SCHMALENBERGER, Rev. Dr. Jerry L.

Saturday, May 14

■ 9 a.m. Walkers will convene at First Baptist Church, 638 S. Fountain Ave., for a neighborhood walk. Walkers gather in the parking lot of the church. All are welcome.

■ 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Northridge United Methodist Church, 4610 Derr Road, will a “PickYour-price” Yard Sale of house

goods, tools, toys, sporting goods, small appliances, etc. There be food trucks on site.

Sunday, May 15

■ 9 a.m. St. John’s Lutheran Church, 27 N. Wittenberg Ave., Springfield, will have Sanctuary Service featuring a large sanctuary that has plenty of room for social distancing. The Rainbow Table lunch is on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m. (everyone welcome). The Food Pantry is every 2nd, 3rd

4th Wednesday of the month from 9 to 10:45 a.m. and closed the first Wednesday of each month. The Outreach Thrift Store is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Donations accepted during open hours.

■ 10 a.m. First Baptist Church of Springfield is worshiping in church at 638 South Fountain Ave. with social distancing and CDC guidelines being observed. The fourthsunday after Easter is celebrated with a message by Pastor Adam Banks. Special musicwill be provided by Jenn and Joe Stahl. They will also lead the congregation in the singing of the hymns. Shannon Meadows willserve as lay leader. The service is also available on-line live at 10 a.m. through the church website www.firstbaptistspringfield.org, any time thereafter. 11 a.m. Children’s Sunday school will be held. The Adult Forum will meet this Sunday in the church lounge with Pastor Adam leading a session on baptism. First Baptist is a diverse congregation that reflects the population of Springfield. More infor

about the church and its activities can be seen onits Face Book page and its website.

■ 10 a.m. High Street UnitMethodist Church, 230 E. High St., Springfield, in person church service; Pastor Cynthia

Atwater. Church service also available online at www.highstreetunited.org/sermons.html. Updates on Website, Face Book throughthe office at 937-322-2527.

■ 10 a.m.northridge United Methodist Church, 4610

Derr Rd., will gather for worship both in person on Facebook. The worship service will include a short drama. In the coming days: the Quilting and Sewing group will meet on Monday at 10 a.m.; on Tuesday the Caregivers Support Group will meet at 4 p.m.; Walking Group meet at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday and Saturday; and the Biblestudy will meet on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Recent graduates will be honored during worship on Sunday, May 22.

■ 10:30 a.m. First Lutheran Church, Wittenberg and High celebrates Fifth Sunday of Easter in-person and online worship, Interimpastor Gil Santiago, Organist and Accompanist, Terry Donat, and Director of Music, Michael Koon. “Hear our prayer, hear our prayer, Lord, make us whole:

said,

more peace to all people, hope for each soul. God of grace, in place, hear now prayer.” text by Paul Andress.

Tuesday, May 17

■ 5:30 p.m. Central Community Kitchen at High Street UMC, 230E. High St., Springfield. Serving warm meals indoors from 5:30-6:30 p.m. For moreinformation, call Central Community Center at 937-3237597 the Church Office 937322-2527.

Wednesday, May 18

■ 1:30 p.m. Central Community Center/living Waters Ministry at High Street UMC, 230 E. High St., Springfield. Shower Ministry from 1:30-3:30 p.m. For more information, call the Church Office at 937-322-2527.

■ 6 p.m.first Baptist Church, 638 S. Fountain Ave., continues Bible Study via Zoom. Discussion on the book titled When Helping Hurts” by Brian Fikkert

Steve Corbett will be led by Pastor Adam Banks. Contact

Baptist Church at 937325-5537 for more information.

Jan. 23, 1934 - April 25, 2022

Husband, father, grandfather, friend, pastor, professor, mentor and missionary, the Rev. Dr.

Jerry Lew Schmalenberger’s humor and zest for life will be remembered long after his death on April 25, 2022. Pastor

Jerry, as he liked to be called, passed away at the age of 88 after a courageous battle with dementia and Parkinsonism. Jerry had enjoyed traveling, boating, skiing, writing, poetry, sharing the word of God, and helping others. He was the pastor of five congregations in Springfield, Bellefontaine, Tiffin and Mansfield, Ohio, and St. John’s in Des Moines, Iowa. He was then elected President and Professor of Practical Theology at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California, 1988-1996. After retirement he taught several more years there before serving sixteen years as a Global Mission Volunteer for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, teaching in many countries including Indonesia, China/hong Kong, Germany, Liberia, West Africa, and three South American countries. He was pleased that 33 of his former students are now teaching theology and helped some of them by email from home. He was also the author of thirty-five books and many articles, some which were translated into Bahasa Indonesian, Spanish, or Chinese.

Born at home in Greenville, Ohio, the son of Harry Henry and Limamarie Hormell Schmalenberger, he cherished vivid memories of his childhood with five years on their small farm. After attending a one room school during his time on the farm, the family moved to town again where he attended junior and senior high school. During summers, he worked at the synod’s Camp Mowana at Mansfield, first as counselor and nature study teacher. Later he became Program Director, spending seven summers there but promoting it year around. His father was fighting leukemia and became unable to work, so his mother continued to work as a registered nurse at the hospital to support the family. Jerry went to work in the local bakery at night while attending high school in the daytime. He was president of his junior and senior classes, took part in football, coaching Jr. High basketball, debate, speech, and drama activities.this was the beginning of his life-long habit of multi-tasking.

After his father’s death, the staunch support of his pastor, the Rev. Christian Wessel, DD, steered him toward further education for a life in ministry along with five other boys in the congregation. While at Wittenberg, Jerry continued to work in his sister’s bakery in Oakwood near Dayton at nights, often arriving for class to be teased for his flour-covered pants. After taking part in debate, speech competitions and campus drama, he then had the privilege during his first year in seminary to participate in the dedication of the dramatic new chapel on Wittenberg’s campus by playing the role of Becket in the drama Murder in the Cathedral.

Jerry graduated from Wittenberg University with a B.A. in 1956; the on-campus Hamma School of Theology with Master of Divinity 1959 and Doctor of Ministry in 1976. Wittenberg also awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1983. He served on the Board of Directors of Wittenberg for 19 years.

Following seminary, Schmalenberger was ordained in 1959 by the Synod of Ohio of the United Lutheran Church at Greenville, Ohio, in his home church, St. Paul’s, where he was baptized and confirmed, on his birthday January 23. At Springfield’s then Third Lutheran Church at Center and Liberty, he had been youth director during seminary. When he became eligible for ordination, the church asked to be considered as his first parish. Beginning there in February 1959, his first baptism was his niece. He continued the large youth group. While pastor there the congregation bought a used bus used for youth activities and transporting Wittenberg students to church. The church basement became a “teen den” for the neighborhood. When two of his catechism students needed a home, the Oesterlen Lutheran Home decided to let the Schmalenbergers become their foster parents, the first of many.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Carol Walthall Schmalenberger, his sister Doris Stickel (Ray), three natural children: Stephen Schmalenberger (Sheila Batt), Bethany Berger, and Sarah Layton Wallace (Steven); foster children, including Gene Schneider, Celia Mellad (Kirk), Marylynn Hartsel (Steven), Beatriz Simonassi, Lorpu Davies Wolofar (Isaac) and many grand and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his parents, older sister Jane Ross and sons Arthur Eubanks (Pam) and James Schneider (Robin).

https://jerryschmalenbergermemories.weebly.com/

Celebration of Life Service

Monday, May 16, at 1:00 p.m. Weaver Chapel, Wittenberg University, 200 W. Ward St., Springfield, Ohio 45504. Reception to follow.

His ashes will be placed in the Fountain Garden columbarium of Ferncliff Cemetery at Springfield, Ohio, near the campus.

For those who wish to donate in his memory:

Jerry L. Schmalenberger Endowed Scholarship at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, P.O. Box 525, Berkeley, CA 94701 or PLTS.EDU.

Wittenberg University, P.O. Box 720, Springfield, Ohio 45501 or wittenberg.edu.

Friends of Lutheran Theological Seminary, Hong Kong. Send to Books with Numbers - Mimi Borchers, 2730 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA 94509. Jerry raised funds for this organization. Doctors Without Borders at donate.doctorswithoutborders whose work he witnessed in his travels.