Sullivan UMC—J. Michael Smith

Launch of Bridging Table

The newly created “Bridging Table” will launch tomorrow with sessions at noon and 6 p.m. for individuals wishing to be more involved in the church’s ministries.  All programs will go through the Bridging Table to be put on the calendar, given resources, and encouraged.  This includes programs with children, youth, families, missions, member care, fellowship, etc.  These launching meetings will be one hour each and you may choose to come to one or the other.  If you cannot make either meeting, there will be more opportunities to jump on board in the next month,

Church Van

The trustees have received a proposition from another church to buy our church van.  

Our van is a 2015 vehicle with about 60,000 miles on it and in need of significant repairs.  The book value is approximately $15,000.  

If the van is sold, the money would likely go into a “reserve account” dedicated to maintaining other properties belonging to the church.  (We need about $100,000 in that account and only have about $40,000 currently.) 

If you have an opinion or a question on the matter, contact our Trustee chair, Chip Hagen.  I have asked the trustees to make a recommendation by this Sunday, if they feel they have sufficient information.  If they do recommend selling the van, then the final decision would go to the Church Council for action.  That decision could be made as early as next Tuesday—when the Church Council next meets.   

If the Church Council approves selling the van, then the trustees would negotiate with potential buyers for the purpose of effecting the sale.

Stories from Our Church Historian  (Janet Roney)

This month’s feature:  Rev. George F. Schmink

Rev. George F. Schmink came to our church as pastor in June, 1963, following the very peaceful and effective seven year ministry of Rev. Orval Bear.  He and his wife, Doris, moved into the small parsonage on West Jefferson with their five very active sons, David, Mark, Rick, Robert, and Keith.  (As mentioned last month, that parsonage was too small for large families like Rev. Schmink’s.  It had served the church since 1955 when it was purchased with a bequest from Nina O. Ashworth, a descendant of one of our founders, James Elder.)          

The early 1960s was a difficult time for our country.  The national turmoil around the Civil Rights Movement in the South had been going on since the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1957 when schools were desegregated under President Eisenhowner.  Also, Castro had overthrown the dictator in Cuba in 1959, and installed a Communist government that instigated the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of 1962.  And then, five months after Rev. Schmink came to serve our church, in November, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  

The Methodist Church and its leaders and ministers were challenged to guide their members toward the Christian response to these very difficult times. Rev. Schmink stepped up to the challenge and became the first pastor at Sullivan to advocate what became known as the Social Gospel Movement.      After college and prior to going to Garrett Theological Seminary to become a minister, Rev. Schmink served three years in the US Air Force Reserves, four years in the US Army Reserves, and taught high school math.  These experiences may have honed his rather straight forward manner as leader of his flock. 

One personal experience illustrates this.  He officiated at Roger’s and my wedding in June of 1964.  During practice the day before, some discussion occurred about how my little six year old brother, George, should perform his ring bearer duty.  “I’m in charge here!” exclaimed Rev. Schmink, and that was that…although right after that, my father took George out and quietly and calmly instructed George on how he should perform his duties!  The next day dear brother George did his job perfectly for his big sister, “Jannie” thanks to Rev. Schmink’s strong words and my father’s quiet instructions.  

Rev. Schmink served our church until 1967 when he was transferred to Harrisburg in southern Illinois for eight years, followed by Streator, East Moline, and Rochester.  He retired from the pastorate in 1989, but continued to help the Bishop’s church at Springfield in development plans.  

After Doris died in 1992, he remarried in 1994 and gained two step-daughters.  He died October 20, 2020 in Harrisburg where his son Mark lived. 

One significant event during Schmink’s pastorate in Sullivan was the 1966 dedication and mortgage retirement of the Methodist Education Building that was built in 1962 by contractor Jim Wheeler to accommodate the 400 enrollment at Sunday School and to provide offices for the pastor and secretary.   It was also the first home of the newly created Sullivan Pre-School which served a broad variety of young families in the community.  The building was located east of the church where the new addition now stands.