Trumpeter comes full circle back to Lighthouse

From the time inside the womb, he attended the Santa Monica Foursquare Church – now called the Lighthouse – 80 years ago.

After a long absence from his native congregation where he grew up in love with the brass band, Duane Howard, 80, returned to see IF the church of his infancy was razed and converted into condos. It wasn’t.

Hhe found a thriving congregation that received him with great enthusiasm as he played his trumpet, injecting an intoxicating jazz and blues undertone to worship service.

“I was absolutely convinced that the church wasn’t there anymore,” Howard said. “I’ve come full circle.”

In eight decades, a lot of life has brought upheavals, travels, ambitions, scares, heartbreaks. He did ministry, had three kids, lost two marriages, ran businesses and built a dream ranch house. In 2000, he underwent a quadruple bypass heart surgery in Chico, California.

“That was a wake-up call. I was going along in life and got away from ministry,” Howard said. “I finally realized this life’s journey is not very long, and I started coming back to the Lord.”

Now on his third marriage, Howard and his wife ultimately sold their dream ranch house to move down to Corona to be near their combined six children and multiple grandchildren. A passionate musician who plays trumpet by ear, he began offering his services in area churches.

Over and over again, the answer was no. One church leader even told him that musicians over 50 years old were avoided. When he heard that, Howard was stunned. He was saddened and wondered if, now “past his prime,” there would be opportunities for him to do what was most valuable to him.

Then, he called Rob Scribner at the Lighthouse, and the senior pastor enthusiastically invited to host him a Sunday evening service.

That night, Howard rocked the house.

“I was never moved so emotionally before in my life,” he said. “It was like my mother was there.”

Since it was built in 1933, the Lighthouse Church has changed. When it was inaugurated in 1934, it had plush carpet and movie seats, Howard said. Now, a graceful wood floor graces the church, and stackable wooden chairs have replaced the movie seats. But the stage is virtually the same.

“It was so surreal to be on the same stage where I sat enthralled watching the bass band – and now I was playing,” Howard said.

Even though Howard lives 60 miles away, he signed the membership form for the Lighthouse that very night. Because of the distance, he attends only twice monthly and has been incorporated into the worship team.

“The Lord gave me the gift of music,” he said. “I don’t try to draw attention to my playing, but when I get inspired, the trumpet music tends to stand out. Personality is there in the playing.”

Howard is happy.

“I hadn’t found a church where I could be used,” he said.