From Then Until Now: A Book of Memories, Tidbits, and Other Recollections

By Maurice C. Wright

This book was written by me, Maurice C. Wright, as a way of sharing some of the many memories, tidbits, and other recollections that have been in my mind for many years. Through this book, I am passing these on to family, friends, and others that may be interested in reading these stories.

Each memory, tidbit, and other recollection has been written to stand alone or to be read as an entire book. Therefore, the reader will find a repeat of information in multiple stories as that information is pertinent to each.

Praise be to God for the many memories, tidbits, and other recollections that I am sharing through this book and for the many other stories that are still in my mind and have not been reduced to written form.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524640200

Maurice C. Wright

The Reverend Maurice C. Wright is presently serving as pastor at Bethel Baptist Church in Spencer, Indiana (Owen County)—a little country church that was established in 1822. He has served as a full-time pastor at nine churches and as interim in others. Churches that he ministered full-time range from thirty-five in membership to more than three thousand—Windfall Baptist Church in Windfall, Indiana, and Lynhurst Baptist Church in Indianapolis respectively. In 1989, he retired from full-time ministry to go back to Indiana. He planned to farm, fish, fill in if a church needed help on a temporary basis, do some carving, and enjoy a life of retirement. However, God was not ready for him to retire, and he let him know that. From 1989 to 1997, Reverend Wright preached almost every Sunday as interim preacher at churches in Indiana and has been full-time pastor at Bethel Baptist Church in Owen County, Indiana (near Spencer, Indiana), since 1997. This is longer than any other minister has been at Bethel Church. If it be God’s will, Reverend Wright will celebrate his ninetieth birthday in April of 2017. In 2017 he will also celebrate being in the ministry for sixty-five years and being at Bethel Baptist Church for twenty years—if it is God’s will.

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© 2016 Maurice C. Wright. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/13/2016

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4019-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-4020-0 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to my children, stepchildren, grandchildren/step grandchildren, great-grandchildren/step great-grandchildren and to my wife, Geneva, and her sister, Char Gore, who put these memories, tidbits, and other recollections together for publication. I love them all.

About The Book

This book was written by me, Maurice C. Wright, as a way of sharing some of the many memories, tidbits and other recollections that have been in my mind for many years. Through this book I am passing these on to family, friends, and others that may be interested in reading these stories.

Each memory, tidbit and other recollection has been written to stand alone or to be read as an entire book. Therefore, the reader will find a repeat of information in multiple stories as that information is pertinent to each.

Praise be to God for the many memories, tidbits and other recollections that I am sharing through this book and for the many other stories that are still in my mind and have not been reduced to written form.

Contents

Dedication

About The Book

Acknowledgments

Selected Memory # 1: New Baby Brother And The 70 Year Old Poem

Poem Dedicated To My Big Brother Maurice By Verle Wright

Guess ??? Written By Verle Wright

Family Pictures

Naomi Gertrude (Wheeler) Wright

Naomi Gertrude (Wheeler) Wright And Gilbert Clinton Wright

Maurice and Verle Wright

Selected Memory # 2: My First Day Of School In Alexandria

Selected Memory # 3: Grandma And Grandpa Wheeler Moved From Kentucky

Family Pictures

Naomi Gertrude And Orville Tobin And 3 Children

Adult Children Of Naomi Gertrude Wright/Tobin

Selected Memory # 4: 6 To 12 Years Of Age

Picture Of Plant # 3 Softball Team For Delco Remy

Picture Of Train In La Grange, Kentucky

Selected Memory # 5: Twelve Year Old Boy With Adult Responsibilities

Selected Memory # 6: Growing Up Without A Dad, High School, Sports, Work And Off To The Coast Guard To Serve My Country

Selected Memory # 7: End Of World War II

Pictures

Maurice Wright While Serving In U.S. Coast Guard During World War II

Maurice Wright And Friend While Serving In U.S. Military During World War II

Maurice and Geneva Wright

Selected Memory # 8: Left For The Military As A Boy Returned As A Man

Tidbits

WEDDINGS

BOOK PUBLISHED

FUNERALS

LOADING THE HOGS

AUCTION NIGHT

MULE MAGAZINE AND OUR CAP

CHOCOLATE COVERED, CRÈME FILLED DONUT

CAUGHT IN A FLASH FLOOD

HOLY COMMUNION

SEVERAL HUNDRED BAPTIZED

THE HAY ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POND

GOING TO THE MOVIES ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON

A SLOPPY JOE SANDWICH FOR 5 CENTS

SODIFOTE AND TROMAINENT, OUR NEW NAMES

Selected Recollection # 1: My Call To The Ministry

CALLED TO THE MINISTRY:

ADVICE FROM GRANDPA:

MORE ADVICE FROM GRANDPA:

ADVICE OF A CAR SALESMAN:

I LED HIM TO THE LORD:

MY FIRST FULL TIME CHURCH:

Hand Written Notes From First Appearance And Days Following At My First Full Time Church

Selected Recollection # 2: Unusual Happenings Relative To Church And Other Activities

LYNHURST CHURCH BURNS:

COLISEUM EXPLOSION:

TAKE ME SKATING WHEN I GET OUT OF THE HOSPITAL:

THE STORY OF THE GOATS:

MEMORIES OF PEOPLE AT EACH CHURCH THAT I HAVE MINISTERED:

Picture: We Went Skating

Selected Recollection # 3: My Children: The Loves Of My Life

Pictures Of My 10 Children/Stepchildren

Selected Recollection # 4: Some Of My Favorites

My Favorite Verse In The Bible, The 23rd Psalm

My Favorite Closing For A Funeral, The Parting Hour

Another Favorite: The Lord’s Prayer (KJV)

Selected Recollection # 5: Bethel Baptist Church (In Owen County, Indiana—Near Spencer)

Picture of Virginia Farley-Combs

150th Anniversary -- 1972, With Addendum For 175th Anniversary -- 1997

190th Anniversary – 2012

Pictures Of Churches Where I Served As Full Time Minister

Windfall First Baptist Church in Windfall, Indiana

Little Union Baptist Church in Unionville, Indiana

Lynhurst Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana

Bacone College Chapel in Muskogee, Oklahoma

Logan Square Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois

Grace United Methodist Church in Elgin, Illinois

Mooseheart House of God in Mooseheart, Illinois

New Unionville Baptist Church in New Unionville, Indiana

Bethel Baptist Church in Spencer, Indiana

Selected Recollection # 6: Cars—An Important Part Of Our Lives Then And Now

About The Author

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I acknowledge God through whom all things are possible. Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to put this book together for others to read. I pray that it will have meaning and bring joy to their hearts. I pray that it may bring others closer to You as they read about my journey through the years.

I have dedicated this book to my children, stepchildren, grandchildren/step grandchildren, great-grandchildren/step great-grandchildren and to my wife, Geneva, and her sister, Char Gore, who put these memories, tidbits, and other