MEN WHO SHAPED MY EARLY YEARS

My Dad, of course.  He was a man of quiet strength and deep resolve.  I never saw him lose his temper.  I never heard him fight with my Mom.  He was stern, but I never feared him.  He read his Bible and taught an adult Sunday School class.  He was a leader in the church at all levels.  He worked hard (Townsend Company for forty-eight years) and was the major force in forming my work ethic.  He gave me a wonderful, godly heritage. 

Morrison Baker was a leading layman in the New Brighton Free Methodist Church.  He was the song leader until I left home at age seventeen.  He was always the delegate to Annual Conference (usually along with my Dad).  They were both also elected as delegates to the Free Methodist General Conference at least five times.  Morrison was a departmental leader at Cook and Andersen Company.  He was a humble man with a magnanimous spirit and a deep love for God!  I believe that he served as a role model for my father.

Joe Douglas' father had been the pastor of the New Brighton Free Methodist Church many years earlier.  Joe was Mr. Sunday School!  He made visits to scores of families every week.  He was more responsible for the church growing to over 600 than anyone else!  He was a painter by trade.  He and his wife, Helen, had a huge influence on my life.  She was the children's department leader for many years.

I also had a succession of male Sunday School teachers.  Each of these men left their imprint in my developing life!

• Neil Castilucci  [see blog article with his name as title]
• Carl Geissinger  [see blog article with his name as title]
• Paul Funkhouser
• Chuck Peyton
• Jim Rudolph
• Udele Gallagher

There were men who worked with me in the Christian Youth Crusader (CYC) program:

• Bob Curtiss
• Chuck Eckles
• Ray Brandt
• Ollie Druschel
• Joe Douglas
• Neil Castilucci

 Other men in the church also had a strong influence on my life. 

• Wilbert Bischoff was a leading layman who had a great passion for God.  (I was very good friends with his son, Eddie.)  [See blog article titled "Celebration In The Back Pew"]
• Pastor Glenn Hughes (when I was very young I decided that I wanted to be a preacher like him!)
• Pastor Harold Mitchell (his influence was less direct but we shared the same first name and I was close to his son, Denny.)
• Pastor W. P. Jones (he used to grab me, muss my hair, and kiss me when I was leaving church.  I was also close freinds with his twin sons, Daniel and David.  As a young teen I had all of his benedictions memorized.)
• Pastor C. D. Weinel (his 'Rap Sessions' gave us a chance to get to know him;  he never broke our trust!  He didn't sing, but he whistled while the rest of us sang;  I thought that was cool!)
• Pastor Harold Fisher (I admired him for his preaching and for his tender heart.)

I only remember one female Sunday School teacher.  She taught me when I was very young;  her name was Betty Paugh [see blog article with her name as title.]

I am grateful to God that my life was formed and shaped with such a strong
male context!  I'm confident that it has equipped me to be better able to relate to men through my years of ministry!