Brighton First History Garden Wins Award

The Detroit Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History has announced that Brighton First has won the John A. Baughman Award. The Commission has granted the award in recognition of Brighton First's History Garden. The Award is given annually to a church that has made a significant contribution to sharing the history of the United Methodist Church. The congregation will receive the award on September 18 during worship.

The Brighton First History Garden was created to honor the memory of Dr. Harry Davis, a long-time member of Brighton First and a church historian. Dr. Davis asked that memorial funds given in his name go to a project that would preserve church history, and in keeping with his humble nature, he asked that the project not bear his name.

The garden contains eight plaques that offer a brief history of Methodism, beginning with John and Charles Wesley and ending with historical highlights of the Brighton church. The garden, near the main entrance to the church, also contains a retired church bell, a peace poll, and a seating area.

Rev. Suzy Hutchison and Dr. Verne Hoshal designed the garden, Dr. Hoshal wrote the historical information contained on the plaques. Davis Memorial Funds, as well as funds in the memory of other members of Brighton First, were used to complete the garden.

The John A. Baughman Award is named for a prominent founder of Methodist churches in Michigan during the nineteenth century. He was from Ohio and visited the far off wilderness of southeastern Michigan in 1825. Baughman traveled as a "circuit rider", founding and serving churches from Houghton to Milford to Dexter, from Flint to Detroit to Adrian. In his decades of service as a pastor he served 43 churches.

At Brighton First, we honor our past, and we build on the foundation laid by faithful leaders and congregations who have come before us. It is our desire that as we serve in the present and plan for the future that we share the common mission to bring people to know Jesus Christ.

Note: The history garden is not only a place for rest, reflection and learning;
it is also a Pokemon Stop!