Fowler’s Mill Christian Church has sat at 10755 Mayfield Road, Munson Township, since 1842, when it was built by members of the Disciples of Christ movement.
Fowler’s Mill Christian Church has sat at 10755 Mayfield Road, Munson Township, since 1842, when it was built by members of the Disciples of Christ movement.
The church has been the center of faith for its congregation during the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the tragedy of 9/11/2001, and the resulting war on terror.
It has observed countless baptisms, weddings and funerals over the past 176 years.
But recently, the white frame church, with its picture-postcard setting across from Alpine Valley Ski Resort, has faced a dwindling membership that has threatened to close its doors.
Following the retirement of its longtime pastor in 2014, the church suffered division during the past few years over changes in the worship service under a different pastor, with many older members and families leaving and church attendance trickling down to a handful each week.
Citing ill health, that pastor retired in 2016.
For the last two years, the small independent congregation has been served by a rotation of interim part-time pastors, as members worried among themselves about how long the historic church’s doors could remain open.
During this time, Rev. Doug Browning was enjoying retirement in Florida, after serving Kirtland Bethel Bible Church for more than 29 years.
“I was burnt out, dejected, discouraged and worn out,” Browning, 64, recalled. “I didn’t even want to think about being a pastor again. We moved to Florida in February 2015, and spent three and a half years enjoying the Sunshine State.”
He and his wife of 44 years, Jeri, were members of Grace Presbyterian Church in Cape Canaveral, where he occasionally filled in on a Sunday morning. The couple enjoyed spending more time with their four grown children and 10 grandchildren.
Gradually, however, Browning realized he missed being behind the pulpit and leading his own flock.
So when he heard from an acquaintance that Fowler’s Mill Christian Church, back in Northeast Ohio, was in need of a pastor, he decided to look into it.
“After much prayer and claiming God’s promises, I knew it was God’s plan for me to pastor a local church once again,” he explained.
So the Brownings packed up their household goods and moved back to chilly Northeast Ohio from sunny Florida, to take over the pulpit at Fowler’s Mill to the delight of the remaining members.
“After rumors of the church closing, it is great to have a permanent pastor and carry on the history of this church that was from the mid 1800s,” said church member Bill Mraz, who, with his wife, Debbie, ran a youth program until last year, when the church ran out of young people to participate.
“We had very good fill-in pastors, but it is great to have a permanent pastor in the pulpit again,” Mraz said.
Church member Fred Deming, who heard Browning preach and invited him to visit FMCC, said Browning will be “a tremendous asset” to the church and especially to this community. “His wife, Jeri, will be right by his side,” Deming said. “They are both so uplifting, it won’t be long until you want to be around them all the time. Our church has been praying for a leader for months. Glory be to God, He has sent us a true man of God.”
Browning said his plan is to preach the word of God.
“My main job as pastor is to feed the sheep,” he said. “When God’s people gather for worship on the Lord’s Day, it is to exalt our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Evangelism and church growth happen when Christians share with others what God has done, and is doing, in their lives.
“My job isn’t to grow the church, but to ‘build up the saints’ through the preaching of the word,” he continued.
Browning said he enjoys making personal visits to members’ and prospective members’ homes.
“You can’t be a good pastor if you don’t know the sheep,” he said. “I try to deal with each situation in a Biblical manner. When there are issues with sin or conflicts, Matthew 18:15 tells us to go directly to the person.”
The new pastor described his gifts as evangelism and exhortation.
“I love to share the gospel with the lost and encourage the saints in their walk with God,” Browning said. “I want to be faithful in honoring God and his word, walking with him and proclaiming the Gospel message. He will add to our number as he sees fit.”
The Fowler’s Mill Christian Church congregation will formally welcome the Brownings Sept. 16, which is National Back to Church Sunday, with a potluck dinner after the 10 a.m. church service.
Members said they planned the celebration with the hope people interested in finding a church will attend and former members will come back for a visit.
