Most assuredly, most Allisonville Christian Church (ACC) members already know Sherilee because of her support and coordination of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) Family Promise outreach program. Sherilee shares that she enjoys being a part of IHN and the important role it can make in the rebuilding of participating families’ lives.
Sherilee has always lived in Indianapolis. She grew up on the south side near Raymond and Sherman streets. After joining ACC, she learned that she grew up a few blocks from Pastor Diane Spleth’s childhood home. Sherilee graduated from Manual High School, and for all ACC basketball fans, she was in the same graduating class with the Van Arsdale twins. When in high school, she took accordion lessons and remembers carrying her heavy accordion in its case on the city bus and making transfers to the Indianapolis Conservancy of Music to take those lessons. When she was in college, she even taught accordion lessons.
Sherilee’s career has mainly been in the area of working for accounting or loan offices. She had various tasks, one as an office manager. She also worked for 37 years in several accounting firms. She was the treasurer of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce at the time that Fort Benjamin was decommissioned and given to the city of Lawrence which was a very busy and exciting time. She stayed home from work when her two girls were growing up and stays in regular contact with them today as they both live in the Indianapolis area. She has four grandchildren who are all grown up as well. Sherilee fondly recalls when she and one of her daughters directed and managed the cherub choir (ages 4 and 5) at Calvary Baptist Church. She was a Camp Fire Girls leader and remembers being responsible for storing all the candy in her garage before the big candy sale season.
Church has always been a part of Sherilee’s life. Before coming to ACC, she knew she needed to find a church family whose spirit welcomed and supported everyone. She remembers seeing the website for ACC where we proclaimed that welcoming spirit. She said that she joined ACC just before Diane was called to be our pastor. Sherilee especially remembers the friendly welcome of Don Burrell and was immediately welcomed and supported by Marcea Young who encouraged her to be a part of the Disciples Women’s Ministry. She quickly became involved with the Christmas Families Support activity. When the need came to find a new coordinator for the IHN program, she was encouraged again by Marcea Young to take that responsibility. Sherilee has now coordinated that program for five years. She has especially enjoyed the fellowship of ACC members and has been grateful for the opportunity to take some trips with friends such as Vicki Holland, Kathy Speicher, and Marilyn Barnett.
If being involved in the IHN Ministry is not enough, she continues to keep busy by house sitting and caring for pets, including those of two ACC families. She started with caring for the Cain’s sheltie and when that went well, her daughters encouraged her to advertise, and she now provides that service for seven families. Sherilee McLain is a true care giver of the world we live in and for people who walk through the doors of Allisonville Christian Church. She came to us because we were a welcoming congregation, and she demonstrates that welcoming spirit in her presence at ACC and to all who know her.
