Collections : [Central Michigan University Clarke Historical Library]

The collection contains the sermons, newspaper articles, and research of The Reverend Father John H. Goodrow.

These sermons provide an interesting perspective on the ideals of the turbulent years of the 1960s and 1970s, such as discrimination, discussed in a sermon written for July 9, 1972. Such topics were also covered within articles Father Goodrow wrote for the Daily Times of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, which are in this collection. Most of the articles that could be dated within this collection were written during the 1970s and range in topics, including articles discussing South Africa and the United States (1971), community restoration (1973), President Nixon (1974), Indian discrimination (undated), and even an article on cats (undated). Father Goodrow also wrote for other publications, such as The Christian Challenge and The Living Church and local newspapers including the Morning Sun and CMLife. Materials collected to add St. John’s Episcopal Church to the National Register of Historic Places, 1981, complete the collection. For more information about the church, see the finding aid and catalog record for its collection which is also housed in the Clarke.

Processing Note: Acidic materials (1 cubic foot) were copied and the originals were returned to the donor as requested.

Papers include biographical materials, correspondence, journals, writings, including essays and poems, and item-level index cards.

The collection includes Pitezel’s correspondence mostly to family and friends (with notes and related materials), journals, and writings (essays and a poem), many of which later became books.

Most of his letters are to his mother, brother, Joshua, and sisters, Caroline and Mary. They detail his religious activities, beliefs, the people and situations in which he traveled, preached, and lived, family news, the weather, and illnesses. He was strongly anti-Catholic and reported often on Catholic missionaries and their missionary efforts. The letters are pasted together with related documents, which makes organizing them a challenge.

His journals span September 1846 through September 1851 and detail his life and work in Adrian, Marshall, Sault Ste. Marie, and at Kewanenon Mission, Michigan, and note his visits to Indian chiefs, councils, and medicine men, as well as stories told to him by Indians.

The writings include six autobiographical and religious essays.

Item-level index cards are included at the end of the collection to assist researchers.

The collection documents the history, committees, activities, building renovations, 125th anniversary, and people of the church in registers, meeting minutes, photographs, newsletters, bulletins, sermons, and other materials. The collection is ongoing. Allergy Alert: Researchers with allergies should use Boxes 16-17 with caution.

The organizational records of the church are filed alphabetically and then chronologically in the following major series: The Evangel (the church’s monthly newsletter), 1966-1968, 1972-1985, 1987-current, and undated; Parish Registers, 1875-1958, which document the baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials of parishioners; Vestry meeting minutes, 1947-current, which record the business of the church officers and committees; Registers of Services, 1913-1975, which list the day, time, and the number of attendees and communicants at each service; and the St. John’s, later called the Ladies’ or Women’s, Guild meeting minutes, which include bylaws, member lists, accounts, and related materials of the Guild, 1886-1974 and undated; and, lastly, a variety of blueprints, notes, meeting minutes, bids, photographs, and other materials documenting Renovations of the church building and grounds, 1978-1982, 1992-1996, and undated. Other records, such as programs for special services, Lenten Prayer Booklets, and materials documenting the Boy Choir are included in the collection.

Early records of the Rt. Rev. J. N. Rippey, who served as acting rector of several churches including St. John’s from 1887 through 1910, include: a journal and parish registry book with baptisms, confirmations, burials, and marriages, 1887-1911, and three scrapbooks, 1874-1935 and undated, which document Rippey’s life and work, as well as the news of other Episcopalian clergy and parishes in Michigan with newspaper clippings, service programs, and newsletters from various Episcopal churches. Two handwritten sermons of Rev. Rippey dated June 28 and July 29, 1908 are also included.

Materials related to the illness, death, contract, and sermons of Rev. John H. Goodrow, are also included. Goodrow served as rector at St. John’s from 1962 until his sudden death in 1985. The Goodrow Fund at St. John’s was established and named in his honor. Materials documenting the Goodrow Fund are also in the collection.

The older materials, particularly the scrapbooks are highly acidic and fragile and should be handled with care by researchers.

Numerous materials documenting the events of the 125th anniversary are included, as is documentation on the development and workshops of the Center for Christian Spirituality.

Also included are sermons of Rev. Wayne Nicholson, a beloved, gentle priest at St. John’s from 2007 to present, who was blessed with the gift of writing and presenting wonderful sermons. His coming to St. John’s encouraged the 125th anniversary events and made the establishment and success of the Center for Christian Spirituality possible.

Ground Breaking for the joining of the existing buildings and remodeling of them began with a special Pentecost service with music created by one of St. John’s organists, Dr. Moonyeen Albrecht, and our Deacon Nancy Casey Fulton, on May 15, 2016 (See Box 15: Building Remodel/Ground Breaking Materials, 2015- folder).

Vestry Meeting Minutes, 1947-current are in the collection. Vestry Minutes, 1957-1982 (1 cubic ft. in Boxes 16-17) were added to the collection in 2016. They were previously housed in the basement and have a strong mildew smell. Allergy Alert: Researchers with allergies should use Boxes 16-17 with caution.

Boxes 19-20 include more information on Rev. Wayne Nicholson, who died unexpectedly in 2019, shortly after he retired. Early deeds, significant mortgages on church property, and information on the creation and purchase of the pipe organ created by Gabriel Kney, and the stained-glass windows and tabernacle, created by Conrad Schmitt Studios, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are included. Other materials document a new phase of the Center for Christian Spirituality, historical materials of the Boys Choir, and recordings of services and music.