectism. They walked willingly in the fullness of what they understood as the Bible’s spotlight on God’s Evening Light truth. They took seriously sharing this vision of God’s more fully revealed church. When the Coffman’s resigned from leadership in 1934, they left a deeply committed congregation behind them. Now feeling more permanently situated, the little band of saints confidently renewed their efforts and turned again toward South Haven for a leader.

            Harry and Thelma Foster caught their attention and became the new pastors at Pearl Street Church. This gave the Foster’s their first opportunity to serve as Senior Pastors. At this point, the local historians only give us a tersely worded statement that reveals very little: All agreed that the Fosters accomplished a “wonderful work,” but God saw fit to take Brother Foster home to heaven after only two months of ministry in Three Rivers.

            During the decades of the eighties, I conversed numerous times with Ruth Altimus as she remembered Harry and Thelma. She reflected exuberant memories but few offered little of reportable value.

            Having grown up in South Haven, I remembered dad and mother discussing Harry and Thelma moving to America from England. Harry became a Lay Assistant mentored by the older, more experienced Edward Ronk, their Native American minister-friend.  In-service training provided the typical ecclesiastical training for a majority of Church of God pastors of that era.

            Harry and Thelma Foster had somehow rendezvoused with the Ronk’s in Detroit and worked with them in that congregation. Later, they followed their friend to South Haven. There, they met the larger fellowship of the Saints and participated in the annual encampment at Grand Junction.

            Following Pastor Ronk’s resignation in South Haven, Harry and Thelma stayed on as Interim Pastors. During this interlude of a couple of months, the young couple stayed in South Haven at the home of my parents', where they awaited the call that resulted in their move to Three Rivers.

            Ruth Altimus described Harry Foster as an exceptionally handsome man. The Three Rivers ladies all loved him and the congregation was understandably stunned when he died--suddenly and very unexpectedly. As recently as the 1990’s, unsubstantiated rumors suggested that Thelma lived in nearby Niles but no longer in touch with the church.

            Little information appeared to exist, but one regional story showed up in the files of the Decatur, MI. newspaper, about the Foster’s--1932. An article described “THE SAINTS CAMP MEETING at Grand Junction, and included a song composed by the Song Director--Harry Foster.

            According to the reporter, Mary Bernath attended the Saints’ camp meeting, held at Grand Junction in August of that year. The Church of God allegedly “owns a big farm with woods on it and has held camp meetings there for many years.”

            Besides Mrs. Bernath, so many other Decatur people attended that she could not list them all, but promised to do so the following year. Some went for a day or so. Others stayed for the full ten days, camping “right rough.”

            The campers camped in tents, while some occupied the cottages and two dormitories. The church furnished public cook stoves out of doors.

            It seems the “Rev. T. Harry Foster was the song leader and a wonderful man.” He composed a song entitled, “Salvation is for All,” and led campers in singing his composition on the last day of camp. The men named in the song were all name preachers that had taken part in the meeting--most of them I recognized or knew.

            Mrs. Bernath obtained a copy of Foster’s song and here are the words as she reported them (notice how they reflected names and places of the times in which they lived, Ed.):

 

I have a gospel message that I want to sing to you,

It is about salvation, for the Gentile and the Jew,

It is for every nation, yes, for all and not a few.

Salvation is for all.

 

Listen, hear the invitation,

Jesus offers you salvation,

Then, you’ll be a new creation,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Chinese, who must walk on little feet,

Salvation for the Danish whose good butter is a treat;

And there’s that man from Italy, Joe Cirone’s hard to beat,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Hebrew man, much laughter does he bring,

We won’t forget the Colored man, who makes his banjo ring,

And when they get to heaven they will both join in and sing,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the little man, whom many call the Jap,

And there’s that man from Germany, whose name is Martin Raab,

And there’s that portly Irishman, O. L. Yerty is his tab,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Russian under Communistic rule,

And there’s the Norway children who skate on the ice to school,

Salvation for the Mexican who loves to drink white mule,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Belgian, though there are but just a few,

And there’s our friend from India, C. L.  Bleiler, is here too,

And there’s the Gypsy people who would steal a hen or two.

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Scotchman, Earl Martin is his name,

And too, his fellow countryman, A. F. Gray, D. D. he claims,

And they are both from Anderson, so let’s join in and sing,

Salvation is for all.

 

Salvation for the Spaniard, who is branded with tatoo,

Salvation for the Yankee, and Wayne Cross, you all know too,

And there’s that peculiar Hollander, Dad Hartman, is true blue,

Salvation is for all.

 

Now, if my friends, you find you’re not included in this song,

Just put your nationality in the “Whosoever” throng,

Just give yourself to Jesus, then to Him you will belong,

Salvation is for all.

 

The two verses that follow were written by one of Mrs. Bernath’s Decatur friends:

 

This verse is finely written, but there’s this I wish to say,

Salvation’s freely given to choir leaders every day,

And Reverend Harry Foster gets his share along the way,

Salvation is for all.

 

When Reverend Foster leads us in the morning hymns divine,

The air resounds with happy strains of music so sublime,

The clouds break from the heavenly sphere and lo, the sun doth shine,

Salvation is for all.

_____

*The names in bold print identify pastors in the crowd.

_____

 

 

            Brother and Sister Homer Pontius arrived in Three Rivers in 1935. That year, the Yearbook reported a vacancy at the Three Rivers church. Although well known in Michigan, very little local history remains regarding the Pontius family. The 1936 Yearbook, reported H. A. Pontius as pastor. His congregation numbered 45 members and son Paul served as Youth Leader to 35 youth.

            Following the resignation of Brother Pontius, the congregation in 1937 prevailed once more upon Brother Leatherman to accept congregational leadership. He led them until 1940, when he resigned and purchased a restaurant in Schoolcraft, permanently leaving Three Rivers.

            These were years when America’s political situation was becoming increasingly critical. Europe was slowly crumbling. World War Two hovered on the horizon. World War Two slowly unraveled world relationships; collapsing and fragmenting under the relentless stomp of Adolph Hitler’s Nazi storm troopers. The frenzied Fuehrer fueled fear everywhere; meanwhile, the Leatherman legacy lived on.

            For nearly eighteen years, I stood behind a Walnut-stained wooden pulpit that served as a memorial from a grateful congregation. It was dedicated to the memory of William Leatherman (5-10-1883--12-22-1967). As an historical artifact, it celebrates the memory of Pastors William L.  (and Lillie) Leatherman and should you stand behind this piece of pulpit furniture, you will find a small bronze plate located on the right-hand side. It records two lines with characteristically simple modesty that pays fitting tribute to a true burden-bearer:

___________________________________

 

IN MEMORIAM 

WILLIAM & LILLIE LEATHERMAN

___________________________________

 

            From there, the Word of the Lord flowed forth. From there, a hallowed proclamation continually celebrated their grace-filled faith in God. There I stood, seldom unaware of where these saints had trod.

            Brother and Sister Van Hoose arrived on the scene in May 1940. Continued expansion remained the order of the day. Ross Ream supervised construction of a new parsonage, located immediately to the south, behind the chapel and adjacent to the bungalow. That served as the first furnished pastor’s residence until 1956. At that time, the church purchased Carl Didato’s home in the center of the block--1111 South Main Street.

            Mildred Wing summarized parsonage construction as follows: “In 1940 under the pastorate of M. L. Van Hoose the parsonage was built and the present church building was constructed. C. E. Brown gave the dedication address at that time.”

            Turning aside momentarily, we recall that Charles Ewing Brown left a successful Detroit pastorate to succeed Dr. F. G. Smith as Editor in Chief of the Gospel Trumpet Company in 1930. That same year, the Reformation Movement celebrated its fiftieth year of ministry--Jubilee. The national church experienced a period of transition, during which Dr. Brown stepped up and significantly served the publishing ministry of the church

            We now recognize Brown’s years as Editor in Chief as a watershed for the Movement. He served nationally from 1930--1951. That same year 1951, I became a freshman pastor in Arkansas. Some of my finest memories include occasional visits with “Dr. Charley” when later he visited his daughter and son-in-law in San Angelo, Texas, where I really cut my eyeteeth in ministry. It was not uncommon for Dr. Brown to call early Sunday morning, or simply show up for worship at our north-side mission church.

            We were the area‘s newest church plant in West Texas. Dr. John and Norma Brown Ballard arrived in our city as part of that community’s medical renaissance. Dr. Ballard represented the new and rapidly expanding medical specialties. They quickly became influential in local Presbyterian life--under mutual friend, Dr. B. O. Wood, where many of the community‘s most affluent professionals attended.

            Norma eventually invested twenty-one years in directing the choir at St Mark’s Presbyterian Church. She volunteered additional services to the San Angelo Symphony Board and helped establish the Shannon Hospital Auxiliary--where our son Scott first saw the light of day--two weeks late.

            A well-trained singer-musician and Anderson College graduate (now University); Norma Ballard enjoyed an exceptional career at First Presbyterian Church of San Angelo before her death in October 1983, following a lengthy and difficult illness. Gulf-Coast Bible College of Houston, TX, which is now Mid-America Christian University of Oklahoma City, recognized Norma Brown Ballard as their “dear friend and generous benefactor.” Today, “MACU” houses the C. E. Brown Memorial Library containing many of Dr. Brown’s personal books (Tidings/Spring-Summer/1984).

            The church found in Brown a seminal thinker, a prolific writer and an exceptional editorial choice.  As a seminary professor, he was a self-trained church historian, and also a popular evangelist. Brown wrote numerous books, two of which remain sought-after classics. His book, The Meaning of Sanctification, enjoyed a long life as a basic holiness text at Nazarene Seminary, Kansas City, MO.  His book, When the Trumpet Sounded, remains a highly prized, if dated, history of the Church of God. In my current work, I frequently reference my copy that came to me as a personal gift from longtime Michigan pastor-friend, and Credentials Member, Clayton Williams.

            By the late 1970-80’s, the congregation converted their tiny four-room, “shotgun” parsonage, built at mid-century, into a widely used youth facility--“The Annex.” They utilized paperboard sheeting on the interior of the tiny wood-frame structure, which conventional wisdom suggests probably came from one of the local Paper Mills.  Sunday school classes and youth meetings still met faithfully in this frail facility when we arrived in 1979.

            In spite of the difficulties of World War Two, the congregation refurbished the chapel in 1942. The dedicated efforts of many of the good brothers in the congregation reportedly made this improvement possible. Many men freely volunteered as many days of work as needed to complete the project.

            One account credits Brother Alfred Busk with donating many days of labor. Alfred, the father of Eugene Busk, served as President of the Board of Trustees, while donating many days of labor. When he received payment for a portion of his work, he allegedly returned to the church treasury all the money he received, without hesitating.

            The indebtedness at this time still totaled $3,100.00 and once more, the church found it necessary to call another pastor--March 1944. Again, they invited a former South Haven minister. Alva and Mary Claxton arrived in Three Rivers and stayed four years, a respectable stay in that era. They apparently enjoyed their four years in Three Rivers much better than the short two-year hiatus they spent in South Haven.

            The church progressed under their direction. The people worked diligently, improving the facilities and reducing the mortgage principle. One of the necessary pastoral challenges that Alva confronted came in 1946. Meeting that challenge, he read from the bible and presented the congregation with biblical instruction regarding tithing.            

            He explained that they should pay their pastor’s salary first--before they tithed their church income to the national cooperative budget. Local leaders re-computed the church’s tithe as over and above the pastor’s salary. However, rather than end the issue, this remained a bone of contention throughout the years and I encountered it during the 1980s.  At least one individual insisted that we support the World Service Budget whether we met our pastoral obligation, or not. This sometimes caused the pastor to wait indefinitely for his check (*This tradition was one I encountered at numerous times in various places across four and a half decades of pastoral ministry).

            One of the highlights of the “Claxton years” could have been the revival series featuring the nationally acclaimed Ohio Evangelist, Hollie McClanahan. The September 14, 1995 Three Rivers Commercial-News carried this story captioned “50 Years Ago” (from 9-14-1945):

 

            Evangelistic services at the Church of God were to begin with Rev.

            Hollie McClanahan of Middletown, Ohio, who was known as ‘The

            Walking Bible.’

 

            I never met McClanahan, but I knew his reputation. He was known across America for his extraordinary memorization of large portions of the Bible. He was commonly called “The Walking Bible.”

            On January 9, 1987, Mary Claxton wrote me apologizing for taking so long to admit she remembered so little about their stay in Three Rivers. This remarkable woman also suggested, “Nothing really spectacular really happened while we were there”

            She did recall that they arrived in April 1944 and left in December 1947. During that time, the church added two rooms to the parsonage, she thought 1945. “Then, there was a study built in the front corner of the Church.” Later, she reminded me that “as you know Alva did preach the word without fear or favor and with love for the souls. There were some souls won to the Lord and to the Church during this time.” Although trying not to live in the past, she recalled that Alva died in 1958, daughter Rosemary died in 1961, and son Howard--just younger than me--died in 1983. I remembered each of them.

            In spite of Mary’s difficult circumstances, she insisted “God has been good to me in so many ways and I do have good health--yet I’ve had some real sad times too as everyone has.” She rejoiced over the progress of the church and wished “the church every good thing and the blessings of God in every way.”

            “I hope that I can make a trip to Three Rivers one of these days” she declared in Anderson with a wistful smile. Although she never achieved that goal, we have managed to connect occasionally. Even as I write this account, Mary made a point of spending most of an afternoon with us at the 2004 annual North American Convention of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana.

            We took time out from the Reformation Publishers Book Tent and caught up on the intervening years--I found 65 years hard to believe! With a twinge of regret, she confessed feeling some remorse for not driving over to Three Rivers from Fort Wayne, to visit the young lad Alva led to Christ as an adolescent twelve-year-old. It was a visit I would not soon forget!

            Approaching ninety years of age, this energetic--smiling lady--is full of grace and positive wisdom. Widowed within a short decade after leaving Three Rivers, she still lives alone. She regularly drives her riding mower over her several acres of Hoosier yard and swims diligently.

            Mary occasionally travels back to the old home place in Mississippi, to visit family members there, driving herself from Fort Wayne to Gulfport, MS. She goes when and where she needs to go. Thus, she drove the one-hundred sixty-mile round trip from Fort Wayne to Anderson to spend a full day at Convention and bless us with a visit.            

            Cecil Haas, another parishioner from that same era, built the small study for Pastor Claxton. He built it in the corner of the Pearl Street structure, with help from some others, as Mary indicated. He later left the church. I visited him, but for reasons that remain unknown to me, he never returned.

            Following the war--winter of 1945-46--Faye Kline led the Women’s Missionary Society (now WCG) in organizing and serving dinners at the Sales Pavilion.  This made it possible for the church to reduce its mortgage by $450 and pay another $100 toward the floor covering. This left the Sunday school responsible for providing funds for the floor covering.

            After four years of ministry in the River City, Alva and Mary resigned--July 20, 1947. Senior pastor A. H. Claxton and Associate Pastor, Mary Claxton, signed their hand-written resignation effective not later than December 21. They quickly transitioned into their new assignment at Jamestown, New York and lived there until a tragic automobile accident snuffed out the life of this good man, so important in my early development.

            Brother and Sister Virgil Brinkman assumed pastoral oversight in January 1948. As reported in both the Gospel Trumpet and Michigan Action of December 1947, the Brinkman‘s brought with them a great deal of optimism--an audacious hope that we still felt thirty years later. 

            Lillian Sugg, Albion, MI. Pastor, conducted a one-week revival in the spring of 1948 with “very good results.” In the spring of 1949, William (Bill) Todd of Grand Rapids conducted a two-week revival, bringing forceful messages that many came to hear. That same spring--April 17, 1949--George Edes came from Kalamazoo Rose Street Church to address worshippers. Brother George served as the Guest Preacher for the 1949 Mortgage Burning.

            Our original historians characterized the Brinkman years as a time when “many people were won to God … The church and parsonage received a new coat of paint. A new furnace went into the parsonage, with a hot water system added. In addition, the Sunday school rooms received a refurbishing with paint, with incandescent lights installed through the generosity of Brother Ted Brown.

            “The Young People of the church purchased the paint and painted the interior of the church building, assisted by friends and members of the congregation.” By the time Easter of 1949 rolled around, the historical committee admitted, “today we are met here on this happy occasion to celebrate this mortgage burning ceremony. This little chapel is free and clear from debt and we are dedicating each and every one of us and this building to His Service” (Emphasis added).  A prayer of dedication followed.

            “The burning of the mortgage was Easter day, 1949,” added the reporters--“while Rev. Brinkman served as our pastor. We paid off the mortgage and bought our first Sunday School Bus. Rev. Brinkman, Brother Charles Campbell and Brother Charles Thompson went to Detroit and brought the bus to Three Rivers. It was not a new bus, but it provided a step up to better service, and it remained in use for quite some time.

            “Rev. Virgil Brinkman resigned as our pastor and preached his last sermon on March 30, 1952. Many of our church people felt they had lost a very good friend as well as a pastor.”

            Church Reporter, Mildred Wing, reported for both the Gospel Trumpet and the Michigan Action. Following is her account from the November 1949 Michigan Bulletin (later Action):

 

 

***scan in Michigan Bulletin story

Picture of TR church and story may take one full page to scan -?

 

***Use another page for the 2 pictures that may take another page.

 

Pix -1: reading left to right: Clydia Ream, Mrs. E. Kline, Earl

            Gregg, Charles Campbell, Leslie Buchan. Standing front l to

            R: Rev. Brinkman and Eugene Busk holding mortgage burning

            Tray.

 

            Pix - 2 - . Seated L to R:

            Miss. Donna Thompson, Mrs. V. Riegle, Dan McKee, Clydia Ream, Mrs. Smith, Postmaster; Mrs. E. Kline, Charles         Campbell, Leslie Buchan, Eugene Busk, William Leatherman, former pastor; Pastor Brinkman, Ralph Hinderer, Colon      Pastor,  B. Gale Hetrick, Kalamazoo Eastwood Pastor, and      Center, Rev. George Edes center at pulpit, from Kalamazoo  Rose Street Church.

 

            Before leaving the Brinkman era, I offer this humorous aside. It happened during a Board Meeting on August 31, 1950. Handwritten minutes report a special-called session in which Lura Campbell suggested they pay off the furnace fund regardless of whether or not they had restrooms. That motion passed.

            To their credit, however, someone made the motion, which Maggie Thompson and Art Freese seconded, suggesting they proceed with the restrooms in the fall. The estimated cost was $600. Since the bi-laws allowed the Board to go as high as $650, they quickly obtained the much-needed modern conveniences in their inconvenient facility.

            We leave the Brinkman's with lines Mary dated November 4, 1986:

 

            “Dear Brother Warner:

 

            It’s been so long since we were in Three Rivers that I can’t think in detail enough          to write about what has happened. You will              find material from my scrapbook,       which I am sending you, hoping you can use at least part of it. *This editor has         no recollection of ever seeing that scrapbook)

 

            We went to Three Rivers in December of 1947. This was our first pastorate, one      we enjoyed serving. We left April 1, 1952. Sure would love to see the new       building, but I don’t do long distance driving anymore. My prayers are with you    for the future work you have ahead of you.

 

            May God bless you and all of those you serve.

I remain,

s/Mary Brinkman”

 

            By the time spring arrived and the Brinkman's relocated in Clare, MI., the church had survived sixty-four winters in Three Rivers. During four decades of wandering from one location to another, the congregation collected sufficient funds with which to finally build a house of worship. They had now been at their south-side location sixteen years--1932-48. They had rooted deeply in the soil of that community, having become the neighborhood church. 

            When I arrived thirty years later, I remembered the early Israelites of the Old Testament and the correlation between their Exodus years and the local meandering back and forth from place to place over several decades. I could visualize the Israelites wistfully scanning the horizon across from Kadesh Barnea, looking into the Promise Land. So many opportunities awaited them. It was a real achievement when Joshua waded across the waters of the Jordan … following forty years of aimless meandering and marched into Canaan … so the “TR” fellowship.

            For the Three Rivers Church of God, settling into their own permanent home during that cold winter of 1932-33 must certainly have given them genuine cause for celebration! When they finally burned their long-held mortgage, they rightfully planned their event with great gusto. Once they celebrated, however, they jubilantly turned their faces forward and moved out mightily to “possess the land.” By 1948, they had been at home on Pearl and South Main long enough to know where they had come from, and to realize they still had plenty of work ahead of them.

            Although the church moved to Pearl Street a full decade before the Brinkman’s arrival, the “Brinkman years” signaled the turning of a significant corner. The people launched new efforts toward seriously improving their programs and services; they could now maintain and strengthen a strong, outreach and congregational ministry.  They were now a community-based institution with an expanding ministry that carried them around a historical corner and lifted them up to a new level of continuing ministries. Now debt free for the first time in many years, they enjoyed their newly acquired freedom that allowed them to intentionally focus on their real mission--their reason for existence.

            The Brinkman years were some of the congregations most expansive and inclusive years. By the time Virgil and Mary left the community, the Church of God presence at South Pearl and Main Streets rested on a solid foundation. Bright sunshine filled their future. The poverty of the earlier years eased. Their future appeared limited only by the creative imagination and sanctified commitment of the Saints worshiping, witnessing, and working out of the improved ministry center at 509 Pearl Street.

_______________

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - “New Horizons”

 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

 

A kitchen shower

sponsored by the Homebuilder's Class

will be held at the home of Mrs. Marvin Moser

at 7:30 next Wednesday evening

in honor of Miss. Marion Bloom

who is soon to become the Bride of Mr. Clarence Blodgett.

(House Number 1505 S. Main St.)

Sunday Bulletin, January 6, 1957

 

            Surveying the past fifty years, I see a congregation facing a bright future. I see the next half-century filling the memory bank with the golden years of most of the longtime members I would meet later. Yet, they brought cloudy days of uncertainty while the people learned how to cope with the transitions of normal life. While recording their history one week at a time; time relentlessly marched ever forward. With the march of time came change.

            Consequently, our earliest record keepers report that on March 30, 1952, “Rev. Vern Barker was our guest speaker.”

 

 

VERN AND FERN BARKER

 

            Rev. Barker visited again on May 25, 1952. He “preached his trial sermon, (and) met with the pulpit committee and Board of Trustees. We had other trial ministers, but the church voted for Rev. Barker. He and his family moved here from Nebraska. He preached his first sermon June 1st, 1952.”

            Picking up their script again, we note that “Rev. and Mrs. Barker and their two sons did a very good work with the young people (emphasis added). His health was not very good and he needed a rest, so he resigned. They went to Oregon where their oldest son went to Bible College.”

            With that terse summary, we turn to Vern Barker’s personal recollection of his pastoral years in Three Rivers. At my request, he shared these memories of the years 1952-54 with me during the decade of the eighties, as we approached our 1988 Centennial date:

 

            We look back with fond memories of our time at Three Rivers Church of God and     of the lifetime friends, we made. We went there to candidate in May of 1952 when     we learned you were looking for a new pastor and we were open for a pastorate.

                       

            I had attended Pacific Bible College, and pastored in Oregon and Nebraska. My       wife, Fern, was talented in working with children. Our sons were in high school.         They each played a musical instrument--Dwight, the electric guitar and Clell, the             accordion and piano.

                       

            We felt a challenge, saw the prospects were good for church growth and accepted   the pastorate. While we were there, the Sunday school attendance increased and        we were pleased, with God’s guidance, to lead the church out of debt and to help the church establish the practice of tithing.

 

            Since we both enjoy working with children and youth, and we know one can build     the church through a good Youth Program, we channeled our energies in that           direction. We found the local skating rink was available. After some repair and a new pairs of skates, we were ready to roll. This gave our youth a place to go,             was open to other Churches of God and was run on a non-profit basis for a year           and a half.

 

            The church bus helped us gather children for Sunday school, transported     members to nearby revivals as well as pro- viding a way to various youth          activities and the district youth rallies. I remember we usually took the trophy             home for the highest attendance. The Youth grew from just a few to at least fifty. They participated in a Youth Night once a month. On this night, we could count   on a better attendance. I remember one night during a revival there were nineteen     of those youth  at the altar.

 

            Our daughter-in-law, Betty, was one of those. Therefore, we feel our stay at Three         Rivers was part of God’s plan for our family. She has been a Christian now for thirty-two years, has helped Clell raise three fine children and works untiringly        with the children of their church--teaching and training. We left to move to     Oregon and to take Dwight to Pacific Bible College. I remember our nephew, a             member of the congregation, telling us good-bye that August of 1954 with tears           streaming down his face as we drove away.

 

            In our many years as pastors in several states, as well as nineteen months in      Australia, none is closer to our hearts than the two and a half years at Three Rivers.

Yours in His Service

S/Vern E. Barker

8-8-1987

 

 

SAM AND ELEANOR DOOTY

 

            Our earliest reporters tell us that “On August 23, 1954, the Rev. Dooty’s came. Both were ministers. Rev. Samuel & Rev. Eleanor Dooty gave their trial sermons. On September 27, 1954, Rev. Eleanor Dooty gave her first sermon as our pastor. Rev. Samuel Dooty served as her assistant, not only in the church work but in the kitchen as well.”

            With that, Pastors Sam and Eleanor took up residence in the parsonage--1105 South Main Street. They brought change when they assumed leadership of the congregation as co-pastors. Although the Three Rivers church had experienced women in ministry dating back to Myrtie Smith, the Dooty's became the first wife-husband preaching team to serve as co-pastors.

            The November 1954 Anderson College Alumni News  noted  on page seven that E. S. Dooty (G-23) accepted the pastorate of the Church of God at Three Rivers, MI (S. E.--G-23--had retired). Those first historians suggest the church progressed both spiritually and financially. “The church is all clear of debt and has a building fund, and some reserve in the bank. The church and parsonage were painted outside last summer, as well as the inside, and a new bathtub installed in the parsonage.”

            Typical of this period in the church’s history were the Sunday Worship Folders, which the Dooty’s used as Morning Worship guides. They furnished weekly announcements and provided monthly financial statements like this one dated October 1956. Church Treasurer, Leslie Buchan gave this report in the Church Bulletin the week following November 4.

 

 

            MONTHLY FINANCIAL STATEMENT

            Balance on hand October 1, 1956                              $237.97

            Amount taken in during October                                $523.84

            Total                                                                            $761.81                                                                         

            Pastor’s Allowance                 $236.47     

            Maintenance-Insulation         $110.48

            Utilities                                                      7.98

            Bus Expenses                                 2.80

            Christian Education                    11.00

            Miscellaneous                                5.52

            Flowers                                            5.00

            Missions: World Service               52.38

                           Christian Service        15.72

            Benevolence                                  19.37

            Total                                             $506.72

                        Balance on hand, November 1                               $255.09

 

            When the congregation met on August 4, 1957, they welcomed their visitors and received greetings from the “Rev. and Mrs. Arthur Freese,” former members then serving an Oregon pastorate. The Freese family had taken time out from pastoral duties to visit Arthur’s mother and other relatives in the Three Rivers area.

            By the time the 1958 Yearbook arrived, church membership had spiked for the calendar year 1957. The membership, although never above fifty, now increased from the lower forties to above seventy. After slumping in 1955, Sunday school enrollment reached a new record for the 1958 Yearbook. Although maintaining just over one hundred enrollees at the time of the Dooty’s arrival, Sunday school now plateaued around ninety, and then escalated to a new record high of one hundred forty-five.     

            During those years, Sunday school attendance traditionally surpassed Morning Worship. Church leaders considered something out of balance if the Sunday school fell below Worship attendance. Mildred Wing played the piano for most worship services and the Dooty’s alternated their weekly preaching duties. When Sam preached in the morning, Eleanor preached in the evening, and vice versa.

            Although the Dooty’s approached the end of a long and fruitful ministry, they added needed stability and mature leadership to the growing congregation. In addition to their local activities, both participated in, and actively supported, the work of the Church of God in Michigan under the direction of Dr. B. Gale Hetrick.

            The local fellowship maintained an active small-group body life, which I believe is best achieved through the Sunday school. Yet, I see them offering a more expansive outreach than the typical small-group ministry of many similar congregations.

            They met quarterly for regular business updates.  A functioning Church Council met regularly, frequently at the Earl Gregg home at 403 Liberty Street. Sunday school teachers conducted regular instructional and organizational meetings for Sunday school workers. This enabled the staff to improve the congregation’s ministry of Christian Education and assist teachers in upgrading their competency levels.

            One of the courses this group completed was Christian Leadership (Course 140-A, “The Pupils we Teach”). Workers receiving recognition for this achievement were Joyce Ward, Waneta Van Scoik, Melvin Taylor, Estella Moser, Sylvia Holm, Bonnie Cole, Brenda Chidester, Hazel Bell, and Gladys Barnhart (Italic added).

            In addition to programs for the children and youth, the adults maintained a Bible Class with an active social life, meeting periodically in the homes of class members. Maggie Thompson, a longtime local leader, taught a group of Home Builders and led the social life of this group that included home builders like Harold and Donna Henline (later divorced, and both of whom I pastored at one time or another as middle-aged and senior adults).

            Led by the pastor, the congregation scheduled Revival services as a regular part of congregational life. They invited Pastor and Mrs. Gerald Snyder from Topeka, Indiana in 1957, and they ministered quite effectively. Regularly scheduled district Missionary Rallies offered ongoing activities. During Holy Week of 1957, the churchwomen ventured to Benton Harbor, meeting with women from all over the state of Michigan.

            Youth Conventions have always been a big item in Church of God life. This particular year leadership responsibilities fell upon Marvin Moser. Recent Anderson College students from Burlington, Marvin and Estella moved to Three Rivers to assist the Dooty’s in their pastoral responsibilities and launch into pastoral ministry.  Marvin supervised the planning and attendance of the youth delegates going to the annual State Youth Convention, held at the time in Alma, MI. at Alma College.

            Church records from these years remain sketchy, but historian left a one-page summary consisting of one and two line notations that we will pick up again when we leave the “Dooty Years.” In the meantime, the following news story provided one of the social highlights of the Dooty years:

 

 

THIS IS YOUR LIFE PROGRAM

HONORS

CHURCH OF GOD PASTORS

 

            In the presence of more than 200 guests a program, “This is your life,” was given in honor of the retiring pastors, Rev. S. E. Dooty, and Rev. Mrs. Dooty of the Church of God Sunday afternoon at Hoppin School.

            Rev. Charles Westervelt gave piano selections fitting the occasion. Rev. Gwendolyn C. Ware was in charge of the program.

            Rev. Manson Lowe, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, represented the Ministerial Association, commended the interest and cooperation of the Dooty’s, and gave the invocation.

            Rev. R. D. Clock, pastor of the Church of God at Cassopolis, gave Scripture quotations on work of the ministry. Rev. and Mrs. William Leatherman represented the local church in the presentation of an orchid corsage for Rev. Mrs. Dooty and a boutonniere for Rev. Dooty.

            Relatives who appeared in the program included Mrs. Barbara Miller, Miss Mary Miller, Mrs. Martha White and daughter Sylvia of Elkhart, Ind., Mrs. Rudy Grubich and children La Raye and Drew of Anderson, Ind., Mrs. and Mrs. Wallace Lukkadoo from Mishawaka, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Ray Horn of Charlotte, and Mrs. Noah Slabach of La Grange, Ind.

            Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Kemp from Topeka, Ind. told of the interesting phases in the lives of the Dooty’s, who met for the first time in the home of the Kemps in Topeka.

            Rev. and Mrs. Sam Bathauer of Anderson, Ind. officiating minister at the Dooty’s wedding added some interesting highlights as the story unfolded.

            The appearance of Mrs. Rudy Grubich, only living child of the Dooty’s came as a surprise. Her children La Raye and Drew accompanied her as she greeted her parents. Drew gave the first recitation his grandfather had given during his first term of school in Stafford, Kansas, entitled “Don’t Kill the Toads.” Pictures depicting various incidents in their ministry were shown and letters from members of their congregations were read as well as greetings from old friends.

            Benediction was pronounced by Rev. B. C. Van Every, pastor of the Church of God, Otsego, after words of appreciation were expressed by the Rev. Dooty.

            Luncheon was served by the Missionary Society of the church with Mrs. Lura Campbell, Mrs. Kathryn Gregg, Mrs. Clydia Ream, Mrs. Estella Moser, and Mrs. Margaret Thompson in charge.

            Hostesses included Mrs. Coral Bergfeld, Mrs. Estella Moser, Mrs. Waneta Van Skoik, and Mrs. Gladys Barnhart.

            The beautiful flower arrangement was under the direction of Mrs. Van Skoik and Mrs. Moser.

            A 6-layer cake, artistically decorated, was made by Mrs. Ishmael Brothers of Sturgis. Serving were Mrs. Vera Davis, Mrs. Leatherman, Mrs. Marion Blodgett, Mrs. Wanda Kelly and Mrs. Eno Bolhuis.

            Misses Edith Linsner, Bonnie Cole, Jewell Jarrett, Betty Jarrett, Marva Dickens, Sylvia Holm, Virginia Hull, Darlene Blade, Charlotte Dettler, and Darlene Fitch also served.

            Ushers under the direction of Charles Campbell were Marvin Van Skoik, Kenneth Kelly, Eno Bolhuis, and Albert Ward.

            The Dooty’s were presented a beautiful book “This Is your Life” which included the story of their lives and photographs of the occasion.

            Other visiting guests from out of town included Rev. and Mrs. Blaine Varner, Charlotte, Rev. and Mrs. B. C. Van Every and family from Otsego, Rev. and Mrs. Russell D. Clock and family from Cassopolis, Miss Kathryn Farmer of Anderson, Ind., Rev. Hazel Comer, Charlotte, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Taylor, and family, Berne, Ind.

  

            In January 1968, Reporter Hocking wrote that Pastor Struthers of the local Church of God presented the retired Samuel E. Dooty with a citation honoring him for his years of service to the Division of Ministerial Credentials of the Church of God in Michigan.

            Hocking noted that Dooty, a retired pastor, had served in Church of God ministry over fifty years and had only recently received a Citation in honor of six years’ service on the Division of Ministerial Credentials of the General Assembly of the Church of God in Michigan. Brother Dooty received his citation during a Sunday morning worship service.

 

 

RETIRED PASTOR,

S. E. DOOTY

RECEIVES 50 YEAR CITATION

 

                        “The Rev. S. E. Dooty, who with his wife, the Rev. Mrs.

            Eleanor Dooty, served First Church of God, Three Rivers, four

            years before retiring from the active pastorate. The citation was

            presented by the Rev. Richard Struthers, present pastor of the

            local church, on behalf of B. Gale Hetrick, Executive Secretary

            of the Michigan General Assembly.

                        In authorizing the presentation, Mr. Hetrick pointed

            to the fact that in six years of service Dooty never missed

            a meeting unless it was absolutely impossible for him to

            attend, and often attended in times of personal stress and

            sacrifice. We appreciate both his consistent labor on behalf

            of the Division and the fine Christian spirit which he

            demonstrated among us.”

                        The Rev. Mr. Dooty, who has served in similar capa-

            cities in other states for over twenty-five years, recalled that

            one time on the way to a meeting “I cracked up a car, but I

            made it to the meeting.”

                        Although retired from the pastorate, Dooty still re-

            mains   active. He fills many area pulpits on a supply basis and

            when not away preaching is still active in the local Church of

            God. He also served the previous year as Treasurer of the

            Three Rivers Ministerial Association.

                        The Dooty’s continue to make their home at 412 8th

            Avenue, Three Rivers.

--Hocking,

Local Reporter

 

            A few years later--during the Struthers’ years--Michigan Action and local newspapers carried the following notices:

 

 

IN MEMORIAM

Samuel and Eleanor Dooty

 

(By Gale Hetrick)

                        Two of God’s faithful servants will be missed in our

            Michigan church life this fall. Samuel and Eleanor Dooty.

            Formerly pastors at Three Rivers and now retired members of the

            Local congregation each answered a higher call this summer.

                        Almost as closely as they followed each other in life--

            they followed each other in death. A few short weeks span their

            separation from each other, perhaps the longest separation

            of their ministry.

                        Both the Dooty’s were ordained ministers. Mrs. Dooty

            was officially pastor at Three Rivers following her husband’s

            retirement.

                        In retirement they were busy. Rev. E. S. Dooty served

            as a member of the Michigan Ministerial Credentials Division

            for six years until January 1968. Wherever members of the

            Church of God fellowship met in Michigan the Dooty’s were

            generally present.

                        Theirs was a fruitful ministry with many ministers and

            ministers’ wives coming from their work. In Michigan Henry

            and Joyce Cole, formerly of Midland, MI. and Marvin and

            Estella Moser of Belding were two of these couples.

                        Pastor Richard Struthers, Marvin Moser and Henry Cole

            conducted the memorial services for these servants of God. 

Michigan Action

 

 

REV. SAMUEL EDWARDS DOOTY,

1889-1968

 

            Religious services for Rev. Samuel E. Dooty, 79, who died early Wednesday morning, will be held Friday at 2:30 p. m. at the Halverson Chapel. The Rev. Mr. Dooty made his home at 412 Eighth Avenue.

            He was born in Stafford, Kansas, April 1869, the son of John and Eliza (Pound) Dooty. He attended Bible College in Moundsville, W. Va. and in Kansas. He served in the U. S. Army during World War I. After receiving his honorable discharge he attended Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana, where he was ordained. For a short time he worked at the Gospel Trumpet Company Publishing House in Anderson, Indiana.

            On December 1, 1923 he was married to Eleanor Schlabach in Emma, Indiana. The Rev. Mr. Dooty had made his home in Three Rivers since 1953. He served as pastor of the Church of God in Three Rivers for four years.

            Surviving are his wife, Eleanor, at home; one daughter, Mrs. Rudy (Samuella) Grubich of Tucson, Arizona; two grandchildren, Le Raye and Drew Grubich, both of Tucson; one sister, Mrs. Semira Crane of Mt. Grove, Missouri; twin brothers, Jesse of Cheyenne, Oklahoma and John of Oklahoma City; several nieces and nephews.

            Rev. R. W. Struthers of the Church of God will officiate. He will be assisted by Rev. Marvin Moser of Belding and Rev. Henry Cole of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery.

-Three Rivers Commercial-News-

 

 

-SIX WEEKS LATER-

Rev. Eleanor S. Dooty

1892-1968

 

            Rev. Eleanor S. Dooty, 76, died early this morning at Three Rivers Hospital, where she has been a patient for the past week. She had been in ill health for the past two years. Mrs. Dooty made her home at 412 Eighth Avenue.

            She was born in LaGrange County, Indiana March 4, 1892, the daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Frye) Schlabach. She graduated from the Anderson Bible Training School in Anderson, Indiana in 1923.

            On December 1, 1923 she was married to Rev. Samuel E. Dooty in Emma, Indiana. They had made their home in Three Rivers since 1953. She served in the ministry for over 50 years and was a former pastor of the Church of God in Three Rivers. She was a member of the Michigan State Ministerial Association.

            Surviving are one daughter, Rudy (Samuella) Grubich of Tucson, Arizona; two grandchildren, LaRaye and Drew Grubich, both of Tucson, Arizona, two sisters, Mrs.  Franklin Miller of Anderson, Indiana, Mrs. Barbara Miller of Elkhart, Indiana and Mrs. Anna Yoder of LaGrange, Indiana; one brother, Ezra Schlabach of Emma, Indiana; several nieces, nephews, great-nephews and cousins. Her husband died June 5, 1968.

            Religious services will be held from the Halverson Chapel Monday at 2:30 p.  m. with Rev. T. Franklin Miller and Rev. Henry D. Cole of Milwaukee, Wisconsin officiating. Interment will be at Riverside Cemetery. Friends may call at the Halverson Chapel after 1 p. m. Saturday.

 

-Three Rivers Commercial-News

           

 

“A BIT OF MY LIFE HISTORY”

By

Eleanor Schlabach Dooty

 

            I was born in LaGrange County, Indiana about a mile and a half east of Emma. I was converted when I was fourteen years old. I dedicated my life to God for service soon after that, to the best of my knowledge. Rev. Fred Smith and wife were holding a revival in Emma at that time.

            Brother John Merica was our Pastor at that time. When he resigned, I had a deep concern for those who were discouraged or sick, and I would go and visit them and pray with them.

            We had R. A. Walling from Ohio to come and hold a Revival for us. That was in 1917. He went around to some of the Saints there, and asked whom they thought we should get for our future Pastor. They told him that they felt that I was the one to take over. He came to me and asked me whom I thought they ought to get. I mentioned several names and he asked me about taking over.

            I was shocked and felt that it would be too much for me. But he brought it before the church and they unanimously voted for me to be the one. I rededicated myself again to God: I said I would do what he wanted me to do, if I never had a red cent I could call my own, or if I would be obliged to go without a companion the rest of my life.

            On July 1917 I was ordained. God blest and souls were saved, and I had a neighboring Pastor to come and do the baptizing for me. We baptized as many as fourteen at one time. We had baptismal services three times while I was Pastor.

            During that time some of the dear saints who lived in and around LaGrange came out to Emma to Church. They asked me to come out there and conduct Prayer Meetings in their homes. I have tried to think of some of the names of those out there. My memory is not very good anymore, but I do remember Bro. and Sister Jacob Meyers, Brother and Sister Louis, Brother and Sister Asbury, and Brother and Sister Harp who lived southeast of LaGrange. They were saved while I was Pastor at Emma.

            My sister Barbara and I used to drive out there with my father’s horse and buggy, which was eight miles out there from Emma, and lead the prayer meetings with the dear saints out there. I do not think that I have named all of the dear saints who were there then. Most are dead now, but Sister Harp is still living in Kendleville, Indiana.

            We had a family living North of Shipshewana who came to church at Emma. The mother and children came and were saved, but the father who was well thought of in the neighborhood but was not a Christian, took very sick. The doctors wanted to operate on him on a certain day, but when that day came he was feeling better and he would not consent to have the operation.

            Sometime after that, he took sick again, but he did not call for the Doctor to come. He called for me to come. He sure was a sick man, but the good Lord healed him and he got saved that very night. After that, he came to church regularly. One day, he came and he handed me an envelope. He said he figured just how much it would have cost him if he had that operation, and he gave me that amount as a down payment for a car. He was a well man from then on. He got saved on Thursday evening and healed, and by Monday he was out working on the farm again.

            Well, I went to Brother Kemp, who lived in Topeka and attended church at Emma, and he sold cars. I told him what Brother Howard had given me as a down payment, so I got my car, after which I made my calls by car. This made our trips to LaGrange much easier, and to many other places too.

            After having pastored the church for about three and a half years, Brother C. E. Line, pastor at Elkhart, came and asked me if I would come to Elkhart and be his Assistant Pastor. I prayed about it, and I felt that it would be a help to me to have some experience in city work. So I resigned, in 1920 and served there a year, after which I felt that I should go to Anderson to school.

            I resigned; sold my car to help pay my expenses while in school, which did much for me until my last year when I ran out of money. I checked in the cafeteria for my board, but my room rent had to be paid. I prayed for God to supply me somehow. The day rent was due; the Matron called me into the office and asked me to figure out how much time I put in taking care of the books, banking the money et cetera. After that, she called the President and told him about it, and he said, “give her the rent for the rest of the year.”

            I needed money for other things, and the Good Lord answered prayer. He impressed my Nephew and Niece to let me sell a piano, which she had left at the school. I sold it for one hundred dollars ($100.00), which tided me over. With some money left, I made a donation to the school with the rest of the graduates.

            After I left Emma as Pastor, Samuel F. Bathauer took the pastorate. He built the church at LaGrange during that time, working both places very diligently and doing much good.

            A little more about the history of my life. I graduated from Anderson College in 1923. It was that fall--December 1, 1923--when my husband and I were married. We have forty-three years of happy life, working together for the Lord and humanity. We pastored in seven places in those forty-three years. We had two ten-year pastorates: ten years at Hutchinson, Kansas and ten years at Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

            Thank God we have this consolation, that there are around forty persons who were in our congregation who are now in the work of the Lord. At least five of them are missionaries in foreign lands.

            “We resigned as Pastors of the Three Rivers church in 1958, to let some younger person take over. The church did not want us to leave here, so we bought a home here. Brother Dooty serves on a State Board, and there have been at least fifteen churches who have asked us to fill in when their Pastor was absent, so you see we are not idle.

            “We do a lot of writing, answering letters from former people who were in our congregation, and who are wanting advice, or encouragement.”

            She added a Post Script to Sister Bartels of the LaGrange church, suggesting that she “glean from this what you can use in your History of the LaGrange church. I do not expect you to use all I have written. I do get some good out of writing how wonderfully God has led me and us together in the work of God. May God bless you in this work you are doing for The Lord ... My name was Eleanor Schlabach before I was married. Please excuse all of my mistakes. I am very nervous and writing is getting rather hard for me.” 

                                                                                     s/Eleanor S. Dooty-

412 Fourth Street

Three Rivers, MI.

 

            *Eleanor Schlabach Dooty sent this biographical sketch from Three

            Rivers on September 22, 1967 for inclusion in the History of the Church

            of God, Emma, Indiana. They later relocated to Topeka, IN. The LaGrange,

            IN. congregation, in turn, organized later under Samuel Bathauer, while

            Pastor at Topeka. In 1972, the Topeka congregation elected to close

            their facility and merge with LaGrange First Church of God.

           

            When the Dooty’s officially retired, the Rev. Marvin Moser received the congregation’s call to become the pastoral leader. 

__________

 

 

MARVIN AND ESTELLA MOSER

            Marvin and Estella Moser moved to Three Rivers from Anderson, Indiana to begin a lifetime of pastoral ministry. Moving to Three Rivers, they faithfully labored with Sam and Eleanor Dooty, successfully serving many years in Church of God ministry.

            Marvin began his adult life by investing thirty-eight months in Military Service with the United States Army. During this time, he spent seventeen months overseas. Upon receiving his discharge, he returned to Burlington, married Estella Funk--of Burlington--June 21, 1947. The newlyweds relocated to Anderson, Indiana, where they spent two years at Anderson College before moving to Three Rivers in 1953.

            Marvin reports they moved for “one specific purpose: “To work with the pastors, The Reverends S. E. Dooty and his wife, Eleanor Dooty.” During those three years, Marvin worked for a secular employer “to support my family” and begin parenting three “preacher’s kids“(PK‘s)--Allen, Galen, and Carol.

            In 1958, when the Dooty’s resigned and retired from local leadership, Marvin submitted his application to the Pulpit Committee “to be considered as Pastor. In the summer of 1958 “we began our ministry which continued until the summer of 1962 when we resigned.” Now retired in Anderson, Indiana, this former pastor concludes it “was a spiritually profitable three years of our lives.”

            In 1959, when the large house at 1111 South Main Street became available, the church purchased it from the owner in October 1959. Carl Didato had owned and operated the party store in the middle of the twelve hundred block of South Main and been part of that community for many years.

            The Moser family became the first “parsonage family” to occupy the large, well-used residence. In addition, the church took option to buy, and later purchased the small house (1107) between the new parsonage and the old parsonage (Annex) behind the Pearl Street Chapel. The purchase of 1107 Main finally completed their 1.7-acre plot between the Alley and the Railroad.

            Church membership stayed around fifty-five, while the Sunday school average inched upward toward eighty, but enrollment plummeted precipitously to between 110 and 115. Like much of the early history, little information is available regarding the Moser years, but the neighborhood would continue to change. Marvin listed the following three events as the most significant of that period: 

            1. Purchase of 1111 South Main for use as a parsonage.

            2. The response of Al and Joyce Ward to Church of God ministry.

            3. The departure of two families to Lansing where they became very active at Pennway Church of God.

_______________

 

 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN - “Gridlock”

 

The church is the body of Christ.

And being the body of Christ,

it necessarily includes all his members. . .

D. S. Warner

“The Church of God”

 

            Earlier, we mentioned the hurried notations left anonymously on the last page of the original history. The name of that recorder remains uncertain, but we introduce this chapter with those few terse lines, and then proceed with our story.          

 

March 1962--Rev. Moser went to Belding to try out. 

April 1962--He was accepted as Pastor in Belding.

 

May 1962--Rev. Wayne Halbleib came from Angola, Indiana to be Pastor.

May 1965--He resigned to go to Burlington in July. Church organ was purchased        January 1963. Paid off by January 1965.

 

Fall of 1965--Richard Struthers came from Ohio to be Pastor.

1972--He resigned.

Interim Pastors---

 

In 1973--Rev. Fred James came. Resigned because of sickness.      

Interim Pastors---

 

May 9th, 1976--Rev. Richard Nichols became pastor. 

September 1978--Rev. Nichols resigned

Interim Pastors--Terry Boynton, Three Rivers, Rev. Parnell Alexander, Kalamazoo  filled in (as did Liz Childress, 1st Baptist Church and not included in this list).

 

May or June 1979--Rev. Wayne Warner from Battle Creek became Pastor.  Later--Rev. Dan Turnbow to help Rev. Warner.

           

            This summary paragraph concluded the updated original account:

 

            “The property has expanded through the years. The parsonage first      built behind     the church on South Main Street, is now being used as an Annex and provides           Sunday School rooms. The large house was purchased from Carl Didato to be the      present parsonage (Oct. 1959) with option to buy the small house between the             Annex, and was purchased later. The Moser family was the first to live in the large           parsonage”

 

            With help from others, those earliest records of Maggie Thompson and Clydia Ream (longtime WCG historian) eventually formed the core story leading up to the April 1949 Mortgage Burning celebration. We noted that Myrtle’s notebooks also contain several copies of this brief history. Some copies contained different wordings, but altogether, they provided factual narrative that continued beyond the departure of the Brinkman’s and through the years of the Barker’s, Dooty’s, Moser’s, and Halbleib’s. 

            Wayne and Barbara Halbleib quickly assumed the leadership vacuum left by the departure of the Moser’s. This dedicated duo relocated to Three Rivers from Angola, Indiana in 1962. Wayne was the first seminary-trained pastor to accept a call to the Three Rivers pulpit. In addition, he brought excellent building skills as a contractor, complimented by Barbara’s professional teaching competence.

            Wayne used his building expertise wisely. Through the years, he found meaningful global service to the larger church. He led domestic and foreign work camps and served the church-at-large at numerous mission sites by using his construction-contracting skills.

            Wayne came to Three Rivers deeply committed to God’s direction in his life. He came to Three Rivers at a strategic time, a time when the church needed his skills more than he needed them. The people loved the Halbleib family and Wayne came prepared and equipped to lead the church forward.

            Following the untimely death of Raymond Barnhart in 1981, this writer-pastor spent countless evenings on the front porch, sometimes the living room, but most often the kitchen, at 1301 South Main with Gladys. A people person, Gladys knew everybody in town, but Raymond’s death left her intensely lonely. Since Tommie worked week days in Battle Creek, Gladys often called the parsonage offering pie alamode, a plate of cookies, a meal, or a  Wendy‘s chili. Many evenings she and I watched the cars go by as she reminisced about her early life, her bad memories from the Nazarene church, her Church of God days, and her baby-sitting days with the Halbleib girls.

            Like the others, she loved the Halbleib’s deeply and valued their leadership, especially her mentoring from Barbara. They stayed until 1965. In her annual report for the 1963-1964 Sunday School year, Superintendent Myrtle Bishop reported the Sunday school had “a good year.” She noted that Ann Barnhart took over the Nursery Class when Betty Murray moved to Lansing. New young couples swelled their attendance, creating a need for more trained teachers, as well as more family fellowship. It also suggested supervision for an increasing number of young children.

            Gladys and Lura Campbell hosted up to twenty kindergartners over in the Annex. Barbara Halbleib became the Departmental Head when they divided the Primary age into three classes taught by Charlotte Dentler, Judy Hackler, and Norman Edwards. When Norm left for Anderson College, this department joined in a combined opening service with Nancy Daily leading the singing and Linda Hackler (later Edwards) accompanying on the piano. Following their combined prayer time, each class occupied a separate place for activity and study.

            Waneta Van Scoik taught the Junior Class. They studied Old Testament heroes, made maps, and did other constructive handwork.

            Hattie Cole led the Senior Class and they enjoyed active discussions. Hattie’s class expressed an especially strong burden for Missions, which led them to plan-and-conduct extra youth meetings. This resulted, in turn, in extra-curricular handwork for Missions.

            Pastor Halbleib taught the Homebuilders class. New couples coming into the church joined this class, further boosting class morale. This provided Pastor Halbleib an intimate entree into the homes of many young families.

            The Adult Bible Class, guided by Sadie Hall and assisted by Margaret Thompson, pursued a vigorous well-planned bible study series.

            Yearbook records of attendance patterns across the year’s shows the Halbleib’s arriving in Three Rivers with Sunday school enrollment at high tide. Between1962-65 attendance increased from 115 to 143, then dipped to 112. Church membership increased from 54 to 69, then leveled at 55.

            From there, it began a slow descent across the next half-dozen years. The Sunday school slid from 78 to 67 from 1962-65. Following the Halbleib’s, departure, it surged upward again to past 85 within two years. Just as quickly, it then reverted to the mid-50s. By the early 1970’s it flattened out, flickering at 25-35, barely surviving. When I reviewed the details of this story in later years, the unfortunate truth appeared all too obvious to me.

            Later--the 1980’s--Pastor Halbleib came to Three Rivers and helped me with our new construction project. Representing Michigan Kingdom Builders, Wayne freely volunteered both time and skills to our new project. The two Wayne’s used those days to better acquaint themselves and build a close and ongoing relationship. We conversed at length on numerous occasions and he remained forever positive about the congregation he once pastored. He never once vented negatively of his experiences in Three Rivers.

            When years later I discovered the drawings Wayne had sketched and submitted to the church for approval, I finally began connecting the dots and filling in the blank spaces. Wayne H. proposed to lead the church in refurbishing and expanding their present facility. He offered to maximize both facility and location, and do most of the work himself. He would have enabled the congregation to keep pace with anticipated growth--at minimal cost by using his knowledge and building expertise. He would have followed his pastor‘s heart and led them in achieving the expansion they desperately needed for continued growth and remained fully prepared to help them maximize their minimal resources. This would enable them to overcome their limited building space and their land-locked location.

            Coming well equipped, and able to do much of the work himself, Wayne would have done that work at the most economical cost. His proposal would have helped them avoid what later became one of the most pressing issues in the congregation’s history, if not the most critical of their first seventy-five years.

            The congregation concluded the cost was simply too high-– too much for them to pay.  For what it is worth, my sense of “conservative economics” made his plan appear to me as the “most facility for the least money.”

            My research revealed ample evidence of this recurring pattern.  Throughout the congregation’s long history, attendance patterns reflected an ebb and flow--rising and falling--like a roller coaster. Unfortunately … for the congregation … a limited vision caused them to reject his $25,000 renovation proposal as too expensive.

            Consequently, the frustrated pastor soon relocated to Burlington, where he saw greater opportunity to use his skills and encourage new growth.  That decision proved significantly negative, impacting congregational life for the next several years. It proved to be one of the worst choices the congregation ever made, and one of their most expensive.         

            The price they paid became far more expensive than they dreamed of paying, for it became the prelude to a significant congregational downsizing.

            The coming years brought several discouraging pastoral changes. Sandwiched between pastorates were lengthy interims that accented their lack of consistency, a result of too frequent leadership change. The congregation barely survived, enduring several years of internal upheaval and unrest. They lost numerically, rather than experiencing the growth an enlarged facility would invite.

            Had they accepted Wayne Halbleib’s proposal in the mid-sixties, there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that I would never have received the call to “keep the doors open” (emphasis added). I would never have encountered the desperate situation I found in May 1979.

            Wayne Halbleib’s foresight and commitment to plan-and-provide for their growth, when things were going well (however fearful the project appeared), would have empowered them to comfortably achieve what they struggled so hard to accomplish years later under my leadership. I found the congregation substantially smaller than it would have been, had they stepped forward in faith in 1965.

            Their failure to take that significant step of faith offers a lesson that many congregations fail to comprehend until it is too late. History records the high price they paid for failing to move forward while they had the momentum going their way. They paid far more in numerical and financial losses than they would have lost by pushing ahead with his threatening expansion.

            It came as no surprise when I learned in reviewing their long history that Pastor Halbleib candidated in Burlington in May 1965. He terminated his services in Three Rivers on June 30, 1965, having taken the church as far as he could lead them. The inadequate facilities simply would not fulfill the ministry they were attempting to maintain.      

            When the church became fearful of going forward, he would not accept the status quo. He saw retreat as a loss of mission and a misuse of leadership. Overwhelmed with the challenge, and seeing no solution, he chose to leave with the love of the congregation (and with an abiding love for the congregation).

            When I came on the scene a few years later, we needed someone with his expertise. He blessed the church--honored me--by making us the recipients of his abiding love. Moreover, he made each of us beneficiaries of his skills, and I found a new friendship that I value greatly. I bless the name of Wayne Halbleib, freely admitting that without his grace-filled ministry, my work in Three Rivers would have fallen far short of what we eventually achieved through our relocation and new facility.

            When Wayne and Barbara left Three Rivers, they left this positive affirmation behind:

 

                        “To the Congregation of the Three Rivers Church of

            God, Three Rivers, Michigan:

                        For some several months God has been dealing with

            our hearts concerning our ministry to the Church here. After

            many weeks of heart searching prayer before God, we have

            accepted the call to the pastorate of the Burlington Church of

            God. It has been a most difficult decision to make but God has

            laid an unobstructed path toward that decision. Our ministry

            has been a fruitful one.          

                        We in no way feel defeat, only victory through our Lord

            Jesus Christ. Our hearts are in God’s work and it comes to us

            clearly that this move is in the context of His will for our lives.

            Even though this sees the end of our service in your midst, be

            assured of our prayers for your guidance in the future.

                        Our resignation from this pastorate will be effective June

            27, 1965 following the morning service on that day.

            Respectfully Submitted,

s/Rev. Wayne Halbleib

 

            In keeping with the accountability ethic that Wayne Halbleib personally maintained, when the church purchased a new organ in January 1963, he oversaw completion of all payments prior to his departure in January 1965. Wayne and Barbara moved to Burlington and other ministries, while Barbara continued teaching until her retirement in 1990, due to ill health. She died in Tekonsha in 1995. Family and friends celebrated Barbara's Memorial Service at the Tekonsha Union Church on July 23, 1995.  Wayne still resides in the area.  

            Richard and Thelma Struthers moved from Elyria, Ohio. They came to pastor this debt-free congregation in the fall of 1965. As the nineteenth pastoral family, they became the longest serving pastoral couple in the church’s seventy-seven year history. They stayed six years and seven months, before retiring.

            That record stood until 1986, when the Warner’s could finally raise the bar. Richard and Thelma are now deceased. Sharon and Carol hold many good-and-bad memories from Three Rivers.  Sharon lives nearby in Kalamazoo and Carol is now deceased.

            Short-term pastorates stereotype many small-town churches that are too often viewed as stepping-stones to career-minded “hirling” preachers. Averaging three to four years in length, such ministries often proved disruptive to church growth. Short stays frequently prove less than constructive, as well as disruptive of healthy church life, adding more transiency than continuity. One misguided saint in another time and place told his departing pastor, “We get a blessing every time we change preachers. When that congregation finally changed their behavior, they began to grow.            

            Richard Struthers was a good shepherd! He gave significant pastoral attention to his congregation. It fell his lot [became his privilege] to conduct several significant memorial services for former pastors, including Samuel and Eleanor Dooty. That is seldom an easy task. 

            Richard and Thelma endured an unfortunate degree of congregational tension, experiencing deep undercurrents within the congregation, almost from the time they arrived. Part of this resulted from congregational failure to keep promises made when Dick and Thelma candidated. It is noteworthy that there were significant individuals who made an admirable effort to improve their circumstances by attempting negotiations for possible relocation.

            One location the congregation considered purchasing was the then-vacated Eighth Street Bible Church, now New Jerusalem Baptist Church. Hindsight declared that a bad choice. By the time Richard resigned in 1972, the church had survived a significant downturn--difficult for Richard--misfortunate for the congregation.

            With the worship services averaging 35-40, Sunday school plunged to 25 before turning upward. The membership dropped to an average of 30 for three straight years before turning upward again. When Dick and Thelma concluded their lengthy Michigan ministry, they had been in Three Rivers six years and seven months.

            Much of this time, Dick drove a school bus to supplement his income. I later learned this enabled him to relinquish his salary to pay church bills when necessary. Upon resigning, Richard became the second pastor to retire locally. He and Thelma owned a lovely cottage on the north edge of the city, but finally sold it and relocated to Battle Creek, where they continued to serve significantly at North Avenue Church. 

            Richard resigned April 30, 1972, his departure date effective on June 30. May 4th, only weeks before he was to retire, the Church Council met in the church basement and selected a Pulpit Committee. Present were Sunday school Superintendent, Myrtle Bishop; Trustee Chairman, Raymond Barnhart; WMS President, Marjorie Ream; and Head Usher, John Bishop. That committee presented the congregation with seven names. One week later, the church elected Ruth Altimus, Walter Kiefer, Norman Edwards, Thelma Patterson, and Raymond Barnhart. Marge Ream served as an alternate. Donna Henline alternated for Ruth Altimus who had surgery.

            At Richard’s death, Michigan Action carried this brief report:

 

                        A memorial service for Richard Struthers was held at

            the North Avenue Church of God, Battle Creek, on December

            31, 1988. He passed away after a very brief illness.

                        Richard was a quiet, steady pastor who had an

            unswerving commitment to Christ and the church. He served

            his entire Ministry in Michigan except for a brief pastorate

            in Ohio. His service to the church included thirty-nine years

            of Pastoral ministry in Plymouth (now Livonia), Greenville,

            Dennison, Ohio, Three Rivers and North Avenue Church of

            God in Battle Creek.

                        After retiring in 1983, Richard filled the pulpit in

            many Michigan congregations and served as interim pas-

            tor in several situations.

                        Richard and his wife, Thelma, were married in 1941.

            They attended Anderson College and accepted their first

            pastoral assignment in 1944 after graduation.

                        While pastors of the Greenville congregation from

            1946 to 1963, Reverend Struthers was instrumental in the

            building of a new church facility. It was erected by volunteer

            labor and he was responsible for overseeing the construction.

                        Richard was very active in district and state coopera-

            tive ministries. In addition to Assembly offices, he was active

            in area and state-wide youth programs.

                        The memorial service was led by Pastor James Walters.

            Other participants included Gerald Nevitt, Fred Burnett and

            Dale Lewis. Area ministers and personal friends gave tribute

            to the significant ministry which Richard Struthers had with

            people.

                        Our sincere love and prayers are extended to Thelma,

            his daughters, Carol Burnett and Sharon Broshay, and their

            families.

 

            Thelma wrote me later offering her thanks for the letter I wrote expressing our grief. She admitted, “Dick’s passing was a shock to all of us.” “He was recovering satisfactorily from surgery to remove a blood clot from the base of the brain, perhaps caused by prostate surgery in November. He had a cardiac arrest and died on his birthday. We feel they pushed him too hard in therapy--his first day in the Rehabilitation Hospital.”

            Thelma further noted, “People here have been so caring and thoughtful to us. God does bless”, (Jan. 11, 1989). Before leaving the Struthers’, we note that Dick came out of retirement long enough to serve as both an Interim Pastor, and also to give significant service as Senior Pastor at the North Avenue church in Battle Creek.

            Thelma remained at North Avenue and stayed active, occupying their Battle Creek home on Weeks Avenue until her death. To this day, they are “highly esteemed” by North Avenue congregants. This may explain Thelma’s January 11 comment to me about the people here being so caring and thoughtful.

            The beginning of this chapter referenced the earlier historical record by noting “Interim Pastors” without giving specific names. It did briefly acknowledge that Fred James received a call to the church in 1973. Fred and Wanda arrived fresh from Anderson University and School of Theology. They came ready to launch their pastoral career in Three Rivers and succeed Dick and Thelma. Struthers

            From early on, Three Rivers had a very active group of Women of the Church of God (WCG). This eclectic group collected wholesome community sparkplugs like Lessie Comodoll from First Baptist Church. Lessie, a native Mississippian, remained an active participant in Church of God life from the early fifties to well beyond my departure in the mid-nineties. We all greatly appreciated and admired this fun-loving Mississippi Baptist.

            These women provided vital services for foreign and domestic missions from early on.  They resourced numerous local mission efforts in the area. They supported organizations-and-individuals sponsored through our national World Service program. They were forever doing things like sending scholarship checks to Carol Struthers and Judy Hackler (Edwards) in the fall of 1965--at Anderson College.

            The WCG remained vital and vigorous throughout the history of the congregation. Beginning in 1973, they supported Fred and Evelyn Mamaloff at the Crow Indian Agency--later Alaska.  That same year they purchased one hundred new hymnals for the congregation.

            The ladies concluded their mission study of India by hosting Jyatimrmly Deb, a Calcutta native that immigrated to Constantine, MI. Mr. Deb explained India’s Hindu caste system and related the effects of it on every phase of life. His lecture provided a much better grasp of the local customs and problems faced by India. 

            Fred and Wanda James quickly assumed congregational leadership. Although young and inexperienced, they came full of aspirations and dreams, and more than a few plans. It is highly likely that Fred came to Three Rivers as the first Church of God pastor with a completed Master of Divinity degree--standard in many denominations.

            Soon after Fred's arrival, I met him at the Kalamazoo Country Kitchen, at our Kalamazoo-area Pastor’s Breakfast. I remember him for his mustache and his nervous tic. His extended illness minimized his ministry and prematurely terminated his pastoral effectiveness. This resulted in his eventual resignation, but his departure came only after many months of extended disability.

            The congregation deserves a strong commendation for their care of Fred! The church often shoots its wounded, yet the majority of this congregation held steadfast during Fred’s illness. They were not always patient; nor, did they always understand. However, they worked with Fred and Wanda, and they maintained their financial support until it became obvious he could not continue. I applaud them and believe the Good Shepherd took note of it!

            The records are not plentiful, but there are adequate indications that Fred and Wanda worked hard, organized well, and achieved more than seemed apparent--under somewhat challenging circumstances. The congregation had bottomed out. Numbers were way down, due in part to the closing of Continental Can Company. Other economic upheavals in the com-munity further complicated the process.

            The Sunday school bounced like a tennis ball for several months--teens to thirties, rebounding into the upper forties and lower fifties.  The Ladies Auxiliary participated actively, as well as hosting a Mother-Daughter banquet at the neighborhood Huss school attended by sixty people.

            Fred and Wanda worked very hard personally, guiding the Youth Fellowship. Several sought baptism during 1974. In addition, Fred introduced the youth to Anderson College Vocation Days and organized the church’s music ministry.

            After profiling a membership and prospect list for 1974, Fred developed an extensive list of prospects, which he divided into age groups. He tried a three-month long Sunday school contest, but no record remains of that effort.

            True to Fred’s seminary training, he worked extensively with the National Board of Church Extension and Home Missions in an attempt to develop a comprehensive plan of pastoral ministry, congregational outreach, and a successful working-serving ministry. By late 1973, he concluded the facilities would accommodate no more than 60-80 people in a sustained effort and that future growth required some kind of building program (Wayne Halbleib hit this wall earlier).

            Several goals became obvious. Immediate goals--1-3 years-- focused on (1) serving people, (2) creating a planning committee, (3) rearranging Sunday school classes and matching them with needed space; and, (4) launching four new classes. In addition, they needed to (5) maximize sanctuary seating, (6) begin a choir, (7) build a profile of church families, and (8) investigate the prospects of a Building Fund Campaign (BFC) with the national Board of Church Extension and Home Missions.

            When a 4.4-acre relocation site came onto the market, across from Armstrong Field, it satisfied the recommended minimum of three acres, provided good accessibility, and had excellent visibility without any natural barriers. It was available at a “very good” price--$11,500.

            Fred obviously hoped to complete one successful Building Fund Campaign, and then prepare for a second campaign, while developing a long-range Master Plan. Future long-term goals called for leading the congregation into successive stages of the proposed Master Plan.

            A report from February 16, 1975 offered this financial assessment of the Building Fund Campaign conducted by Elmer Case from the Anderson-based Church Extension Board:

 

            Brochures:

                        Shopper’s Guide                   $87.30

                        Minit Print                              10.95

                        TR Press                                  8.50

            Postage                                            44.00

            Dinner                                              162.00

            Ch. Ext. Bd.                                         676.40

                        less refund                               144.40

                        total                                         532.00

            Total Campaign Expense                    $844.75

            Less expenses                                      $844.75

            Total in TR S&L Bank                         $2751.87

            Total on deposit                                $2905.82

            December 1975 deposits included                              $6,288.57

 

            In the meantime, Fred experienced many months of debilitating illness. The congregation faithfully supported him far more compassionately than many congregations have been prone to do, and some good things continued to happen in spite of the hindrances.

            On November 20, 1975, the Building Study Committee held its second meeting as part of an ongoing study of the facilities, this meeting, attended by Dr. Hetrick from Lansing, became a pivotal, driving force that led to the eventual success of the relocation effort made after our arrival.

            The church never conducted the second campaign. Nor, did they purchase the site across from Armstrong Field. Fred finally resigned under his cloud of ill health and he and Wanda returned to Fred’s home in Indianapolis. They later accepted an Ohio pastorate, but he eventually left professional ministry and returned to Indianapolis and secular employment. Following Wanda's death, he wrote an autobiographical book dedicated to her life and ministry. 

            It may appear to some that Fred failed. Negative feelings ran high at the time of their departure, but they planted good seed. That seed produced good fruit later, which I acknowledged when I wrote a seven-point review in the May 1983 newsletter, four years after arriving in “TR”. The Building Fund campaign “Forward Together” laid the foundation for them to accumulate the $10,400 they had at my arrival. I was able to build on that, and I called on them to continue going “Forward in Faith” as we faced continued growth. Twenty-twenty hindsight tells me that Fred and Wanda deserve the plaudits of a good job well done.

            Pastor James resurfaced during the 2006 North American Convention, coming by our Reformation Publishers convention booth. He introduced himself again and inquired about several of the congregation. He appeared quite well (much better than earlier), still living in Indianapolis, and still very much interested in the welfare of the Three Rivers church.

            Pastoral comings and goings do create transitions; yet, congregational life went right on--under the guidance of several Interim Pastors (as it most always does). Gladys Barnhart received COA recognition from COA Director, John Hall, on May 19, 1976. The city recognized her as the outstanding citizen of Three Rivers for her “unending effort in ministering to her fellowman.”

            Richard Nichols became the next elected Pastor. The church called him on May 9, 1976 and he assumed leadership the second week of June.  Area pastors came October 24 and officially installed Richard and Carol Ann as the new leadership team. Orrin Wolfe, Colon pastor, represented the Michigan Credential’s Division. Guests included Leonard Stingier, Colon, and Edward Bowman, Sturgis pastor.

            Richard and his family served until September 1978. They brought three sons and one daughter with them: Rick, Marty, Gory, and Christine (Mrs. Lindsey) Kiosk.  During this time, Richard conducted a dedication service for the new piano (9-25-77). For that occasion, Myrtle Bishop played a piano solo on the new instrument.

            Two tragic misfortunes brought great grief to this church family. One took the life of Harriet Mae Hill (10-4-1895--2-26-1977). Hattie Mae, a longtime church member, died when a vehicle struck her as she crossed the intersection at Pearl and Main Streets, following the church service. She died February 26 and on March 1 Richard Struthers conducted her memorial service. The other event snuffed out the life of young Rick Nichols, Richard and Carol’s son (9-4-58--11-24-77). 

            Two additional longtime church members went home to the Heavenly Father during this period: Lura Campbell (5-1-1905--1-14-1977) and Carol A. Schug, (1-18-1905--10-12-1977). That was a year of grieving.

            The scant records from this period indicate that Richard came from Colon after serving as the lay Youth Leader for a number of years. Although well known to the Three Rivers youth, he lacked prior experience as a senior pastor and did not always fit the mold of what the congregation considered traditional for a pastor. This caused some grief and embarrassment to a close-knit small-town, conservative congregation.

            One of the more satisfying events came when Richard and Carol celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary (1978). Overall, the Nichols’ family worked hard to re-build the church. Events limped along while the church barely tolerated his motorcycle … and ... unfortunately, the congregation lost much of the momentum gained under his Seminary-trained predecessor. When Richard resigned, Terry Boynton became Interim Pastor. 

            Arriving from First Church of the Nazarene, Terry served admirably. A strong people person, folks remembered Terry. They found him a popular book salesman, a promoter of Christian literature, and a good holiness brother in the Lord--well liked.

            Parnell Alexander of Kalamazoo shared further time in Interim Ministry. The “Party-line” reports Parnell sometimes found it difficult in commuting from Kalamazoo, on occasions when his transportation broke down. His car seemed to break down at inopportune times. Stories allege that he walked long distances to keep his appointments as best he could ...  but all the way from Kalamazoo…

            Parnell was a good brother, nonetheless. He brought that fervor, warmth, and inspirational passion to the struggling congregation that seems to characterize the black church. In addition, he brought a long Church of God heritage, being the son of two black pastors, the Reverends Lystle Alexander and Mother Alexander--each of whom pastored their own churches at different times.

            On occasion, Parnell brought the inspirational singing of various members of the Alexander Clan. In addition, he became a good and valued friend to the pastor that soon followed. When a less-than-diplomatic, and somewhat jaundiced, church member, made it unmistakably clear to Parnell that they did not want a black leader as the  permanent pastor, he was hurt ...  obviously ...  rightfully, and the person who said it should have been more charitable and grace-filled!

            Many in the congregation never knew anything happened. Such events diminished the church, nevertheless, and the relationship skidded into the ditch. I found the majority of the congregation unaware and little unaffected by it and Parnell remains my friend to this day, as well as theirs.

            He served selflessly and sacrificially. He did the church nothing but good, while walking with them--sometimes walking quite literally! As I approached my eighteenth year in Three Rivers--April 7, 1996, I invited Parnell to preach for me. He came from South Haven where he then served as Chaplain of the Police Department. That proved to be our last time together, and he has now returned to the north side of Kalamazoo where he serves as a local pastor.

            Before ending this chapter, we call attention to the recognition received by Hattie Cole. Hattie won her spurs as the March 1979-80 “Three Rivers Senior of the Year,” sponsored by Kentucky Fried. Called to Indianapolis by the company, Hattie and other honorees celebrated. They took her picture standing beside Colonel Sanders, which then appeared in the Three Rivers Commercial-News.

            On that note, we turn our attention toward Battle Creek and the soon arrival of Wayne and Tommie Warner (1979). From here, the church turned another significant corner and soon launched into a new and unrivaled future.

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 CHAPTER FIFTEEN - “New Challenges”

 

(A Pastor in Transition)

 

            Transition is God’s opportunity for new insights, new

adventures, new achievements and for advance. If we

            believe that God works in all things together for good

            to those who love Him and that the steps of the good

            man are ordained from the Lord, then even that which

            appears evil will work good for us.

Dr. Bill Konstantopoulos,

Get Ready, God Uses Transitions/ Warner

 

            The first time I set foot in any part of Three Rivers was early January 1974, five years before I arrived as pastor. It was a bitterly cold and stormy night. It was a brand new year. I sat by the window in the backseat of Galen Maxon’s car peering out into the stormy night. I squinted curiously, looking for whatever I might see--staring at the night-time darkness that cluttered my vision with blowing snow.

             We turned left, toward town, from our southbound lane of U.S.131. Neither the frosted window, nor the blowing snow, revealed much. I learned later that we exited onto West Michigan Avenue, two miles west of downtown. What I did not know that night was how big an investment I would make in this community a few short years later.

            That first night provided a mere introductory evening out on the town--anniversary dinner with Battle Creek church friends--Galen and Edith Maxon, brother Gaylord, and wife Betty. I knew Three Rivers only as a place I had never been--a place to visit. Growing up on the shores of Lake Michigan, an hour and a half drive northwest, I knew Three Rivers was the home of my boyhood chum, Ivan Stratton.

            Today, I understand much better than I did that night that it pays to stay alert and live prepared for action. God uses thee transitions that come into our lives, if we permit him. He works continually to accomplish his purposes. He conforms our lives to himself continually, in as much as we allow Him to reshape and restructure our lives in that image.

            I met my friend Ivan as a teen adventurer at Grand Junction Camp Meeting. Ivan’s mother, Ida, was a sister to Maggie Thompson and when I met him, he was part of the Three Rivers congregation. I was a scrub on South Haven’s varsity football team and I knew the Three Rivers Wildcat’s as a tough team to beat. They were conference rivals and longtime football coach, Francis Pellogram, remained something of an area legend. Later, while serving the church, I met Mrs. Pellogram, coach's widow.

            That Anniversary Dinner on that wintry night led three couples to leave the comforts of their warm houses on a cold, stormy night and drive from Battle Creek to a destination unknown. Tommie and I went as invited guests, to help celebrate an anniversary with two of our church families. Three Rivers was a place neither of us had ever even thought of visiting. When we returned home late that night, we were not quite sure where we had been, but I could remember making that left turn from the 131 bi-pass, twenty-five miles south of Kalamazoo, and approaching the Oriental Restaurant on West Michigan Avenue. We quickly turned into the parking lot and parked in front of the large white frame semi-stone building. The neon sign advertised Chinese Cuisine.

            Years later, we experienced that restaurant as a favorite destination, a frequent gathering place for church friends and community leaders. The community intersected there frequently, meeting and commingling. We connected there with pastors and their families, people like John Booko, the Iraqi Persian whose son Paul later succeeded his dad as lead pastor of the Three Rivers Christian Fellowship. We made acquaintances there with popular political personalities-- local boy Mark Siljander-- State Representative of that district.

            That first occasion, however, our hosts knew of this only as a place with a reputation for “good food.” We joined in the close, informal fashion of friends on Friday evening--sharing fun--fellowship--food for a special occasion. We were curious and questioning about each other’s menu‘s. We laughed much, but listened equally much. We reminisced over past events and spoke thoughtfully of new challenges just ahead.

            We completed our evening together by driving home over more than forty miles of treacherous, snow-covered, rural back-roads, which allowed our host to share some of his childhood roots with us. We arrived home at a late hour--long past tired. We were ready to collapse for the remainder of what would soon become a very short night.

            Before morning, we received one of those emergency calls every pastor dreads getting--hopes never to receive. A telephone call informed us that our host of that evening had a massive coronary--instant death. Three days later, I officiated at Galen Maxon’s Memorial Service in Battle Creek, building my eulogy around the poetic exclamation of Don Lewis – “That’s Living!”

 

                        To travel on a weary road,

                                    To stumble ‘neath a heavy load,

                        To rise again and trudge along,

                                    And smile and sing a cheery song;    

                                                That’s Living!

 

                        To rise at dawning brave and strong,

                                    To help a weaker one along,

                        To heal a wound or right a wrong,

                                    And fill a heart with gladder song;

                                                That’s Living!

                       

                        To meet a stranger on the way,

                                    To shake his hand and pass the day,

                        To speak a word of kindness too,

                                    And hide the sorrow deep in you;

                                                That’s Living!

 

                        To stand for right with courage true

                                    To show with pride the man in you,

                        To fill your life with noble deeds,

                                    To sacrifice to human needs;

                                                That’s Living!

 

                        To greet life’s end with no disgrace

                                    To meet your maker face to face,

                        To feel, along the path you’ve trod

                                    That you have known both man and God

                                                That’s Living!

 

            That dinner celebration formed one of those pivotal experiences that connect one to a distinct future. I buried Galen; Edith eventually relocated. Decades later, Gaylord and Betty Maxson still remain good friends. Gaylord’s health became quite fragile, until Betty and the family found themselves coping with his deteriorating dementia and eventual death.

            That visit on that cold January night has now stretched out over more than three decades and each of us copes with the realities contemporary with “senior years.” It reinforces for me that more people have more stories to tell than I can possibly remember, let alone repeat here. Perhaps however, I can catch the strong flavoring from lives and legacies within the Three Rivers congregation I came to know and love. I will share as much as I can; knowing that at that stage of my life Three Rivers had not yet come into my focus.

            I was just concluding two personally difficult years of working out some very personal issues when an invitation came via Dr. B. Gale Hetrick, State Minister for the Church of God in Michigan. With the blessing of Gale's telephone invitation, I went to Three Rivers, met the congregation, and accepted their call “to keep the doors open” [they were desperate]. Once there, I determined to keep the doors open, and build on that.

            In returning to active ministry, I invested almost eighteen years, and, ultimately achieved my objective of keeping the doors open. We served from May 1979 to September 18, 1996, becoming the last pastors to occupy 1111 South Main Street. Wistful hindsight recalls that old house as the grand old frame house on the railroad tracks where number one grandson, Kody, first began visiting us.

            Kody’s dad and mom acknowledged his Minnesota roots and the Lakota Sioux heritage of the Twin Cities region. In giving him the name Dakota, they celebrated the Sioux culture, so prominent in that area. Scott was a family name with a long family tradition in the Stiles household--Kody’s Granny-T. Whether by deliberate design or other-wise, Dakota Scott also became D. S. Warner in a family that revered the religious heritage of Elder Daniel Sidney Warner, the acknowledged leader of the early pioneers, and the patron saint, of the Church of God, Anderson Community of Faith.

            Dakota Scott immediately became known as “Kody.” Tommie and I had waited fifteen years--almost given up. He became the grandson we had long-since concluded we would never have. He became the pride of our lives … the joy we thought we would never know--hold--or love in our old age. Dakota eventually became a gifted graduate of Fridley, MN high school. He earned a vocational Associates Degree in audio engineering. Now married to Liz, he uses his gifts in youth ministry in West Palm Beach, FL at the Royal Palm campus of Christ’s Fellowship, after interning at Substance church with Peter Haas, a new Minneapolis mega-church.

            We thought Kody was the most beautiful baby ever born; he was the greatest thing that had ever happened to us, with the exception of Austin James, now a popular student-athlete at University of Northwest in Roseville, MN. Kody especially enjoyed visiting Grandpa Wayne and Granny Tommie, where he could sit on the front porch and enjoy a close-up view of the passing trains. Sitting there, he could wave to the engineers and watch the long freights rumble past within a very few feet of the house. 

            With the passing of the diapers stage, Kody became old enough to tramp around with Grandpa and the two wanderers frequently drove to downtown Three Rivers, where Grandpa parked the car behind the Chamber of Commerce building on West Michigan Avenue. From there, we slowly examined every aspect of the entire park complex adjacent to the confluence of the three streams giving the community its name. Kody and Grandpa investigated every bird and beast in the zoo. Better than that, they learned to know each other, and sense one another as only two best of friends could. 

            Directly in front of that rambling two-story parsonage, the railroad spur sliced diagonally across South Main Street. Midway of the eleven hundred block, the parsonage driveway intersected this busy thoroughfare within a few feet of the tracks that crossed this one-time major highway--a north-south connection with Indiana.

             With the front of the house sitting rather close to the sidewalk, it also meant that trains passed by the front of the house as close as the middle of the street. Any time a train approached Main Street, anyone exiting the driveway at 1111 had to wait until everything cleared.   

            Every train that passed from either direction shook the house with the force of an earthquake. This sometimes rattled the cages of unsuspecting occupants. It interrupted residential peace and neighborhood tranquility. Drivers entering and exiting that busy driveway faced an interminable wait--however long it might take one-hundred-freight-cars to rumble past.

            For two small boys--it had not taken Kody’s mom long to surprise him with his little brother--it offered a fascinating experience. They could stand at a safe distance on the porch, or on the sidewalk in front of the house, and eagerly signal the Engineer of a slow-moving freight to blast his whistle as he approached the crossing. Sympathetic and friendly engineers frequently responded, as if by secret agreement, much to the delight of two small boys!         

            I experienced this life-changing encounter the first night I slept in the parsonage--long before moving into it. Dan and Allison Turnbow had occupied the vacant parsonage, when Dan became our Associate Pastor. Tommie and I were both holding jobs in Battle Creek at that time, and commuting back and forth.             For some forgotten reason, I stayed overnight with Dan and Allison and they put me in the front bedroom upstairs--just above the train tracks. About two o‘clock the next morning, a thunderous earthquake aroused me from my sound sleep. A herd of Buffalo had stormed through my bedroom--I thought. Perhaps, I was mistaken; it was an earthquake. More horrendous than an F-5 tornado, it sounded like a freight train literally driving over me.

            By the time I awoke, I discovered a mile-long string of freight cars loping along behind a big diesel locomotive thundering past the parsonage. That awesome experience became one I never forgot. I did eventually make peace with it, even as I had done in Mississippi where the Illinois Central came within a block of the parsonage!

            Not expecting to survive the night proved traumatic; yet, recollections now appear harmless and amusing. Still stranger was the affinity I found with the train crews--camaraderie. I discovered a comfortable friendship with the increasing numbers of trains passing back and forth--north toward Grand Rapids--south toward Elkhart. I signed an eventual peace treaty with those thundering, rumbling iron beasts, yet remained ever sensitive to the humming of the rails.

            The tracks hummed a melody of warning that alerted me to approaching trains while still several miles distant. I could not hear the train itself, but I knew a train was coming! The humming of the rails announced it!  Before long, I would hear that long, soulful moaning whistle of the approaching freight. Finally, a car-hauler, or cargo-hauler carrying components produced by automotive suppliers, would appear.

            Those great iron horses shook the ground, rattling nearby houses. They forced shelved objects to dance wild rhythmic orgies of frenetic movement. Occasionally, they startled parsonage visitors in the midnight hour. Such moments could prove unsettling, but they became everyday environment in this new home. They played a significant role in our lives--sometimes bringing joy, even gales of laughter.

            In the fullness of time, we relocated our church facilities one half-mile south and one half-mile east--M-86 toward Centreville. However, we occupied the Main Street parsonage until we retired in September 1996. These were the frenzied years of places, people, and events that we experienced while we led the congregation in relocating and developing a new open-door ministry.

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