Totally Our Privilege

On Saturday, August 20, we hosted on our campus the Major Taylor Cycling Club Signature Ride. The Major Taylor Cycling Club of Columbus is the first of many Major Taylor Clubs throughout our country. The club is named for African-American professional cyclist, Marshall “Major” Taylor. Although they are an inclusive club, the vast majority of the members of the Major Taylor Cycling Club are African-American. From the campus, they cycled distances of 100 miles, 66 miles, 33 miles, and 15 miles.

As you engaged in conversation with them, you learned that many of them turned to cycling to retain their health (and some of the founders of the Columbus club, now approaching 80 years of age, are great examples of physical fitness), but additionally they have taken it as their mission to raise lots of funds to assist with projects in the community.  More than one Major Taylor member talked with me about the importance of them “paying it forward.” They want to impact the issues that are currently having a profound impact on the black community and do that in meaningful ways.

I received a letter, along with an extremely generous check to the church, from the President of the  club.  I wanted to share that letter with you below.

To: Pastor Paul Barnes & Congregation,

On behalf of the Major Taylor Cycling Club of Columbus, Ohio, I want to send you our deepest heartfelt appreciation for letting us use your facilities for our annual Signature Ride Event.

It was truly a great success, and would not have happened but for your generosity and missionary spirit.

We hope to make this a tradition of hosting our annual Signature Ride in the coming years.

Please accept this love offering as a blessing to your wonderful church.

Thank you and God Bless, 

Keith Brun

MTCC President

The privilege was 100% ours.  It was a joy to have these folks on our campus, and I personally enjoyed riding with them so much!