Memories of being a paperboy include strawberry-scented ink

• Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, 713 Blooming Glen Rd., Blooming Glen, holds Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday school for all ages following worship at 10:45 a.m. Childcare is provided for infants and toddlers.

Guests and visitors are invited to the hospitality center for coffee and conversation.

The church officials are Firman Gingerich, lead pastor; Mary Nitzsche, pastor of pastoral care/spiritual formation; Donna Wilkins, interim youth pastor; Michael Bishop, pastor of music and worship; and Kim Moyer, children’s ministry director.

The church is accessible to those who experience physical challenges.

Information: 215-2573431 or visit www.bgmc.net.

• CDlvDUy ChuUFh, Route 113, Souderton,

Information: 215-7230963 or www.calvarychurch.com.

• Christ Reformed Church at Indian Creek, Church and Cowpath roads, Franconia, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages meets at 9 a.m.

Information: 215-7237338 or www.christ-reformed-church.org.

• DRylestRwn PUesbyterian Church, 127 E. Court

• Bethel Baptist Church, 754 E. Rockhill Rd., Sellersville, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Services are offered for children four years through high school. Nursery is provided for children up to three years old.

Bible Study classes are held at 9:30 a.m., and an evening service is held at 6 p.m. Nursery care is available, and services are interpreted for the hearing impaired.

Information: 215-5369200.

820 St., Doylestown, holds services each Sunday at 8:30 and 11 a.m.

Church school for all ages begins at 9:45 a.m.

Information: 215-3483531 or www.dtownpc.org.

• FLUst PUesbyteULDn Church, Fifth and Race Streets, Perkasie, offers a worship service at 9:30 a.m. and a Sunday school class at 11 a.m.

The Wednesday Study Group meets at 1 p.m.

The congregation is a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

Videos of our services may be viewed on our website.

Information: visit www. firstchurchopc.org or call 215-257-2956.

• First United Methodist Church, 501 W. Market St., Perkasie, offers a breakfast fellowship at 8 a.m.; a contemporary worship service at 8:30 a.m. and a traditional worship service at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. Nursery will be provided for infants and toddlers. B.A.S.I.C. and Sunday school for all ages at 9:30 a.m.

Information: 215-2574626 or visit www.fumcperkasie.com.

• Grace United Methodist Church, 295 S. Main St., Telford, holds an early bird worship service at 8 a.m. and a 10:15 a.m. worship service; nursery provided at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school classes for all ages begin at 9 a.m.

Grace Sweet opens at 9:50 a.m.

Grace’s Closet opens at 11:30 a.m.

Hispanic Worship will be held from 2-5 p.m. in the chapel.

The Middle School Youth Group will meet Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and Aerobics at 6:30 p.m.

Bible Study will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., the High School

Shoppe Youth Group will meet from 6-8 p.m., and FROG (Friends Relying on God, Grades 1-5) meets at 7 p.m.

Aerobics will be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Grace Singers Rehearsal at 7 p.m. and Hispanic Worship at 7 p.m. in the chapel.

Hispanic Youth Service will meet Friday from 7-10 p.m. in the chapel.

Nancy Haigh Ross is the pastor.

Information: 2144.

• Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 733 Ridge Rd., Sellersville, holds worship services each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school is at 9 a.m. The church is handicapped-accessible.

Information: 215-2579423.

• PeDFe-TRhLFkRn Lutheran Church, 100 Old Bethlehem Rd., Perkasie, holds worship services at 8:15 and 10:15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages (including an adult discussion group) is held at 9 a.m.

A New Spirit contemporary family worship service is held on the third Sunday of each month.

The sanctuary is handicapped accessible.

“Children Friendly” – all are welcome – Be at Peace!

Rev. Serena Sellers is the pastor.

Information: 215-2573294, visit www.peace-tohickon.org or friend us on Facebook!

• PennULGJe ChULstLDn FellRwshLS IRUmeUly PennULGJe Full GRsSel TDbeUnacle, 720 Blooming Glen Rd., just off Route 113 in Blooming Glen, holds Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. with Spanish interpretation. Sunday school is after the worship service for infants to age 12. Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. is prayer and praise, Crossroads youth,

215-723- and during September to April there is boys’ and girls’ clubs. Small groups meet throughout the week. Everyone is welcome. Pennridge Christian Academy is an early childhood education center for infants through kindergarten in operation Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Information: 215-2577309 or www.pennridgecf. org.

• Penn VDlley ChuUFh, 320 N. Third St., Telford, will begin each Sunday with Prayer at 9 a.m. followed by the morning worship at 10:15 a.m. Nursery and children’s church are provided during the worship service.

Family Night is held Wednesdays from 6:45-8:15 p.m. offering children’s instruction, youth group and classes for adults.

Penn Valley also offers a coffeehouse ministry “From the Ground Up.”

Information: 215-7235890 or www.pvcwired. com.

• PeUkDsLe MennRnLte Church, Fourth and Chestnut streets, Perkasie, holds worship services each Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school classes for all ages begin at 11 a.m.

215-257- bicycle around four miles, maybe more, to deliver all my papers.”

Given that extended amount of time traveling the neighborhood, McClain didn’t want to risk finding himself in any potentially embarrassing situations. So he asked his mother to wash the strawberry-smelling canvas bag.

And then he asked her to wash it again. And again. And again.

“They were pretty tough canvas bags. They weren’t something you washed,” said McClain. “But it still smelled like strawberries, and at some point, my mom wouldn’t wash it anymore because she was afraid it would make our clothes smell like strawberries.”

That’s some pretty doggone strong-smelling ink right there.

McClain, an Abington grad but now a Doylestown resident, shared that delightful story with me at a recent Abington Educational Foundation strategic planning session at which we were both participants. Not only is it a wonderful story of a more innocent time in our lives, but another aspect interested me as well: With 37 years in the newsroom, I had never heard of scented ink being used in the printing of a newspaper.

So I went right to the main sources to get the skinny on the strawberry smell: Fred Behringer was the longtime executive editor of Montgomery Newspapers from 1957 until his retirement in 2001; and Bill Strasburg, who bought the Ambler Gazette in 1952, the Public Spirit in Hatboro/Horsham in 1954 and the Times Chronicle and Glenside News in 1959 and formed what eventually would be known as Montgomery Media, which he sold in 1989. Both confirmed that yes, the newspaper did experiment with scented ink in the early 1960s.

“The smell was noticeable and the reaction was overwhelmingly negative,” said Behringer, confirming McClain’s recollection.

“Fred always has a nice way of putting it,” said Strasburg. “I bought the

Nursery care is provided throughout the morning.

Faith & Light group meets the second Friday of each month at 7 p.m. This is an ecumenical community group that meets for fellowship and worship for persons with intellectual disabilities, family and friends. The gifts of Faith & Light are friendship, acceptance, and a place to share their gifts, deepening spiritual awareness, encouragement and celebration. The name “Circle of Hope” was chosen as the group name.

The church is handicapped accessible.

Information: 215-2573117 or www.perkmenno. org.

• PUesbyteULDn ChuUFh RI Deep Run, Route 113 and Elephant Road, Bedminster Twp., holds a worship service with Sunday school and child care each Sunday at 9:30 a.m.

Information: 215-2493689 or www.pcdeeprun. org.

• RLGJe VDlley UnLteG Church of Christ, 905 Allentown Rd., West Rockhill, holds services at 8 and 10:30 a.m.

Information: 7244.

• Rockhill Mennonite Church, 3100 Meetinghouse Rd., Telford, holds services beginning with Sunday school at 9 a.m. and a blended worship service at 10:10 a.m. Childcare is provided at all services.

Junior and senior youth groups have a variety of activities throughout the month. The church also offers a variety of programs and ministry opportunities for all ages.

Larry Moyer is the senior pastor.

Information: 215-7237780 or www.rockhillmc. org.

• St. AnGUew’s LutheUDn Church, Dill Avenue &

• St. Agnes Church, 443 N. Main St., Sellersville, offers mass every Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m. and at noon. Monday through Friday, mass is celebrated at 8 a.m. There is also a 9:30 a.m. mass Fridays except during summer months. There is a weekly Saturday mass at 9 a.m. and a Saturday vigil at 5:15 p.m. On holy days vigils will be held at 9 a.m. and 5:15 and 7:30 p.m.

Information: 215-2572128.

In 1962, it wasn’t exactly good form to smell like a strawberry. At least that was the thought process of a 13-year-old Don McClain at the time.

Hey, he had girls to consider. McClain figured smelling like a strawberry might hamper whatever chances a young man cruising around Ardsley on a bicycle had to impress the ladies.

Then there were his buddies. Surely they would give him the raspberries when they got a whiff of the strawberry on him. McClain shuttered to think of the teasing he might endure.

And it was all thanks to his paper route. Yep, the Glenside News was causing a good bit of consternation for the paperboy and his potential social activities.

Apparently, the newspaper was experimenting with scented ink in those days. McClain thinks it was around Valentine’s Day of 1962, and the weekly Glenside News had been printed with strawberry-scented ink. It was so pungent, though, that the smell got into the canvas bags that the kids used in those days to throw over their shoulders or the handlebars of the bicycles to deliver the papers. And it wouldn’t go away.

“My hands smelled like strawberries, the bag smelled like strawberries,” said McClain. “When you’re riding around town, you’re going to bump into some of your buddies, or maybe even some girls that you know. And when you’re only 13 or 14, this is critical. I didn’t want to smell like a strawberry.”

McClain’s paper route included 50 or 60 deliveries, although he said it wasn’t a very efficient route. Ardsley is basically a lot of straight streets and a lot of straight cross streets. The kids that delivered the daily Bulletin route would throw papers on Monroe Avenue, Maple Avenue or Cricket Avenue. But McClain’s Glenside News route was scattered all over Ardsley.

“It was really an exercise in physical fitness for a teenage boy,” said McClain, who made between $5 and $8 a week, a decent amount of money for a teenager in 1962. “When it was all said and done, I was riding my scented ink from an ink dealer in Philadelphia. It had been scented with strawberries. The more I think about it, the more I think it was for a strawberry festival.”

Strasburg said that advertisers were experimenting with direct marketing at the time, and the strawberryscented ink was one of those experiments.

“People talked about how terrible it was, but everybody talked about it,” said Strasburg. “There were a lot of complaints. It wasn’t just the Glenside News, it was in all of the Montgomery Newspapers.”

Strasburg said the ink “experiment” was conducted off and on over the course of about a year. But it became a burden in the pressroom during printing and the newspapers dropped the scented-ink idea.

“It was too difficult to manage and it didn’t go very well,” said Strasburg. “But the strawberry thing is something people remember. It turned out to be effective in the sense that they remembered it.”

That they did. It left such an impression on Don McClain that he shared his story with me 50 years later in the administration building at Abington School District. Mr. Strasburg’s advertisers certainly couldn’t have imagined getting a 50-year return on the initial investment in strawberry-scented ink. The fact that nobody at this juncture can remember what advertisers used the smelly ink is the only fly in that inkwell.

“You’re not going to sit there in your favorite chair and read the local news with the smell of strawberries in your face,” said McClain, even though his version of the story – Valentine’s Day vs. strawberry festival – differs a little from Strasburg’s version.

“I like my story better,” said McClain. “It’s just a fun memory.”

Mike Morsch is executive editor of Montgomery Media and author of the book, “Dancing in My Underwear: The Soundtrack of My Life.” He can be reached by calling 215-542-0200, ext. 415 or by email at msquared35@ yahoo.com. This column can also be found at www.montgomerynews.com.

• St. Andrew’s United Church of Christ, 615 E. Walnut St., Perkasie, holds a worship service at 10W15 a.m. Sunday school is at 9 a.m.

Bible study will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m.; at 7 p.m., evening Bible study “Anticipating Fulfillment.”

Wednesday at 6W30 p.m. children’s choir meets; at 7 p.m. senior choir and guitar group; and at 7W30 p.m. the worship team will meet.

Thursday at 7W30 p.m., the bell choir will rehearse.

InformationW 215-257-2880 or www.standrewsucc.org.

• St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3104 Main St., Sumneytown, holds a contemporary worship service at 8W30 a.m. and a traditional worship service at 10W30 a.m. Sunday school for ages three to adult will be held at 9W20 a.m.

Rev. Rebecca Eisenhart is the pastor.

InformationW 215-2344888 or visit www.stjsumneytown.org.

• St. John’s Lutheran Church Ridge Valley, 910 Allentown Rd., West Rockhill, will hold a traditional service with choir at 9 a.m. and an informal worship service with praise band at 10W45 a.m. Coffee and conversation follow each service. Chestnut Street, Perkasie, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10W30 a.m. An 8 a.m. Service of Holy Communion is also offered on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.

InformationW 215-2576184 or www.saelcperkasie. org. Childcare is available after the 9 a.m. service. Sunday school is held at 10W15 a.m.

Souper Cooks/Comfort Crafters meet the second Monday of each month at 9 a.m.

Girls Scouts, second year Cadette and first year Seniors, both meet the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The church is handicap accessible.

The Rev. Amy Hotter is the pastor.

InformationW 215-2579643 or www.stjohns-ridgevalley.com.

• St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, 141 S. Main St., Dublin, holds a Sunday worship service at 10W30 a.m.

The choir rehearses Mondays at 7 p.m.

InformationW 3211.

215-249-

• St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 3668 Ridge Rd., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship services at 7W45 and 10W15 a.m. Koinonia Cafe starts at 8W30 a.m. with fair trade coffee and baked goods prepared by the youth. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.

InformationW 215-7952965, or visit www.kellerschurch.org.

• St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, 25 E. Church St., Sellersville, holds traditional worship services each Sunday at 8 and 10W30 a.m. and a contemporary worship service, the New Creation Gathering, is held at 9W15 a.m. in the fellowship hall. This service offers a different option to both church members and to neighbors in the Sellersville and sur- rounding communities who are currently unaffiliated. It allows and encourages people to ask questions, explore their faith and express their concerns in a freestyle forum. An audio/visual system in the fellowship hall adds a new venue for St. Michael’s to share its mission of outreach to the area.

The learning hour begins at 9W15 a.m.

InformationW 215-2576040 or visit www.smelc. org.

• St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 107 W. Lincoln Ave., Telford, holds Sunday worship services at 8W15 and 10W45 a.m. The First and Third Sundays at 9W30 a.m. is Family Time - a multi generational Sunday school and worship service. The Feast and Celebration worship service is held the First Sunday at 10W45 a.m. and the Third Sunday at 6 p.m.

InformationW 215-7238981 or www.stpaulstelford. org.

• St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 104 Green St., Sellersville, holds a worship service at 8 and 10W15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 20, the Second Sunday after Epiphany will be observed. Confirmation classes meet at 5 p.m.

A Tot Time Program, for children ages one through three, and their parent/caregiver, will be held Monday mornings from 9W30-10W30 a.m. Younger siblings may accompany their older siblings. To register, call 215257-7268.

Prayer Shawl Ministry is held the first and third Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m.

Choir rehearsal

is held Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

Rev. Patti Thomas is the Pastor.

InformationW 215-2577268 or www.stpaulsucc. net.

• St. Peter’s Covenant Church of Hilltown, 1006 Hilltown Pike, Hilltown, holds a worship service at 10W15 a.m. with nursery provided. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9 a.m.

InformationW 215-8229375.

• St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 1530 Augsburg Drive, Hilltown, holds worship services each Sunday at 8 and 10W45 a.m. with a contemporary family service at 9W15 a.m. Christian education classes for all ages begin at 9W15 a.m.

The quilters meet the second and third Tuesday of the month.

The brunch bunch meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

InformationW 215-8229108 or www.stpeterslchilltown.org.

• St. Peter’s Tohickon United Church of Christ, 1071 Old Bethlehem Rd., Perkasie, holds a worship service each Sunday at 10W15 a.m.

Sunday school classes for children of all ages meet at 9W30 a.m. Adult Sunday school classes meet the last Sunday of the month at 8W45 a.m. All are welcome. Bible study meets Tuesdays at 1 p.m. in the Parish House.

InformationW 215-2574633 or www.stpetersucc. org.

• St. Stephen’s United Church of Christ, 110 N. Sixth St., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship services at 9W30 a.m.

Adult Bible study and Sunday school classes start at 10W30 a.m.

InformationW 215-2576460 or 215-257-8676.

• Silverdale Brethren in Christ Church, 165 W. Main St. (Route 113), Silverdale, holds a 10W30 a.m. service.

Sunday school for every age is held at 9W30 a.m.

The midweek service, youth group and kids clubs are held Wednesdays at 6W30 p.m.

Women’s Bible Study will meet Thursdays at 1 and 7 p.m.

InformationW 4272.

215-257-

• Solomon’s United Church of Christ, 2990 Bedminster Rd., Perkasie, holds Sunday worship service at 10W20 a.m.

InformationW 2668.

215-795-

• Trinity Lutheran Church, Fifth and Chestnut streets, Perkasie, holds Sunday worship services of Holy Communion each Sunday at 8 and 10W30 a.m. A supervised nursery is provided during the 10W30 a.m. service. The learning hour for all ages begins at 9W15 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 20, the Second Sunday after Epiphany will be observed. The Rev. Jonathan Suloff will preach and preside.

Rev. Jonathan Suloff is the pastor.

InformationW 215-2576801 or www.trinityperkasie.org.

• Trinity UCC, 101 S. Main St., Telford, holds Sunday worship services at 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday school for all ages begins at 9W45 a.m.

Greg Kammann is the fulltime pastor.

InformationW 215-7233889, email trinityucc1@ verizon.net or visit www. trinitytelford.org.

• Zion Mennonite Church, 149 Cherry Lane, Souderton, holds a service of worship each Sunday at 9 a.m. During worship time, Children’s Church and Bible Mania for young people are offered.

Fellowship time and Sunday school for all ages follows from 10W15-11W15 a.m.

Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. the Sr. High youth group meets.

My Toddler and Me is an opportunity for parents and other caregivers of two and three year olds to get out of the house and meet others. Each Wednesday morning from 9W30-10W30 a.m. or from 10W30-11W30 a.m. come for story, craft and fun time together.

Registration is now open for the Nursery School 2013-14 school year. wion Mennonite Nursery School has been providing a program of kindergarten readiness for children three and four years old for more than 40 years. The 2013-14 year will offer a morning and afternoon three year old class on Tuesday and Thursday and a morning and afternoon Four Year Old class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This program is an excellent way to have your child ready for kindergarten. Interested parents should contact the church office at 215-7233592.

InformationW 215-7233592 or www.zionmennonite.org.