Grandma’s Voice of Hope 1

Growing up I attended the same church as my grandmother, Normandy United Methodist Church in Centerville, Ohio. A service the church offered for a long time was a phone line called “Voices of Hope.” Church members would record new messages each week and anyone who needed to hear a voice of encouragement could call the number to listen. My grandmother was responsible for several weeks of messages and kept transcripts of six of them with her personal files.

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Week 1:

“Welcome to Voices of Hope from the Normandy United Methodist Church. This is Peggy Straughen. Among the many snapshots, cartoons, and reminders I keep on my refrigerator door, I also have a small card typed with my own words of encouragement which I would like to share with you this week.

Today they will be words of comfort, shared with me when my father died. If you have lost a loved one, a dear friend, or a spouse in death, you are grieving. But as sure as the robin still sings through the rain–there will be happiness and song for you again beyond the tears. Today the words of comfort for you on my refrigerator door are these:

Tenderly – may time heal your sorrow

Gently – may friends ease your pain

Softly – may peace replace heartache,

And may warmest memories remain.

Normandy Church at 450 W. Alex-Bell Rd. would like to help you find comfort and the peace of God in your life. Thank you for calling.”