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A BLESSING
By LINDA M. LINONIS
struthers
Harold Milligan Sr. shares the century mark with Struthers Presbyterian Church building — the place he calls “a blessing.”
He grew up in the church as it evolved into a hub of activity at 110 Poland Ave., where it has been located since 1911. An 11-year-old Milligan joined in 1922. About a year later, he heard his future wife, Margaret (“Peg”) sing at church and told his parents he would marry her some day. They wed in 1931 and were married for 78 years until her death.
The church itself has some years on the 89-year member; it traces its history to 1804. It marked its 200th anniversary in 2004.
Recently, Milligan, Charlotte Vitte, outreach committee member and co-historian with Billie Sicafuse; Howard Johnson, property committee member; and the Rev. Thomas Fennell, interim pastor, sat down to talk about the church of about 156 families.
Milligan recalled the “Bonds for Building” dinners during World War II to support the war effort and help the church. Years before, he recalled, the church also provided showers for youth participating in Sunday afternoon Bible studies.
Vitte, a member since 1962, said the outreach ministries cover multiple activities. With contributions from other Struthers-area churches and businesses, Struthers Presbyterian members assemble welcome baskets for new city residents.
A blanket ministry works to keep homebound members warm physically and wrapped in good wishes; some of the handmade fleece blankets go to other for special occasions and to Akron Children’s Hospital.
Vitte noted that Helping Hands members step beyond church walls to go int the community to help church members with household chores such as raking leaves.
The Christian education youth group, she said, is engaged in various activities including mission trips, assisting at the church Halloween party and baking and selling Christmas cookies.
Vitte added that the deacons oversee a food pantry. “It’s for anyone in need,” she said. Deacons, she continued, also coordinate an Angel or Mitten tree to help children during the Christmas season.
Milligan said the church’s sense of helping those in need is part of its history. During the Depression, he said, the church had a soup kitchen that provided a daily meal for some 80 children. “It was the only meal for some,” he said. He also added that churchwomen made flannel baby clothes for the needy.
The church, Vitte said, has been a center of secular activities over the years as a meeting place for Al-Anon, Alcoholics Anonymous, Boy and Girl Scouts, TOPS, yoga classes and Rotary.
Though many in the community experience the hospitality of the church, members count on it. “It’s like home,” is how Johnson described his feeling about the church. Vitte concurred that the church is “like home with family and friends.”
Since his retirement a dozen years ago, Johnson said he frequently is at the church “doing something.” That has included refinishing a black walnut pulpit dating from the third church building in 1848. “It was used until the remodeling in 1956,” he said. Now it’s among treasured church artifacts including a black walnut side chair, circa 1848, that was used on the altar area for scripture readers.
Johnson has attended since 1937, becoming a member in 1947 after taking the confirmation class. His longevity with the church has contributed to his knowledge and appreciation of its history and impact. “I feel it’s made me the person I am today,” he said of his faith and participation in adult Sunday school sessions.
Johnson said the church was remodeled in 1956; the sanctuary is an Akron style with a domed ceiling accented by a stained-glass window. The original pews dating to 1911 remain in the church along with a large stained-glass window of the Christmas story, showing angels appearing to shepherds. “When the sun shines on the window, the angels’ wings glow,” he said.
The church, in a melodic way, makes its presence known daily in the community. Johnson said an electric carillon in the bell tower plays three hymns at noon and 6 p.m. “There’s a 1,000 hymns in the catalog and it will never repeat the same three hymns. They’re picked randomly,” he said.
The semi-retired Rev. Mr. Fennell, who has been at the church since January, acknowledged mainline denominations face challenges to attract new members.
“A lot of young people just don’t attend church,” he said. “But we have to embrace technology and reach out to a new generation.” Mr. Fennell said he incorporates PowerPoint presentations and video clips.