Drakes United Methodist Church

by Glenna Maxwell Palmer

My earliest memories of Drakes United Methodist Church stemmed from our family's establishing the Maxwell Grocery and moving to Drakes in 1930.

Every Sunday morning we would see Superintendent Ed Woods with Bible in hand walk by our store-and-home to ring the "first" bell and prepare for Sunday School. I still have the New Testament which Mr. Woods, my Sunday School teacher, signed and presented to me Christmas 1937.

In 1931 Emma and John Embrey (my aunt and uncle) returned to Ohio after having resided in Texas for three years. They began working for the Church and grew to be its main sustaining force throughout the remainder of their lives.

The Church grew. We had several Sunday School classes. There was a very active congregation, mostly of women's and youth groups. Revival meetings were held with guest ministers and guest musicians.

One colorful persuasive guest minister was the jeweler from Corning, Mr. Rosenboom. A visiting guitar-playing duet, Johnson and Crabtree, had beautiful voices.

Beautiful music goes hand-in-hand with sermons in spreading the gospel. Recalling the voice of Burrell Drake over the congregation is an inspiring memory. Burl became a music leader in Columbus. Rev. Dickey's wife often blessed us with a solo - especially remembered is "I Love to Tell the Story."

Several area youth attended Sunday School and worship services. Emma Embrey taught the intermediate youth. We engaged in several social functions: wiener roasts, picnics, holiday parties, etc.

Drakes youth, along with those from nearby towns, spent summer camp at Lancaster Campgrounds, with adults of the Church chaperoning.

Programs were planned for special holidays I particularly remember Children's Day. There were also Christmas, Easter and many others with all the very young children and older youth participating.

At one time the Church broadcast over the Zanesville radio station. Wanda Love and my sister, Wanda Maxwell, sang; I (Glenna Maxwell) accompanied them on piano. Rev. Roland Carter presented the program, along with a sermon.

The women of the Church worked diligently to provide finances. Quilting meets were regularly held in the basement.

Even today the public dinners are the most mentioned memory. Many political and other notable figures anxiously anticipated joining the townspeople to eat chicken, noodles, homemade pie, Hungarian nut rolls, various other home-cooked dishes, and their most favorite cabbage rolls.

The basement served as a voting precinct for many years. Wedding showers, baby showers, anniversary receptions, church youth and adult social gatherings took place there.

The faithful works of many contributed to the growth of the Church. I would especially like to mention some of the capacities in which Emma Embrey served. She hosted the ministers, taught Sunday School, played piano, headed women's organizations, organized and chaperoned camp youth groups, represented the Church in several Conference capacities, maintained records.

John Embrey, husband of Emma, supported and assisted her efforts. He performed janitorial and maintenance duties, rang the "first" and "last" bells every Sunday morning for years, led the full-congregation Sunday School meetings, taught class, and upon Emma's death in 1972, assumed many of her services and projects. He continued until failing health caused him to move from Drakes, he passed away in 1982.

Among others faithfully active were Olema (Mrs. Jesse) Drake and Golden (Mrs. George) Drake; their husbands were brothers. George Drake and Edward Woods were village trustees who obtained the church lot from preceding Drake family generations in 1918.

Golden Drake often served as pianist. Florence Arkley served as Sunday School Superintendent, and later became a minister. Emma Embrey recruited those in whom she saw capabilities fitting specific duties or occasions. She encouraged me to be pianist at times, Sunday School treasurer, teacher of the very small children while I was a high school student, and to help with special projects.

During my years of direct association with the Church, some of the surnames among the congregation were: Arkley, Benedict, Brock, Brunton, Cook, Cooley, Davis, Dennis, Drake, Dudash, Edmonds, Embrey, Essex, Glanemann, Halsey, Horn, Lewis, Love, Linscott, Matthews, Maxwell, McArtor, McCoy, Reed, Reho, Reich, Schneppe, Swaro, Titko, Weaver, Williams, Woods.

I was gone from Drakes for several years after graduating in 1939, moved back for a few years, and moved away permanently in 1953. Afterward many new names appeared among the congregation, Margaret and George Higgins became quite active. My Mother, Olive Maxwell, faithfully attended services, supported and accepted responsibilities of maintaining the Church.

The Church provides not only fond memories of my formative years of a Christian foundation, but also both happy and sad later events.

Bill Palmer and I were married in the sanctuary March 12, 1950, by Rev. Owen Plumley. To my knowledge only two other marriages were solemnized in the Church: Isabel Horn and Lawrence Seens, a few years earlier; Lucille Arkley and Ted Schlingerman in March, 1951.

My parents, Olive and Daine Maxwell, celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary October, 1971, in the Church basement.

Bill and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary there in March, 1975. Mother's (Olive Maxwell) funeral service, with Rev. Carolyn Hoskinson officiating, was conducted in the sanctuary October 6, 1985.

The congregation has continuously reduced in numbers, as has the population of the town and area. The few devoutly dedicated persons currently sustaining the Church need the prayers and support of those of us who remember our Christian heritage there - Linda Benedict, Judith Cooley and Margaret Higgins particularly.