A word that comes to mind while talking to Susan and Shane Legler, a mother and son who share a vocation, is grace. Probably a good thing, considering they are pastors.

Susan left a 20-year career as an RN and sold the business she started — Valley Home Care — to follow a call to enter the ministry. For 14 years, she served as an associate pastor at New Life Church, then became the pastor at Living Hope Church. 

During this time, Shane, a Powell High School graduate, was serving in the military as a linguist for the U.S. Army. When it was time for him to muster out, he knew he was called to the ministry as well. Shane was living in Texas at the time, and really didn’t want to leave. He had been accepted into a college program there and was ready to start the next season of his life.

“But I have five kids. I had bills to pay. I had a lot of job interviews but nothing panned out,” he said.

Part of the problem was that although Shane’s skill set was highly valuable and easily marketed, there always came that time in the interview where the prospective employer asked “Where do you see yourself in five years?” And Shane would answer that he was called to join the ministry. 

He even considered being untruthful, but heard God telling him, “Don’t you dare.”

Meanwhile, his best friend all through his growing up years, Aaron Black, inherited the Northwest Trading Post back home in Powell. Black called Shane to come work for him, helping him run the shop. 

“It was the only thing that opened up for me,” Shane chuckles now. “It has really worked out.” 

It worked out that he began to serve as an associate pastor at Living Hope and then, when the Garland Community Church pastor retired, Shane stepped into that pulpit, first as interim pastor, then as the regular officiate. 

That was seven years ago. 

Meanwhile, his mother, over at Living Hope, was getting older.

“I have reached a time when the world would say it’s time for me to retire. I have some health issues and need more time off,” Susan said. “But who do you get to fill in at a church in rural Wyoming?”

Shane also has from time to time hit a scheduling snag. If, for instance, one of his parishioners needed assistance, prayer or other ministerial guidance during the work day, he was unavailable. That, too, is part of the growing problem with small churches across the country. Most cannot afford the salary for a full-time pastor, so the cleric has to have a second job to cover his or her earthly needs. 

Susan had filled in a few times at the Garland church and the church body at Living Hope had known Shane most of his life. An idea was formed that the two churches become one.

First, both Leglers prayed mightily for guidance that the merger was in God’s will for their congregants and them. For more than a month, they sought the divine help they needed. 

“We prayed it out before we talked to the [congregations] because we wanted to know we were where God wanted us to be,” Susan said. “We came out of that month of prayer convicted it was his will.”

Then each pastor spoke to their own church body. Susan said her congregants didn’t see any downside and the Garland congregation was very open to the idea as well. But the members of the churches also sought direction in prayer and took another two months to be assured it was the right thing for all involved. Finally, at the end of March, the two churches became one, and meet now at the big white building in Garland.

“We give each other grace and love despite our flaws,” Shane said.

The Living Hope building on South Evarts Street is up for sale and hopes are it will soon have a new owner. The Garland Community Church has long wanted to build a larger sanctuary, but is seeking to do so debt-free. The sale proceeds will go toward that project somewhere down the road. It has become more needed than ever, since the usual Sunday sees about 65 of the faithful filling the seats.

“They have worked incredibly hard to make us all feel welcome,” Susan said. “And doctrinally we are on the same page.” 

Even though the church is the Garland Community Church, it is affiliated with the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana.

“You gotta have some organization and some structure,” Shane said, adding, “They [the Church of God] uphold scripture as the sole source of authority and our beliefs lined up with that.”

The joining of the two congregations has produced a stronger community, Susan said. Because the church is a little off the beaten path, attendance is more intentional.

“They come to Garland with a purpose,” she said. 

What are the hopes for the pastoring pair going forward?

Shane is looking forward to working with the Powell Ministerial Association. He especially enjoys the summer services in Washington Park.

“We are working together for the kingdom [of God], and it blesses the community,” he said.

And it is imperative that the congregation knows their absolute intention is to remain where they have been planted.

“Part of the fight for rural churches is a pastor that will stay,” Susan said.

“Young ones straight out of ministerial school start at a rural church as a stepping stone to a larger one,” Shane added.

“We feel really strongly that you stay,” Susan continued; Shane agreed.

“You smell of sheep because you walk with the flock,” he said.

A brief history of the Garland Community Church

The Garland Community Church didn’t start as a church. It was built as a school and is still called the old Garland schoolhouse by some residents.

Construction was completed about 1908. When it was no longer needed as a school, it became the Garland Clubhouse and remained so until about 1960. By that time it had fallen into disrepair and a church congregation was able to purchase it for $1 and set about restoring and renovating it to their needs. 

The bell from the bell tower had made its way to the Homesteader Museum. The church requested it be returned and at first the museum was hesitant. But it finally relented, sending the bell back home — with the caveat that if the building is ever vacated by the church, the bell be sent back to the museum. 

The big building once utilized the second story for its parsonage.

 Well into the modern era, there was no running water to the top floor, and the minister was tasked with hauling water up the steep narrow stairwell. Now, however, there is hot and cold running water to the second floor. 

Without the need of a parsonage for the new minister, that roomy second floor — similar in size to a three-bedroom house — is now utilized for Sunday school classes, counseling sessions and youth activities. 

The need for space for youth is increasing, said pastor Shane Legler, because the number of younger people attending church services — including young families with smaller children — is growing.