The booklet for the 75th anniversary of the Ross Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church is a thoughtful presentation of church history and the personal stories that are so important to that history.
Dora Ford:
I have lots of fond memories of Ross Avenue Church. My family came here in August, 1928 from DuBois, Pa. The church then had chairs and a piano. Then the Depression came. Our Ladies Aid made soup and pies to sell every Wednesday. Some of us met Tuesday night to get ready. I enjoyed it. We were selling it to support the church during the Depression. We had fun, too. One of the ladies almost put salt in the apple pies for sugar. Pies were 25¢ and one quart of soup 25¢. Those were: the good old days.
Martin Prytherch:
God. Jesus Christ. Holy Spirit. Fellowship of Christians. Constant and true . . . memories of you. People moving a church. New babies and rosebuds. Joyous singing and children. Paper, crayons, scissors, glue and filmstrips. Lessons and sunshine through the windows. Bible stories and what God commands. Worship. Ministers speak. Great organ pipes like the gates of heaven waiting to be open . . . and blue sky beyond. Choirs and cantatas. “How Great Thou Art.” Friendliness, kindness inside and out. MYF’s scouts, many different classes. Coming and going. Pictures of: Jesus and children of all nations, Christ knocking at the door. Shadow and light. Hidden cupboards, corners, secret hideaways. Mysterious, quiet and lonely when nobody’s there. Beautiful . . . inspiring, with sunset pouring in. Windows open and birds singing on hot summer days. Tables and chairs strawberries and covered dishes. A grassy lawn. Jerusalem, Jumonville, Wilkinsburg and the world. Members coming and going like stones in water making waves. And much, much more.
Martin Prytherch worked for twenty-five years as a special education teacher in Wilkinsburg.
Effie Prytherch, Martin’s mother:
Rev. 10:5, 6 “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven and swore by Him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer.” I remember the clock that hung on the balcony in the back of our church. Sometime during the 1950s that clock disappeared and for the past thirty years people no longer twist and turn to see if the pastor’s sermon is lasting too long. The clock has gone but time passes just the same. Many of those who would remember that clock are no longer with us. but memory still brings back the faces of those who once worshipped here even though time has borne them away.
Edith Averberg:
Ross Avenue United Methodist Church has been my church home for many years. I was baptized by Rev. Richard Fowles at the same time my two brothers were baptized. I still remember holding my father’s hand as we walked from Campbell Street to the church on Sunday mornings for Sunday School. at that time, we walked up about eight or ten steps to the entrance of the church. We did not have pews in the sanctuary. We had rows of chairs and they were hard and uncomfortable. My legs dangled and the church service was too long.
As a little girl I always had a speech to say as part of the Children’s Day and Christmas programs. I always was early for practice, not that I was anxious to say my part, but I wanted to play the organ before practice time. In the Ladies’ Parlor was a beautiful high organ of the Victorian period. I did not know how to play but had lots of fun pumping the foot pedals while pretending I knew what I was doing. I remember that pretty, old organ so well. Perhaps the memory of that organ could be the reason for having a similar one in our living room.
Virginia Demmler:
When I was young, young enough to be involved with the young people’s meetings, I was active and so was asked to take the meeting for a particular Sunday evening. In asking me they said, “For goodness sake do something different.” We were stagnating.
Since it was young people it never occurred to be to consult an adult when I planned my evening.
We had our regular meeting and I asked everyone to go up to the chapel—and in walked about 15 young black people from our neighbor church. They gave us a song service such as we had never heard.
Before the singing came to a close the adults began coming in early to Sunday Eve service. It was soon apparent to me something was wrong.
The next day I was really put in my place for bringing blacks into our church. The reason for this statement is to let you know I’m proud of our church’s growth.
In the “Do you remember when?” section:
We had spectacular Children’s Day programs. We built trellises and covered them with roses and put on quite a production. Everyone got involved . . . One of the finance campaigns of Mr. Jim McKelvy was to give each of us a dollar and then to make it grow for the church. I made aprons and sold to earn my share. It really worked out well . . .The Spaghetti Dinners the Christian Guild Class put on each year. They were well attended by friends and neighbors. I’ll never forget the first one when we threw out the water when we drained the spaghetti. People had quite a wait till the water boiled again. We learned the hard way but they got bigger and better each year.
The year Kenny Gobel took charge of our Strawberry Festival. He installed a loud speaker in front of the church and advertised all day. He played loud music. It really brought the people out. We use to hook up lights for after dark. The men of the church painted the Social Room. Mr. Barnes and George Gallaher mixed the paint in large barrels. After this, the men went on to bigger things like tiling the ceilings and floors in several rooms plus the Social Room. George spent a lot of his days off with Mr. Jim McKelvy plastering and painting throughout the church.
We had the picture that Mr. Barnes painted of Christ Knocking at the Door in the front of the church. It is on the balcony now and has been most impressive over the years.
The choir had a special party for Bob and Clarence McIntyre who were celebrating 116 years (58 each) of singing in our church choir. This was their grand finale. They sure were missed.
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Wilkinsburg Public Library Digital Archives:
Ross Avenue United Methodist Church, 1906–1981 book for the 75th Anniversary.