More than a century of memories shared

Joanne Brown-Grote was 12 when she first played the piano at Moran United Methodist Church.

She couldn’t read a note at the time since she had never taken music lessons. But the little girl could play by ear, so she accompanied the congregation as they belted out hymns from the pews.

More than half a century later, Brown-Grote can still be found at the old Storey and Clark upright every Sunday. Born and raised on Moran Prairie, this is the only church she has ever known. The historic brick building, which her grandfather helped erect, was where she was baptized and married – twice. All three of her daughters were baptized and married here, too.

“This is my home,” said Brown-Grote, now 66. “I’ve never wanted to leave.”

Many who attended Moran United Methodist Church’s 125th anniversary also displayed that same fervent devotion to this historic church on the prairie. They described their congregation as a spiritual refuge, a place where they can find strength in both God and their friends.

“It’s like family,” said Anne Morris, who became a member about a year ago. “Everyone is loving and kind and cares for one another.”

On Saturday, members of Moran UMC gathered to celebrate the church’s history by sharing memories and memorabilia from the last 125 years. Many of the women were attired in aprons, long skirts and simple, homespun clothing like the kind worn by their pioneer ancestors. Some of the men showed up in either plaid shirts and overalls or plain black suits with matching hats. A few even grew beards for the occasion.

They spent the afternoon giving tours of their church and the nearby Moran Cemetery, where many Moran Prairie pioneers and church members are buried. They also shared scrapbooks and turn-of-the-century antiques – dishes, toys, tools, even wedding gowns worn by women married at Moran UMC. Outside the church, antique John Deere tractors were parked next to the cars.

“We’ve got a long history,” acknowledged Ardis Storms, the church historian who first became a member as a child in the ‘40s. She and a few others who grew up on Moran Prairie fondly remember a time not so long ago before the suburbs crept up the hill, when Browne’s Mountain was inhabited by only a few families and when the church also served as a school building for all the kids.

The church’s heyday was probably in the 1950s, Storms recalled, when the Sunday school had at least 100 children in attendance. Although membership declined in the following decades, it has recently experienced a resurgence. Unlike most mainstream Protestant churches in the United States, Moran UMC has grown. The church currently has 110 members – a 20 percent increase compared to last year.

“We’re lucky,” said the Rev. Barbara Caviezel, the church’s pastor. “This church has played multiple roles in serving the community. (The congregation) seeks to come alive with the gift of the Holy Spirit. … If God has called us to be who we are, God will make sure we continue to flourish.”

Caviezel said members of Moran UMC are committed to serving others. Last year, they helped a homeless mother and her two young children who needed both financial and emotional support. Once a month, about a dozen kids from the church volunteer at Shalom Ministries, which offers free meals to the poor in downtown Spokane. “Ministry begins as soon as we leave the church doors,” said Caviezel.

Moran UMC’s anniversary celebration will continue today with a 10 a.m. worship service. Members are expected to wear period costume, and Caviezel will arrive at the church on horseback dressed in the traditional, dark clergy garb of a circuit-rider preacher.

Brown-Grote, who lives just two blocks from the house where she was born, will play the piano while her three daughters sing.

“I hope for growth and continuity,” she said, reflecting on the future of her church. “I hope to see this place so filled that we have to expand. It’s been here for a long time, and I hope it stays.”