REAL COMMITMENT

I grew up in the New Brighton Free Methodist Church during the 1960's.  It was a large church for its time with an average attendance of between two and three hundred.  I am just old enough to remember worshipping in the old building on Third Avenue.  Then, they got a vision for a new structure at the corner of 10th Street and 11th Avenue.  This was a significant undertaking for the congregation during the late 1950's.  It called for a deep financial commitment on the part of the congregants.  Although a healthy congregation at this point, they had not yet grown to the size they would see in the 1960's.  

Later, they would again embrace a financial challenge to build an educational facility onto the side of the newer church structure.  I remember Clair Smeltzer stepping up repeatedly on Sundays and challenging the people to eradicate the accrued debt on this addition.  The people responded and the church became debt-free!

During the initial building program, a number of families in the church actually mortgaged their homes to help provide the needed funds for the new church!  My wife, Debbie, remembers hearing this talked about in her Free Methodist Church in the neighboring town of Rochester.  I only know about this because my father named one of those contributors to me.

I had a TV Guide route when I was a young teenager.  They cost $.15 at that time;  I made $.04 per copy.  I had about fifty customers.  Many of my customers were family or members of our church.  Once a week, I would ride my bike through town delivering the guides.

One of my customers was Joe and Anna DeChico.  They lived a couple of blocks down from the old high school.  On one occasion, my father told me a little of their story.  Being Italian, they had attended the local Catholic Church.  When Joe's mother died, they refused to hold a service for her for some reason.  Somehow, Joe contacted the Free Methodist pastor, who conducted the service.  

Joe and Anna began attending the church and eventually became members.  They were kind and loving people.  Anna would interview me every week when I delivered her TV Guide.  Joe was a big man, but kind as could be.  He always spoke to me and showed an interest in what was going on in my life.  

They were not leaders at the church.  They were not outspoken people.  They were quiet, gentle folks - the kind who pull their weight, but don't clamor for attention.  My word for them would be 'sweet'.  

You've probably guessed it by now, but they were one of the families that mortgaged their home to help the congregation build their new church!  These names were never published.  I don't know any of the others.  I don't know how many did this.  Maybe my Dad was wrong for telling me this story - but I'm glad he did!  The only person I've ever told it to (until now) is Debbie - and she didn't know Joe and Anna.  

Consider this a late tribute to a wonderful couple who made a difference by the way they honored their God!  Thank you, Joe and Anna, I'm looking forward to seeing you again and catching up!