As we get older so do the objects and places around us. Eventually they all need to be rebuilt and remodeled. They need to be reshaped and reformed for them to meet the supply and demand put out before them. We all could see one of these places as well in our minds. A place that needs to be fixed up and beautified.

The downtown, in my opinion, of Jackson has always needed a face lift. One of the places in particular is Mechanic Street. This street runs from Goodwill to St. Johns UCC and passes the Michigan Theater, St. Mary’s, and the Toy House. This needs a face lift not just because of the falling houses and the bumpy roads but because of my history with the places along that stretch of road.

Saint John’s United Church of Christ was the church that I was born into. Before I was six months old, I was baptized there and two years ago I was confirmed as a member. I have participated in

the youth group and helped with the children’s Sunday school in the summer. It was where I grew up and one of the places that shaped me into whom I am now.

The face lifts that would be needed would involve many different things. One being that we re-do the pavement on the street instead of putting patches of tar in the cracks, which usually makes the street have more potholes instead of less. The next would be to spruce up the houses, adding an extra coat of paint, planting flowers, and picking up litter. Another would include, providing money and time at the interfaith shelter.

This face lift added more potential and more hope for the surrounding community. It really amazed me at what we did in a small amount of time and a fairly small budget. The basement that we had in our church was small, cramped, moldy, musty, and contained the only bath rooms in the church. The restoration changed the basement into a first class building as well as added handicap accessibility to restrooms on the main level.

Howard “Buzz” Osborne was like a grandfather to me, and someone to look up to. In a world where it is hard to find a friend let alone a person who is a role model, if anything Buzz was both. He always said, “Hello!” to you with a bear hug and a kiss on the cheek. He would be out in ninety degree weather planting flowers with a heart condition and cancer. Buzz always wanted the church to be beautiful and never gave up hope no matter how hard things were for him or how bad the pain was. He loved everyone equally and didn’t give up on anyone or let anyone give up on themselves.

In the last two years St. John’s has been under construction. We decided as a church not to leave the neighborhood but to recreate our image. Si

Some topics in this essay:
Head Start, , St John’s, Church Christ, Toy House, Mechanic Street, Johns UCC, ground breaking, childhood memories, planting flowers,