Mayflower Community
In 1950 Rev Dr Royal J. Montgomery, a retired superintendent of the Iowa Conference of Congregational-Christian Churches (precursor of the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ) and his wife Margaret founded The Mayflower Home to provide housing services for retired clergy and missionaries in Grinnell, Iowa. It has since grown to become The Mayflower Community serving almost 250 residents including retired UCC clergy.
Mayflower celebrated its 75th anniversary with a weeklong celebration themed “Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Reimagining the Future.” On the first day of the anniversary’s opening ceremony on Monday, Sept 15, I was honored to provide the opening blessing and to present to Ms. Kellie McGriff, Mayflower’s Administrator, with a resolution by the Iowa Conference Board of Directors in recognition of its 75th anniversary. UCC’s Rev Bonnie Lipton, retired chaplain for the community was the Master of Ceremonies and her spouse, Patricia Lipton, Iowa Conference Board member are residents of Mayflower and were beside me as I presented the resolution. The resolution which partially reads that the conference “endorses and encourages all Iowa UCC congregations and members to support The Mayflower Community by contributing to Mayflower’s Human Needs Endowment Fund by special offering to continue supporting retired clergy, spouses, and missionaries” was received warmly by the residents and the Board of Mayflower that attended the ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, I hosted a breakfast for the retired UCC clergy and their spouses who reside at Mayflower, many long-time pastors of the Iowa Conference, including a former Iowa Conference Minister, Rev Orland Mitchell. Pastor Jessica Margrave Schirm of Grinnell Congregational UCC also attended the breakfast, with two associate pastors from Grinnell. I was able to listen to their stories and ministries within the United Church of Christ. It was a blessing to be among them and to thank them personally for their many years in ministry of serving the UCC.
Congratulations Mayflower Community and thank you for serving all retired age people in Iowa. Donations to The Mayflower Community’s Human Needs Endowment can be made by sending them to The Mayflower Community, 616 Broad Street, Grinnell, IA 50112 or by their website https://mayflowerhomes.com.
Bendiciones y Paz,
Rev Roberto
