"This is Central Lutheran Church. Can I help you?"

Back in approximately 1978 to 1980s I got a job at the downtown Mpls church, Central Lutheran. I was secretary to the Business Administrator, Clayton Spranger and I ran the information booth which was my office. Transients would come asking for money, meal tickets or clothes. We did what we could to help them. At that time the Curtis Hotel was still in existence so many times we would send them over there. They had 3 or 4 pastors that would come and go throughout the day. They would check in and out with me so that I could pass telephone messages for people looking for them. I enjoyed working there. I had my own little office, my lunch hours were spent enjoying the grand piano in the sanctuary, and because it was and still is a beautiful church the effect was very pleasing.

Clayton Spranger, my boss
When my boss would make deposits at the TCF bank and get free gifts back he would sometimes offer them to me. I remember once getting a radio with all kinds of CB bands and bells and whistles on it which probably is why even today I love to listen to far away stations, except now I live-stream them through the internet so I can go even farther than that radio sent me. I remember once shortly after I got married when an elderly lady called and wanted to donate a very large couch to the church. Clayton came to me later and asked if I wanted it since Michael and I were newly married with not alot of furniture to speak of. I asked him about the lady's desire to donate it to the church. He said it was firehouse red and would never fit in except maybe in a brothel. We took it. It was very comfortable and the color never bothered me in the least.
One lovely memory was when we got together once a month as a staff and had brunch in the kitchen. One of the pastors had his own recipe for pancake syrup (lemon juice, brown sugar and a banana mixed together) and we would spread it over our pancakes. Another memory was when the pastors found out that I was engaged to a Catholic boy. They tried to talk me out of it (in a very non-threatening way) and I had some fun with them about that but of course the rest is history and it will be 32 years come this April. Their happiness for me came in the form of a much needed vacuum cleaner as a wedding present from all of them. Eventually life moved on and I left that job to pursue other interests like raising kids, etc. but will always remember my time at Central.

Some of the staff with me