It All Started...

As we head into the celebration of our 150th year anniversary of Martin Luther in 2009, I have been asked to pass on a few memories of my 90 plus years as a member. 

It all started with my baptism in 1918 at the old church on Wood and Champion Streets in downtown Youngstown.  The church was located east of the First Presbyterian Church on Wood Street and north of the YMCA on Champion.  The church building was small and had an additional building containing classrooms and a small auditorium.  The old church bell is still ringing in our current bell tower.  I do not remember too much of my baptism in 1918.  However, my first memory occurred when I was three years old.  We were having a Christmas Eve service and my mother wrote a short verse for me to say.  I had it memorized forward and backward but I could not remember the first word to get started.  My mother was home attending to my new baby sister so I had no prompter.  Poor Pastor Schellhase was of no help but he was very patient and left me stand there until I remembered.  It seemed like an eternity.  I finally remembered and shouted out the rest of the verse in good style.  Some people will say I have not been at a loss for words since!

Gordon Mitchell