The Journey to Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church
Read Galatians 6:1-10
My charming bride came home from Church one Sunday and said that Bill had asked her to talk to the congregation about her Church life. She said Bill would like you to say something too. That was the Sunday Bill had announced he had reluctantly accepted the mission position. My reaction that I participate was “no way!” Then I thought about what Bill had said that day in Church….how he had managed to dodge leadership positions, yet he worked in the Memorial Garden, picked up flats of flowers at Eastern Market, sang in the choir and smiled. WOW!! Those are major commitments.
My family lived some distance from Central Methodist Church in Lansing. Buses didn’t run on Sundays. We didn’t have a car. On some Sundays and Easter, my Mom and I would walk the mile to the Nazarene Church service where my Boy Scout Troop met. In High School, I witnessed for God at age 15 at the South Baptist Church. This meant a person didn’t dance, play cards, smoke or drink. You could kiss though. This fit right in with growing up. If you said, “holy cow” at my grandmother’s house, it was to the corner, nose to the cob webs.
I went into the Army at 19 expecting to go to Korea but was sent to France instead. My Mom wrote and told me that I had never been baptized. For some reason, I wanted “immersion”. The base chaplain found a town some 40 miles away that agreed to the baptism. My military life style didn’t change much. I read Bible “words” nightly and practiced what I perceived to be a good Christian. I still could go astray on any given day.
Upon return, Karen and I met at Ferris State College. We were immediately attracted and wed 3 years later. We married in the First Methodist Church in her hometown of Ypsilanti by the Reverend Robert Ward.
We spent the next 3 years in Ludington and attended the Methodist Church, sang in the choir and enjoyed Church family activities. When moving to the Detroit metropolitan area, the St. Clair Shores Methodist Church was recommended. For some reason, Karen and I didn’t feel comfortable nor accepted. We decided to look around. One Sunday, we came here and here became home. Our first Sunday, we were greeted when we came in and greeted when we left by lovely, smiling people, many of whom are still here and still greet. That was 1965.
Interestingly the narrow door and congested hallway we entered that day doesn’t exist anymore. Now there is a large Narthex that gets congested. However, the greeting and smiling faces still exist. I could or should do more for our Church….my home. I have contributed and served. I do think back to the years when the giving envelopes were white, yellow, pink, lavender, green, now blue and realize how fortunate the church is that we don’t have a half empty or full envelope box today. In the early years with a young family, it was difficult to always meet our pledge. We did what we could do at the time.
In closing, I must thank this congregation, Reverend Wright, Jenneth and Nancy Grose for the support you all gave Karen and me after the death of our daughter, Jami. Talk about the strength of God and belonging…this church is the place to be!!!
Maynard A. Leigh
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