Part 39 Before We Leave the 1960’s
The tumultuous period of the 1960’s was filled as already noted with national issues of major import. Likewise it seems that the same period saw a number of Peoples folks in transition. It was a time when Peoples hired a retired pastor, Louis Staples to act as the primary visitor to shut-ins and others who could not come to church. While he was ill some of the time that he served in this capacity, it did allow the church to be present in the lives of those who no longer could be in church on a Sunday morning.
A long-term servant of the Lord, Granville Nickerson passed away in 1966. He had served in a number of capacities and at the time was the long-time secretary for the Official Board. In a thank you to the church, his wife, Alma, quoted from Granville the following, “ Only one life ‘twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Alma had grown up in the church, her family, Doughty, had long been active in the life of the church. The Nickerson’s also raised two children, Charles and Stanley.
Three families that had become prominent in the life of Peoples moved from the area leaving the congregation at a loss, that would in time be overcome by others who grew into positions of leadership. Harvey Woodbury and his wife Margaret moved to the Rockland area where he would continue active in the Methodist church especially in Camden. He also continued his long-term association with the Boy Scouts of America.
Their three children, David, Patty and Phil, all graduated form South Portland High School before they moved.
Armand and Sylvia Hahn had been instrumental in the life of the church while they raised four children, Paul, Suzanne, Gretchen and Linda. “Bud” as he was called, worked for Sealtest Ice Cream and when that company was bought by Breyers, a Chicago based company, the family moved to the Chicago area. Many years later they would return to the Portland area and continue actively in the life of the church. Sylvia was especially loved by Sunday School children and the Girl Scouts. Many of those that would come in contact with her knew her as a fun-loving, full of life, willing to do almost anything for the Lord type of person.
The third family that had made an indelible mark on the life of Peoples and who would leave during this same period of time was Irving and Ethelyn Willey. Having the children grow up and move away the Willeys were invited by the youngest of their children, Susan, to move to the Wallingford, Connecticut area., which they did. Irving had operated a well-known filling station for many years on the Cape Elizabeth line. Ethelyn was active in Mary and Martha Circle as well as WSCS and Irving had served on Trustees. Irving was a very out going and caring individual whom everyone just loved to be around. Years later they moved to Union, Maine to be in an area where two of their children, Eleanor and Marcia, had settled. Irving continued to work until he was well into his 80’s. Both became active at the Union United Methodist Church also known as Peoples. As an aside there are all-tolled 7 United Methodist churches in Maine that use the name Peoples. The Willey children included Everett who served as a police officer in South Portland and Wendell who lived for many years in California.
As each of these families readied themselves for their respective moves, the church provided going away parties and gifts for each family. In a thank you note from Sylvia she reported that her new home was to be called “Mud Manor” because of the condition of the yard when they arrived. She also said in the note, “”We miss you all, but you haven’t seen the last of us yet.” How prophetic she was especially when we were able to welcome them back to the area 20 years later.
To party perhaps was one thing that Peoples members became noted. In September of 1965, Hillie Cass and other members of the WSCS provided a party on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the former pastor, H. Travers Smith and his wife, Kit. Travers was serving as District Superintendent at this time and the planners of this party invited folks from many other District churches as well.
Two of the folks most active at Peoples during the period from the 1940’s to 1970’s were Dave and Elsie Hoyt. They too, raised three children while here. The eldest of the children, Charles, became a Methodist minister and the youngest, Laurel married a pastor in California. The middle child, Jeanne, married a man from Scarborough who later became a teacher. Elsie’s father had been one of the Methodist pastors who served Peoples, Reverend Charles Perry. Both Dave and Elsie were active in the Temperance Movement in the state of Maine and Dave was also a member of the Chrisitan Civic League. In 1965, the Official Board, in part, at the insistence of the Hoyts, sent a letter of commendation to Governor John Reed, on his continued opposition to Sunday Sale of Liquor. The governor responded by thanking the Board and also indicating how he had come to the decisions that he had. Later it was Dave Hoyt that began the tape ministry that still is distributed to a number of shut-ins. In the early days of this ministry he was it.
He made sure the services were recorded, then he would make copies and to finish off
the project he would distribute them as well. Elsie, on the other hand, was a leading proponent of the Church Women United Organization. This organizaton consisted of women representing several Christian churches in the Greater Portland Area. The group included Catholic and Greek Orthodox women.
The mid’60’s saw a variety of projects adopted by church members and or the organizations of the church. New choir robes were purchased through the efforts of the WSCS. The WSCS was also responsible for purchasing a 16-MM movie projector for the church. In a sense it was ironic that the Men’s Club and the Youth groups used this piece of equipment more than the women’s organizations. ”.
. The Men’s Club with a membership of nearly 70 Men sponsored two teams in the Greater Portland Christian Men’s Bowling League. Sometimes the men bowled at the YMCA Lanes, but later graduated to the Big 20 Candlepin Lanes in Scarborough. This organization did much to support Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 23. Many of the
Many of the men were advisors or served as Cub and Troop Masters. One other activity that the Men’s Club supported was a Senior High Boys Church Basketball Team that played weekly in the winter months at the Portland YMCA. Their sponsorship provided uniforms, practice space and the coaching expertise of Bill Harris.
A lot of the money raised by the Men was through the sponsorship and operation of Fried Clam Suppers. The Men hired a company called Conora from Higgins Beach to cook and prepare the food. Later a Mr. Harmon who continued the Fried Clams “on the road business” for a number of additional years .
350 new hymnals with purple covers were purchased and used beginning in the Fall of 1966. During September all of the local area Methodist churches got together at Chestnut Street to celebrate the new hymnals by having a “Hymnfest
An interesting activity that was probably spawned by the Ecumenical movement of the 1960’s was a series of get togethers with members of Holy Cross Church. Reciprocal visits to services at both Peoples and Holy Cross were attended by over 70 parishioners from each church. Another ecumenical activity that took place was a trip to Temple
Beth El on a Friday night to witness a Jewish service. A social hour took place after the service so that more questions that our parishioners might have could be answered. No reciprocal activity appeared to have taken place.
Under the leadership of Glen Fawcett, Chair of the Commission on Missions, a successful School of Missions was planned and held with the theme, “The Affluence and Poverty Dilemma for Christians.” Other Methodist churches in the area were invited to participate.
In addition the Commission on Missions allowed Peoples people to have a presence in serving the needs of the Pride Training School for the Handicapped in South Portland and to be of service to the Pineland Center in North Yarmouth. We also helped financially in assisting a Gorham State College (USM) on her mission to the USSR. Internationally a collection was taken to support the India Famine Relief Initiative of the Methodist Church.
Ada Tordoff was serving as head of Membership and Evangelism during most of this period. In reporting membership in the Sunday School it was reported that the number of students and adults attending totaled 925, an average of 231 per week, for the four Sundays in the month of March 1965. In the month of April, which included Easter Sunday, the number of communicants averaged 341. On Easter Sunday alone, 553 members and friends of the church attended the one church service held. People sat in extra seats across the back, sat in another pew that is no longer there and some overflowed into the Pastor’s study. It was probably the attendance figures that originally led to the purchase and installation of a sound system that would also be heard in the vestry.
Tidbits:
The South Portland Fire Department in May 1966 cited the boiler room for its lack of fire retardency.
The Men’s Club sponsored Father and Son nights and the WSCS sponsored Mother and Daughter nights.
It was also during the mid 1960’s that the Pastors could stop hollering out the message as the first of the sound systems was purchased and installed, by the Brooks Bible Class.
As early as 1965 there were thoughts that the Maine Conference of the Methodist Church would merge with other in New England.
Bishop Matthews began an initiative to raise money for the library at Claflin College. Our Official Board voted to pay our portion which amounted to $9 to $12 of the $300 assessed for the Greater Portland District.
Dave Hoyt suggested that the church make sure that a library be considered when the new Education Building was built. He indicated that he had a number of books that he would donate and encouraged others to do the same.
The trustees invested in the lighting system that would show the beauty of the stained glass windows to the outside world at night.
The tumultuous period of the 1960’s was filled as already noted with national issues of major import. Likewise it seems that the same period saw a number of Peoples folks in transition. It was a time when Peoples hired a retired pastor, Louis Staples to act as the primary visitor to shut-ins and others who could not come to church. While he was ill some of the time that he served in this capacity, it did allow the church to be present in the lives of those who no longer could be in church on a Sunday morning.
A long-term servant of the Lord, Granville Nickerson passed away in 1966. He had served in a number of capacities and at the time was the long-time secretary for the Official Board. In a thank you to the church, his wife, Alma, quoted from Granville the following, “ Only one life ‘twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.” Alma had grown up in the church, her family, Doughty, had long been active in the life of the church. The Nickerson’s also raised two children, Charles and Stanley.
Three families that had become prominent in the life of Peoples moved from the area leaving the congregation at a loss, that would in time be overcome by others who grew into positions of leadership. Harvey Woodbury and his wife Margaret moved to the Rockland area where he would continue active in the Methodist church especially in Camden. He also continued his long-term association with the Boy Scouts of America.
Their three children, David, Patty and Phil, all graduated form South Portland High School before they moved.
Armand and Sylvia Hahn had been instrumental in the life of the church while they raised four children, Paul, Suzanne, Gretchen and Linda. “Bud” as he was called, worked for Sealtest Ice Cream and when that company was bought by Breyers, a Chicago based company, the family moved to the Chicago area. Many years later they would return to the Portland area and continue actively in the life of the church. Sylvia was especially loved by Sunday School children and the Girl Scouts. Many of those that would come in contact with her knew her as a fun-loving, full of life, willing to do almost anything for the Lord type of person.
The third family that had made an indelible mark on the life of Peoples and who would leave during this same period of time was Irving and Ethelyn Willey. Having the children grow up and move away the Willeys were invited by the youngest of their children, Susan, to move to the Wallingford, Connecticut area., which they did. Irving had operated a well-known filling station for many years on the Cape Elizabeth line. Ethelyn was active in Mary and Martha Circle as well as WSCS and Irving had served on Trustees. Irving was a very out going and caring individual whom everyone just loved to be around. Years later they moved to Union, Maine to be in an area where two of their children, Eleanor and Marcia, had settled. Irving continued to work until he was well into his 80’s. Both became active at the Union United Methodist Church also known as Peoples. As an aside there are all-tolled 7 United Methodist churches in Maine that use the name Peoples. The Willey children included Everett who served as a police officer in South Portland and Wendell who lived for many years in California.
As each of these families readied themselves for their respective moves, the church provided going away parties and gifts for each family. In a thank you note from Sylvia she reported that her new home was to be called “Mud Manor” because of the condition of the yard when they arrived. She also said in the note, “”We miss you all, but you haven’t seen the last of us yet.” How prophetic she was especially when we were able to welcome them back to the area 20 years later.
To party perhaps was one thing that Peoples members became noted. In September of 1965, Hillie Cass and other members of the WSCS provided a party on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the former pastor, H. Travers Smith and his wife, Kit. Travers was serving as District Superintendent at this time and the planners of this party invited folks from many other District churches as well.
Two of the folks most active at Peoples during the period from the 1940’s to 1970’s were Dave and Elsie Hoyt. They too, raised three children while here. The eldest of the children, Charles, became a Methodist minister and the youngest, Laurel married a pastor in California. The middle child, Jeanne, married a man from Scarborough who later became a teacher. Elsie’s father had been one of the Methodist pastors who served Peoples, Reverend Charles Perry. Both Dave and Elsie were active in the Temperance Movement in the state of Maine and Dave was also a member of the Chrisitan Civic League. In 1965, the Official Board, in part, at the insistence of the Hoyts, sent a letter of commendation to Governor John Reed, on his continued opposition to Sunday Sale of Liquor. The governor responded by thanking the Board and also indicating how he had come to the decisions that he had. Later it was Dave Hoyt that began the tape ministry that still is distributed to a number of shut-ins. In the early days of this ministry he was it.
He made sure the services were recorded, then he would make copies and to finish off
the project he would distribute them as well. Elsie, on the other hand, was a leading proponent of the Church Women United Organization. This organizaton consisted of women representing several Christian churches in the Greater Portland Area. The group included Catholic and Greek Orthodox women.
The mid’60’s saw a variety of projects adopted by church members and or the organizations of the church. New choir robes were purchased through the efforts of the WSCS. The WSCS was also responsible for purchasing a 16-MM movie projector for the church. In a sense it was ironic that the Men’s Club and the Youth groups used this piece of equipment more than the women’s organizations. ”.
. The Men’s Club with a membership of nearly 70 Men sponsored two teams in the Greater Portland Christian Men’s Bowling League. Sometimes the men bowled at the YMCA Lanes, but later graduated to the Big 20 Candlepin Lanes in Scarborough. This organization did much to support Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop 23. Many of the
Many of the men were advisors or served as Cub and Troop Masters. One other activity that the Men’s Club supported was a Senior High Boys Church Basketball Team that played weekly in the winter months at the Portland YMCA. Their sponsorship provided uniforms, practice space and the coaching expertise of Bill Harris.
A lot of the money raised by the Men was through the sponsorship and operation of Fried Clam Suppers. The Men hired a company called Conora from Higgins Beach to cook and prepare the food. Later a Mr. Harmon who continued the Fried Clams “on the road business” for a number of additional years .
350 new hymnals with purple covers were purchased and used beginning in the Fall of 1966. During September all of the local area Methodist churches got together at Chestnut Street to celebrate the new hymnals by having a “Hymnfest
An interesting activity that was probably spawned by the Ecumenical movement of the 1960’s was a series of get togethers with members of Holy Cross Church. Reciprocal visits to services at both Peoples and Holy Cross were attended by over 70 parishioners from each church. Another ecumenical activity that took place was a trip to Temple
Beth El on a Friday night to witness a Jewish service. A social hour took place after the service so that more questions that our parishioners might have could be answered. No reciprocal activity appeared to have taken place.
Under the leadership of Glen Fawcett, Chair of the Commission on Missions, a successful School of Missions was planned and held with the theme, “The Affluence and Poverty Dilemma for Christians.” Other Methodist churches in the area were invited to participate.
In addition the Commission on Missions allowed Peoples people to have a presence in serving the needs of the Pride Training School for the Handicapped in South Portland and to be of service to the Pineland Center in North Yarmouth. We also helped financially in assisting a Gorham State College (USM) on her mission to the USSR. Internationally a collection was taken to support the India Famine Relief Initiative of the Methodist Church.
Ada Tordoff was serving as head of Membership and Evangelism during most of this period. In reporting membership in the Sunday School it was reported that the number of students and adults attending totaled 925, an average of 231 per week, for the four Sundays in the month of March 1965. In the month of April, which included Easter Sunday, the number of communicants averaged 341. On Easter Sunday alone, 553 members and friends of the church attended the one church service held. People sat in extra seats across the back, sat in another pew that is no longer there and some overflowed into the Pastor’s study. It was probably the attendance figures that originally led to the purchase and installation of a sound system that would also be heard in the vestry.
Tidbits:
The South Portland Fire Department in May 1966 cited the boiler room for its lack of fire retardency.
The Men’s Club sponsored Father and Son nights and the WSCS sponsored Mother and Daughter nights.
It was also during the mid 1960’s that the Pastors could stop hollering out the message as the first of the sound systems was purchased and installed, by the Brooks Bible Class.
As early as 1965 there were thoughts that the Maine Conference of the Methodist Church would merge with other in New England.
Bishop Matthews began an initiative to raise money for the library at Claflin College. Our Official Board voted to pay our portion which amounted to $9 to $12 of the $300 assessed for the Greater Portland District.
Dave Hoyt suggested that the church make sure that a library be considered when the new Education Building was built. He indicated that he had a number of books that he would donate and encouraged others to do the same.
The trustees invested in the lighting system that would show the beauty of the stained glass windows to the outside world at night.
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