4 /5 Helen Mullen: I first went to what was then the "Mission Covenant Church" in Oakland CA when it was down near what is now the Kaiser Auditorium. At that time, the pastor was Rev. Edwin S. Johnson, a wonderful Christian man. I believe the Nazarene Church later purchased that building.
Because my father was an immigrant from Sweden, he liked to listen to the churchs radio program on Sunday mornings, even though he was NOT a Christian and did not believe in Jesus Christ.
The radio broadcast, came on with the pastor and a lady from the church singing in Swedish the song, "Guds Barns Trygghet". At that time (in the 1940s), the entire broadcast was in Swedish.
Every year, we would go early Christmas morning to the Julotta service held at 6:00 A.M. at the Mission Covenant Church, even after they built the "new" church at 2100 5th Avenue in Oakland.
I can remember when they had the "Ground Breaking Service" for that new church. I was about 8 years old (I am 86 now), and I sat on the hill as the service was conducted.
By the time I was a teenager, I met a family who also lived on the island of Alameda, who would drive two miles out of their way to pick me up for Sunday School and church. Later, a wonderful young man who also lived in Alameda would take me.
We had a wonderful Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Herriott, when I was a teenager. I loved the Young Peoples meetings and the activities they provided for Christian youth. Rev. Harold Erickson was the Pastor of the church at that time. He was a wonderful Bible teacher, who truly loved the Lord.
My parents sold our home in the Bay area and moved to San Jose, where I married a fine Christian man. We later moved to Tucson AZ and eventually to Lanesville IN, where I have lived for the past 45 years.
Looking back, am so thankful for the blessings that were mine during those years of my life. I trust that you will continue to be a blessing to the young people of this generation also.
