Mount Calvary Union Church

Mount Calvary Union Church is the church that my grandfather was the minister at for over 50 years. Only ending his ministry when he was physically unable to do it anymore at the age of 88. It's a quaint little church just down the sidewalk from my grandparents' house. There's something about that church that just brings a smile to my face. Though we only would visit my grandparents once a year, I have many memories - snippets of things - that I remember about that place. They will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of that church next year sometime, so I asked my dad to share some memories of that little church that he called home for all of his young life. I asked him to list some of the people he knew over the years that came into his life during his life and he started listing off names of people, sharing brief stories about each of them. Going almost so quickly, that I couldn't keep up! Here are some of the people he mentioned...

Bill and Marion Manduka

Bob and Hazel Fisher

Paul and Vi Turner

Ben and Peg Wallace

Mr. and Mrs. Perozzi

Mr. and Mrs. Youngblood

El and Blanche Wentzel

Axel and Hulda Aspling (they referred to them as "grandma" and "grandpa")

Mrs. Nordt

Mrs. Haines

Mr. and Mrs. Harris

Mr. and Mrs. Krudwig

Mr. and Mrs. White

Mr. and Mrs. Kenders

These were just a few of the names I caught and was able to write down. In the stories he told, that I'll post about later, you'll hear more of the names of people that touched his life in many, many ways. Some of whom even I remember meeting and witnessing the deep love they had for my dad and my mom and my grandparents. This little church housed a great many people over the years, though it is small in size, and touched each and every one of them in one way or another. I'm not sure when the picture above was taken, but that is the front of the church, with my grandpa standing on the steps. I look forward to getting back there again sometime soon and walking down the little sidewalk to the church steps like I did when we would visit. Just wish that that little trip would be made after getting ready in my grandparents' house, with grandpa walking around, making sure dad was speaking out of a KJ bible and not the NIV, which dad would always tease him about. I miss that time. But, the church still stands as a testament to both my grandfather and the wonderful people of Runnemede that made it such a special place to worship the Lord.