News from Fulton: The auction to sell off the everything that could be sold from the remains of the First Congregational Church of Fulton was held yesterday.
The pews (which were later put up for bid) were full. Jan Milesky, the last Trustee of the church that has overseen the care and disposal of the Church property and assets, observed that if the attendance had been this good the church would never have closed.
The stained glass windows sold for a total of $25,000. The organ, donated by Andrew Carnegie in 1909, went for $2,300. The antique "banjo" clock that hung on the wall behind the pulpit was a popular item. The mood was generally energetic and festive.
In talking about the auction at a meeting of the Oneida Association Mission Engagement Committee later yesterday afternoon, committee member Stan Bennett of the Malden Road UCC quipped, "It sounds like the line from the old Joni Mitchell song, 'Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got till it's gone. They paved over paradise and put up a parking lot.'"
With much the same intent but in a much different context God's message to the Israelites delivered through Moses (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) came to mind for me, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
Even so, it was a depressing experience for me to witness the auction. It is true that the church died many years ago, long before the official closing worship in January, 2007! As it happens with so many churches, the church members in Fulton had a long history or saying, "no," to life and "yes" to the patterns of a dying church. Over and over again they chose against mission and service in favor of maintenance and survival. Anything new or creative in terms of ministry seemed to infringe upon the ability to do the next fundraiser.
Mark Clark, the last called pastor, started ministries to welcome those on the fringe of society. He offered bible study at the diner across the street. He also offered breakfast and bible study at 5:00 AM once a week in the church social hall. He was attracting as many people to that as attended Sunday morning worship. For his efforts he was asked to leave.
These were the wrong "kind" of people, after all. Questions of the building's security began to arise and the early morning breakfasts were cancelled. Still, one of these early morning "congregants" shared with Mark that the church saved his life. One night the man declared that he was about to jump off the nearby bridge that crosses the Oswego River, but he changed his mind when he looked at the light shining from the church steeple."
Over the period of Mark's ministry and then when Andrea Stoeckel came as Interim Pastor, my colleague Marian Shearer and I had been in conversations with the church about its future, including how it might close with dignity and a sense of purpose. The handwriting on the wall was clear to us (Andrea, Marian and me) and to some of the church leaders (Jan Milesky), but most refused to acknowledge the reality that we saw.
After a time, the decision to close the congregation and to disperse the property and assets (mostly to the New York Conference UCC) was made. And, then the real work began for Jan. He has said that if any one wants to know how to close a church, he's their man! He found a buyer for the property -- a video store that will tear down the church and manse to build, not a parking lot nor paradise, but a video store! He organized the dispersal of various church artifacts to those church members that wanted them, and then to other churches and community organizations that had need. And, he organized the auction yesterday.
As it happens, Jan has seen to it that in dying the church (or at least the church's legacy) has been born to new life. The New York Conference will get the proceeds from the sale of the property for use in the ministry of the United Church of Christ across New York.
Operation Southern Comfort, a disaster response organization based out of St. Joseph the Worker Roman Catholic Church, Liverpool, NY, that has been helping to rebuild St. Bernard Parish in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, will receive the proceeds from the auction. At least two of our UCC congregations have become active participants in this ministry: UCC Bayberry in Liverpool (Oneida Association) and UCC Sherburne (Susquehanna Association).
Jan was ecstatic in reporting that the auction would net over $32,000 for the mission of Operation Southern Comfort. Founder/coordinator Norm Andrzejewski was also overjoyed at the thought that nearly enough was raised to build a house for someone in New Orleans! He offered to call it the "UCC House".
In this season of Eastertide we can still remember how Jesus was hailed by the crowds on Palm Sunday,
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!"
and how the religious leaders asked him to silence them, "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’"
Even so, God's message of love shouts out from the bricks, mortar, wood and glass that was the building that housed the First Congregational Church of Fulton. Praise God!
Blessings,
Rick Cowles
