The following ministers were appointed: Rev. G.A. Fee (1922 - 1923) and Rev. Thomas Gregg (1923 - 1924). Rev. Gregg’s ministry was cut short due to his untimely death in a streetcar accident. His wife, Georgiana, finished his pastoral duties until September, 1924. In the nine months that Rev. Gregg served, the membership had tripled. Rev. H. E. Duttweiler (1924 - 1926); Rev. Harry Felton (1926 - 1927); Rev. A. H. Wallis (1927 - 1929); Rev. Robert D. Richards (1929 - 1933); Rev. 0.J. Lyon (1933 - 1935); Rev. Meldon E. Crawford (l935 - 1936); Rev. Wm. J. Prisk (l936 - 1937); Rev. H. Guinn (1937 - 1938). Then, Rev. Wm. J. Prisk again served from 1938 to early 1941. (Part of Rev. Prisk's pastorate was a dual charge with the Simpson Methodist Church in Detroit.)

 

Mostly because of the deep depression that the country was in, the mortgage on the parsonage could not be paid and it was foreclosed on in the 1930's. In 1941 financial difficulties caused dissension between Rev. Prisk and the Detroit Conference officers. In a meeting with the pastor, Rev. William J. Prisk, and the District Superintendent, the congregation voted to support the minister in the stand he took against the Detroit Conference. This necessitated the withdrawal of Rev. Prisk from the Methodist pastorate and the congregation became an independent church and lost the use of the building.

 

In order to gradually and officially close the Methodist charge at Clarenceville, Rev. Elsie A. Johns was asked to carry out this mandate. She was a member of Highland Park First Methodist Church and was known throughout and beyond the Detroit District because of her active participation in evangelism and as a representative for the Epworth League, an organization formed to encourage and support a social environment around the world for young adults (ages 18 – 36) where they could find purpose and develop to the highest level of Christian character. Because of Elsie’s dedication to Christ, her love for people, her evangelistic zeal and her belief that a church should grow - not die, she was determined that it would survive and kept the church open in spite of many adversities. Under Elsie's leadership, the church membership grew by leaps and bounds.

 

Elsie worked at the church in the evenings and weekends while remaining a full time employee in the billing and bookkeeping department of the National Twist Drill & Tool Company in Rochester Hills, from 1923 to 1955. She spent much of her time visiting in the neighborhood and making hospital calls. Although no local residents attended the church for several weeks, she was helped by her younger sister, Marilyn (Johns) MacKenzie and several friends who came with her from Highland Park. Among them was Margaret Fields who eventually joined the Church after marrying Elsie's brother, Harry Johns.

 

In 1955 Elsie ended her employment with the Twist Drill & Tool Company and began to work full time at the Clarenceville Methodist Church. About four years after Elsie became the pastor at Clarenceville, Wilma Hood Arensman left her home church and secular job to assist Elsie in every conceivable capacity. She brought not only an exceptional musical talent, but also a love for and dedication to children's work as well as a life full of joy and enthusiasm for serving Christ and His Church. Wilma officially retired in 1980 as Minister of Music, however she continued to serve the church in various ways, including music, until her death in January of 2000.

 

　In 1956, the congregation purchased a piece of property (lot 30) on Collingham to the north of the church in the J M Cox Estate Subdivision to be used to build a parsonage. Construction began on the parsonage in December of 1956. Roy Wedge, the brother of one of the members of the congregation, was the builder. As the church grew, the congregation soon outgrew its’ facilities on Grand River and property was purchased in Livonia on Middle Belt Road. The groundbreaking was held on June 28, 1964 and the south end of the present building was completed in 1966.

 

On October 7, 1965 a testimonial dinner was given in Rev. Johns' honor at the Statler-Hilton Hotel in Detroit. This dinner celebration filled the main ballroom of the hotel. In addition to the testimonials of her life and work, she was presented with a purse containing $2,000 that was to be used for a trip to the Holy Land.

 

The last building project that Elsie completed was the striking contemporary sanctuary, chapel and office addition which was completed in the summer of 1972. The Consecration Service for the Sanctuary was on September 17, 1972 and the Note Burning and Dedication of the Sanctuary Xwas celebrated on December 6, 1981.

 

Rev. Elsie A. Johns accepted the pastorate of the nearly defunct Church in 1941 as a part-time supply pastor and remained their beloved pastor until her death at the age of 69 in January, 1974. She served the Clarenceville United Methodist Church as pastor for 33 years. 　At the time of her death she was an associate member of the Detroit District Conference. The scope of Elsie's ministry is too great to complete here. Her memory is in the hearts of those who knew her and, through her guidance, became personally acquainted with Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

After Elsie's death, Dr. John Marvin was interim pastor for six or seven months. Then the following pastors served at Clarenceville: Rev. Gerald Fisher (March 1974 - December 1984); Dr. James Tuttle (January 1985 - 1990); Rev. Les McCabe was the associate (1990 - 1993); Rev. Larry VanSlambrook (1990 - November of 1991); Rev. Art Spafford served as an interim pastor (November 1991- January 1992); Rev. James Kummer (February 1, 1992 - 1995); Rev. Jean Love (1995-2001); Rev. James Britt (2001 - 2006); Rev. Beth Librande (2006 - 2010). Rev. Donald R. Sperling became our current pastor in on July 1, 2010.

 

There have been many individuals who have entered Christian service from this congregation : James Auger (Youth Ministry); Pastor Edward Bastian; Pastor Larry Bentley; Pastor Martin Caudil; Pastor John Fisher; Pastor Robert Goudie; Pastor Paul Gruenberg; Pastor Kevin Harbin ; Major Cherri Hobbins (Salvation Army Minister); Pastor Carol Johns; Pastor Kris Kappler; Pastor Les McCabe; Pastors Kevin and Cathee Miles; Pastor Bud Parkin; Margaret Saunders-Tremier (Music Ministry); Pastor Allen Schweizer; Marion Shaw (Missionary to Korea); Pastor Bill Smith; and Cecil Tucker (Missionary). There are also a host of dedicated persons who have gone into the world to become Christian professionals such as: doctors, lawyers, teachers, business persons, servicemen, automakers, postal workers, custodial persons, fathers, mothers and many others. These people have lived out their faith and introduced a multitude of others to Jesus Christ.

 

Throughout these many years the church has served Livonia and the surrounding community with programs such as the Sweet Beginnings Nursery School, Wayne County Health Department Clinics, Education Intervention classes, Pastor's Pantry (which is now known as Pantry Plus), and the Pet Pantry, Currently our church is home to the India Christian Assembly (ICA) who uses our chapel for weekly worship services as well as other activities, and Victory Harvest, a church that uses the sanctuary for services on Sunday afternoon.

 

The church on earth is always and forever "a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." (Abigail Van Buren) The next chapter of history is ours to make. It is the responsibility and privilege Jesus Christ has given to us in the world He came to save. We look forward with great anticipation to the years ahead and our part in the ministry of Jesus Christ in this church and community!

 

"Each of us has a witness of God's work in our lives, and each of those stories make up the story of Clarenceville United Methodist Church. Thanks be to God, however, the story doesn't end here. Our work as Christ's ambassadors never ends because His love never ends!" (Pastor Jean Love: serving Clarenceville United Methodist Church from 1995 – 2001)

 

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