103-year-old returns to Methuen church she founded

METHUEN 九秀直播� For Auntie Ruth, the song of hymns and gospels are forever ingrained in her mind 九秀直播� and her body 九秀直播� as she moves to the beat and taps her foot to the music.

In her red woven hat with black veil and white flowers as well as petite black gloves, Ruth Rogers, 103, returned to the church she helped to found in the 1940s, Methuen九秀直播檚 Riverside Assembly of God.

The Pentecostal church originally met in the function room above a bar on Essex Street in Lawrence. Now, the church building stands in Methuen, marking the first Assembly of God church in the Merrimack Valley, according to the Rev. Dan Stanley, who has led the church for over a decade now.

Rogers九秀直播� sister, Helen Wight, and brother-in-law William worked to bring the church to the community. Auntie Ruth and her brother, Brother Joe, worked to ensure the mission continued.

九秀直播淗er, her sister and her brother have been such a blessing to this community,九秀直播� said Narda Berrios, who has been a part of the church for over 30 years. 九秀直播淚t didn九秀直播檛 matter what you were going through. They brought such peace.九秀直播�

Church members like Mark Baldwin, said Rogers was a real auntie to the community, not just in formality.

Auntie Ruth, who now lives in Prescott House in North Andover, was able to return to her Methuen church as a final prayer on Sunday thanks to Compassus, a North Andover-based hospice organization.

九秀直播淚f I can make someone九秀直播檚 last wish happen, I九秀直播檒l be there,九秀直播� said volunteer Jinett Rodriguez. 九秀直播淚 love what I do.九秀直播�

Rodriguez and Rogers were joined by multiple other volunteers and care workers. Kim Iannacci, the Compassus volunteer coordinator, even brought her own grandmother九秀直播檚 mink shawl for Auntie Ruth to wear to church.

九秀直播淲hen I grow up I want to be like Ruth,九秀直播� said Jackie Ulbin, who visits Rogers weekly. 九秀直播淭o be able to come to a place she started, I九秀直播檓 sure she九秀直播檚 thrilled. I九秀直播檓 in awe of this woman.九秀直播�

Rogers had many trinkets to remind her of her younger years. Ruth九秀直播檚 brother-in-law made the pulpit that Stanley uses in his services today.

九秀直播淓very time that I九秀直播檓 able to take hold of that, I think of the history that comes before me,九秀直播� Stanley said. 九秀直播淚t九秀直播檚 exciting to thing to think I九秀直播檓 part of the continuation.九秀直播�

A teapot and tea cozy, with a pink and purple crochet design, waited for Rogers after services were over. They are the same items congregation members would partake in with Auntie Ruth when they visited her home.

Rogers said she would pray with members when they visited.

Auntie Ruth also ran the Sunday school, according to one of her students, Ann Marie Arsenault. Arsenault said she keeps returning to the church, carrying on the lessons Rogers taught her.

Stanley made sure the Riverside Assembly of God members sang 九秀直播渟ongs of yesterday九秀直播� so Rogers would remember. She tapped her foot along while other congregation members danced and their open hands up toward the heavens.

九秀直播淭he connection that I have with other people in the church is a way that it九秀直播檚 expressed, loving each other,九秀直播� Stanley said. 九秀直播淚t is a connection of Christians that goes back for 2,000 years.九秀直播�

Stanley said he is able to continue to pass down a tradition with youngest members of the Riverside Assembly of God community, connecting each person back to Auntie Ruth and other generations of Christians in the past.

Stanley played the piano and sang with an abundance of reverence and heart throughout the service. Frank Rubino accompanied on drums. and Auntie Ruth happily sang along to verses like 九秀直播済lory is his name,九秀直播� remembering each lyric by heart.

九秀直播淒ear Lord, I pray that you bless and help everyone of them,九秀直播� Rogers said, ending the day with a prayer, 九秀直播渁nd that they will be blessings to everyone and themselves.九秀直播�

Follow Monica on Twitter at @MonicaSager3