Memories of St. Paul's
This month I will be featuring memories from Sandy August.
I want to encourage everyone who is so moved to contact the church office st.paulfulon@gmail.com and send in their thoughts in whatever form, best suits you.
These stories will help pass our time of isolation with fond and special memories.
My St. Paul Story
The year I joined St.Pauls, 1978,
was the same year that I became a mother so I thought today was an
appropriate day for me to share.
I was born Lutheran in Illinois and
I attended Lutheran Elementary School from kindergarten to Grade 8. I would have gone to the Lutheran High School
but it was too far away from my town.
But then I went on to attend Concordia Lutheran Teachers College in
River Forest Illinois and became a Lutheran Elementary School teacher. My first position was to a school on Long
Island in NewYork. After two years of
teaching my contract was changed to a call and I was installed as a Teaching
Minister at that church. In addition to
teaching, my duties then included
Nursing Home Ministry, Youth Ministry and assisting at Sunday morning services
among other things.
In the fall of 1976 I was set up on a blind date with the cousin of one of
my student's parents, who was from Maryland.
The rest, as they say, is history and in August of 1978 I married my
Maryland man who had two sons, and moved to Clarksville. Instant mother.
While looking for a church home we visited Lutheran churches in Columbia,
Olney and Ellicott City. Then we came
here. The boys, who were in 3rd and 9th
grade at the time, saw kids here that they knew from school ---so that was
it. We found the neighborhood church and
would make it our church home.
That was early December, and just after the holidays Pastor Skarsten called
me and asked if he could come to our house for a visit. At that visit he asked if I would be
interested in taking the job as the church secretary. I wasn't sure about that. I was a teacher, not a secretary. I wasn't a typist, and didn't know how to use office
machines. He assured me that it was a
pretty quiet non stressful office, and that he was a very non-stress kinda
boss. So I took the job for the mad
money, and something to do four mornings a week. I didn't have much to do and didn't know many
people yet. That meeting, that day,
changed my life again.
St. Pauls, our new church home, my new job, changed everything for me. This was the first place that I was Sandy
August, not Barry's new wife. I met my
own new friends here and really started my Maryland life here. I very quickly got involved in one of the
ladies Bible study groups and met Adeline Oehlke. Her story was similar to mine, arriving here
from Wisconsin to start a new marraige with Norm, and we became great
friends. She and Norm invited us to
their Square Dance club and we met
another group of wonderful people who are our great friends and travel buddies
to this day. Some of you may remember
Sue Wimsatt who attended here. We became
friends and she invited me to her County
Homemakers Group and those have become lasting friendships too.
Some of you may remember that before the renovation, the church office was
downstairs in the two rooms where the nursery is now. Right across from it was a little room where
the archives items were kept. On quiet
days in the office I would sometimes get the old registry books and read
through them. I found out so much about
the history of our church there. I read
about all the founding families and started to get an understanding of who was
related to who and how. I read old lists
of baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals. I looked at old bulletins
and flyers on past events and activities.
Then I would stroll around the cemetery and try and put the families in
order in my mind. It was my education
into the history of this church and in many ways my introduction to Howard
County. I felt even closer to St. Pauls
and to so many of the people whose relatives created this church. I met some of the old timers as they visited
the office, like Dody Renn, George Walter, Ellsworth Iager,Irene Burns,- and
Albert Iager, Frank and Elaine Bentz and so many others. I heard their stories and learned so much
about the church from them.
Since my love and education was teaching, I
soon got involved as a Sunday School teacher and ultimately I was on the
Church Council as Christian Education Chair.
Through the years I directed the Sunday School, led Vacation Bible School, produced Christmas
Pageants, and created some chancel dramas for Youth Sundays and Christmas. I felt fortunate to be able to use my
education and experience to be part of the Christian Education program
here. Through with years I was involved
with Mother Daughter banquets and youth activities and other special activities
for the children and youth. Barry and I
were memeers of the 1st of the Month Couples Club and had lots of great times
with that group too.
I left the job as church secretary just a week before my daughter was born
in 1983 and then took some time to be a new mom yet again. About the time she was old enough to sit in
the congregation with other friends, I joined the choir, another lifelong
passion. I had been in choirs since I
was a child and I was eager to return to that.
It was in the fall of 1990 which
makes me the longest serving current
choir member, coming up on 30 years.
Talk about feeling old! Since
then I served on the Church Council as Worship and Music Chair twice. In the last few years I tried my hand at the
Bell Choir, and that too has been a wonderful experience.
One Sunday from the choir seats, which were where the pastors and the
acolytes sit now, I was looking at
a banner that seemed a little worn and thought that maybe it was
time for a few new ones. I spoke to
Pastor Rod and June Pickett who prepared the banners, and began to make new
banners for the front and the side walls.
In the past 25 plus years I've had the pleasure of creating about half
of our current inventory of banners,
like the cross series for the side walls during Lent, the candles for
Advent, the newest last year for Christmas, and the seasonal banners that hang
up front.
Through these past almost 42 years, St.Pauls church has centered me. No matter what else was going on, I could
always come here to services, choir rehearsals,
a meeting, an event and be part of this community. My children shared experiences here in Sunday
School, Confirmation and Youth Group and have created lasting friendships. I'm fortunate to have my grandson Maddox here
now to learn and sing with the other children.
For those who don't know him, he's the youngest of the acolytes and the
guy who sits up on the top step and asks the pastors some great questions
during the Childrens Sermon.
Lutheran church is my roots, it was my education, and it was my first and second real grown up
job. St. Pauls has fulfilled my need to
be involved, to teach, to sing, to worship, to volunteer. Our beautiful building, our reverent
cemetery, our long and rich history, along with prayerful and exuberant worship
here mean so much to me. It has been my
pleasure and blessing to be part of St. Pauls' story.
By
Sandy August
More stories click here
St. Paul’s Picture Day
I wanted to let everyone know that our time slot with Lifetouch in July was canceled by Lifetouch due to COVID-19. They will be sending their staff out again in August. We don't know at this point when it can be re-scheduled.
Respectfully Submitted
Kerry Griffin
PS keep watching for more information about the 150th Anniversary in the coming months!
Another couple married by Pastor Ted Menter
Website: stpaulslutheran.info
Member Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/438901092851824/
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