Mt. Pilgrim turns it around

God strikes again!

In September of 2006, I introduced you to a tiny church that was struggling to stay alive. Mt. Pilgrim Lutheran Church has sat alongside of Ga. Highway 85 since about 1840, and was struggling with an average attendance of five members out of a congregation that numbered 77 on the books.

It survived a devastating fire in 1927 – lightning struck the steeple – and had its ups and downs over the years. But Interstate 85 siphoned off traffic that might have brought new prosperity to Haralson and her half dozen or so churches. The community, as well as the church members, was in decline.

The Rev. Richard McLeroy, who thought he had retired in the summer of 1990, agreed to act as a supply pastor until a new pastor could be found. It just didn’t happen.

Until 2006 when the congregation sent out a plea for help.

Was there anyone out there that would save the red brick church?

Yes, there was. A handful of Mt. Pilgrim members met with a group from Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran in Peachtree City, one of the largest congregations in the Southeast Synod. “What does Mt. Pilgrim need?” and “What can Christ Our Shepherd do?” they asked each other.

It began slowly. A few members of the Peachtree City church worship each Sunday in Haralson. Some creative scheduling has allowed Pastor Richard to take off while Peachtree City pastors and lay persons preached.

Same thing with music. Pianist Rose Villines has grandchildren to visit, but could not skip church on Sunday. Christ Our Shepherd has not only sent some pianists but also an occasional instrumental and vocal group.

Something began to happen. There’s an energy that develops when people worship and sing together, and the word was beginning to get around. (Or should that read “the Word”?)

Attendance began to rise. Several people committed themselves to be members. Sunday School resumed, for children and adults and the congregation rejoiced at being able to send a gift of money to a newly organized church in College Park.

Attendance has held fairly steady at 20 to 25 adults and three to five children, sometimes double, sometimes less. And those numbers do not include those who came from Peachtree City.

Isn’t that incredible? But the story doesn’t end there; it has taken a new turn.

Gary Taber, 55, the FAA Technical Operations Manager for the Georgia/East Tennessee General National Airspace, was mulling over what to do after he retires later this year. Christ Our Shepherd member Gary has been drawn to Christian ministry but wasn’t sure where to begin.

As happens so often, when you feel an unexpected force, something else – call it God – was taking over for Gary and pushing him in a whole ’nother direction.

Gary felt drawn to Mt. Pilgrim every time he had visited, and began to feel as though he had a place there. He has preached a time or two and helped by coordinating the roles of both congregations each Sunday.

Pastor Richard McLeroy retired January 31, 2008, and Gary was called by the Mt. Pilgrim congregation and council and asked to be their worship coordinator. “I accepted,” he says, “and was installed on February 3, 2008 with Pastor John Weber [of Christ Our Shepherd] officiating, with the council officers and congregation at Sunday service. This has been and continues to be a very humbling experience and surprise to me.”

His wife, Angie, and son, George, have been entirely supportive, he says. “I could never approach this all without her total support. We are both nervous, scared, yet excited and looking forward to where God takes us.”

There are several agencies in the Lutheran Church where a layperson, or a non-rostered person, can fill a role like that of a pastor without the required education and formality of being ordained. Gary sort of shrugs and says he wouldn’t second-guess God. If God wants him to just keep on doing what he’s doing, that’s OK, but if God wants to make an ordained pastor of him, that’s fine too.

You can keep up with the joys and perhaps the needs of the little brick church – it’s only about six miles south on Ga. Highway 85. Which makes Gary smile:

“We’re also on the web at www.mtplutheran.org,” he says. “Kinda like a 19th century church using 21st century technology for evangelism. Mt. Pilgrim is 168 years, alive and growing.”