Betty Ayars

                Betty Ayars, a 55-plus year member, also remembers the MYF plays.  Betty was a member of the Booster Circle and the "Sunshiners," a group who visited the elderly.  People that Betty remembers from her years at Ebenezer include her cousin Scott Guthrie, who spoke at the 150th anniversary celebration.  She also credited her mother as "a great Ebenezer lady," and fondly remembers her Sunday school teachers, Cora Johnson and Lora Little.  Betty said Ebenezer has been a way for her to "help people."


Bertha Boronski

          In addition to the Ayars family, Ebenezer has some others who have been members for over 50 years.  Bertha Boronski's family, the Kirks, were members when she joined in 1926 at the age of 5.  Bertha is retired from the Navy after 25 years service. She has been taping the services for 25 to 30 years and still tapes them with the help of John Humphries and others.  She remembers Rev. Gilbert Gehman from his pastorate of 1923 - 1928.  Bertha was impressed with him as a minister.  He had a daughter the same age as Bertha and he told her that she reminded him of his daughter.  Bertha also has fond memories of the Harvest Home celebrations.  She said, "We had one chicken, one ham, fed a lot of people and had a lot of fun.  We held Harvest Home on land that belonged to Arthur Whiteman."


Catharine Dempsey


          Ebenezer's church historian, Catharine Dempsey, has been a member for 52 years.  Her parents were also members.  Catharine fondly remembers  the three-act plays the MYF performed.  She said they had a lot of fun and got to go to different churches and groups to perform.

Dot Hitchens


 From 1942 - 1994 Dot Hitchens was Ebenezer's church organist.  She has been a member for 59 years.  Dot said she was very quiet and that when she was 14 or 15 she enjoyed MYF.  She said her participation in MYF "brought out my inner spirit."  Dot said Ebenezer is a place where everyone is friendly, loving and makes you feel special.  She said she received a lot of credit and praises for her talent as organist which "means more than money."

The Ayars Family


Mark Ayars, Paul Guthrie Ayars and Betty Ayars are the great-great grandchildren of Alexander Guthrie.  Their mother, Maggie Guthrie Ayars, was also a member of Ebenezer.


Mark Ayars

Mark Ayars, a son of Mattie and Clifford Ayars, has been a member of Ebenezer for over 50 years. Mattie was a Guthrie, the great-granddaughter of Alexander Guthrie, the founder of Ebenezer.
Mark remembers Mrs. Anna Cameron, Sunday school superintendent, as a very important and influential person to him as he was growing up.  From the time he was 15 years old until he retired in 1994 Mark mowed the grass at Ebenezer.  He also served as lay leader, president of the Methodist Men, Sunday school teacher of the Men's Class, a Stephen minister, and for many years as an usher.
Mark and his wife, Mary Lou, have one daughter, Lynn, who was baptized by Pastor Willard Robinson and married by Pastor William Dore.  Lynn lives in Massachusetts with her boys, Kristopher and Mark Alexander (named after his grandfather and great-great-great-great-grandfather).