My Old Church

Yesterday, I visited my "old church"...Howard United Methodist on Camp Creek for their annual Homecoming service. (If you grew up in the old traditional Methodist scene, you know EXACTLY what I mean...) Anna and Trent and Jordan and I sang a few songs before Mr. Bernie Tilley from Salem United Methodist Church (in Scioto County?) brought his thoughts on Jesus' requirement for us to focus on and serve others. It was a good service.

I attended church at Howard for the first 40 years of my life. There is no doubt that the old folks who are left there love me and would do ANYTHING for me. I am thankful for the years I spent with them.

The old pastor at Howard United Methodist was Bill Cramer. Reverend Cramer, as we called him, was born in 1906. So when I started attending in 1966, he was already 60. Rev. Cramer baptized me when he was 68. When I went away to college, he was 71. When he married Bill and me, he was 76. When he baptized Trent by sprinkling, Rev. Cramer was 84. Bill Cramer just didn't show up for church one Sunday morning in 1997. He had decided to call it quits...but he didn't want to say good-bye. He preferred "see ya later." He passed away in 2001 at age 95...and I know that I will "see him later."

I learned to play piano with help from Howard Church. I took lessons from Mrs. Fyffe. I remember it was a dollar for an hour lesson. We didn't have a piano at home when I was in 4th grade, so I went there to practice. Then I started playing at church services when Zelma Weeter passed away...I was in junior high school.

I learned how to sing harmony with my Mom and my family at Howard Church. On Sunday mornings, the "kids choir" would sit in little folding chairs on the stage and sing the old hymns. God blessed me with a musical family. My sweet Mom was the kids choir leader, so she would sit up front with us. My Mom, my brothers (Mitch and Mike) and my sister (Jane) and I would all harmonize in 3 parts as we sang "He Hideth My Soul" and "God Will Take Care of You." That was always Mom's favorite.

I learned to love Christmas plays at Howard Church. When I was younger, I loved playing characters who, through the course of the script, figured out what Christmas was really about. (Isn't that the theme of all Christmas plays?) As I grew older, I loved leading the other kids as we prepared a Christmas program. I remember one year that I had several HS kids and Mrs. Julie Evans (the new teacher at Piketon at the time) actually came and watched.....I was thrilled!...I remember how I cried at the end when I was thanking everyone.

I experienced a great tragedy in my life while attending Howard Church. My 16-year-old brother, Mike, was killed in a single car accident on Saturday night, December 30, 1978. It was my 19th birthday. Somehow, Mitch and Jane and I were at church that Sunday morning. Mom wouldn't go back for about 6 years....she hurt so much...and she still hurts. My brother Mike is buried in the cemetery around Howard United Methodist church.

Looking back, (if I wanted to) I could name a few shortcomings in my spiritual training at Howard Church, but I don't focus on them. What I DID learn was to rely on God. I learned of His faithfulness. I experienced the joy of being with others who were in His family...Clyde and Frances, Dottie, Mike and Rita, my aunts Helen and Dorothy, Howard and Vicki, Walt, Alice, and Beverly. And some have gone on to meet Jesus...Roy and Louise, Bob, Zelma, Kemp, Arissa, and Rev. Cramer. Oh, and my brother, Mike. I can't wait to see him again.