A History Lesson, 1883-2008
[Note: The materials below, through the year 1955, are based on articles found in the “1955 Building Fund Canvass” which provided the funds for the building of the current sanctuary building. That article credits Edgar J. Armstrong with providing facts and photos. Also used to supplement and continue the historical record is the account in the 1983 Centennial booklet.]
On June 8, 1883, a small group of people from the Mineola area met and formed the
Trustees were elected on the 29th of June 1883 and the following six begin their terms of office: Luke Fleet and William A. Willis, one year; G. W. Emery and H. C. Woodnut, two years; Valentine Willis and E. D. Skinner, three years. William Willis was elected as Treasurer.
The land on which the Church now stands, donated by Stephen Taber and Martha T. Willets, was deeded to the Church on March 18, 1884. After careful study of plans, a contract for the Church building was entered into in March 1886 and the Church was opened for worship in August and dedicated on October 6th of that year. The cost of the building was $3,200. In spite of the careful planning, no arrangement was made for heating the building. A tunnel was dug under the Church for the installation of a furnace. Next, arrangements were made for music. When all this had been completed, the Church had a total debt of $600.00. This money, loaned without interest by Mrs. Harriet Albertson, was paid off the first year.
Following the dedication, the pulpit was supplied by neighboring Churches of many denominations who were paid the sum of three dollars per Sunday. The average attendance soon grew to 150. The finely- toned church bell was given by Col. De Graw of
Foresight prompted the purchase of two adjoining lots for $75, with Luke Fleet arranging the purchase and collecting the necessary funds.
On June 12, 1888, reorganization of the Church to properly become incorporated proceeded, and the name Mineola Union Chapel Society was adopted, with proper by-laws approved the following September. In October, the reincorporated group added some 24 new members and the roster listed 41 names.
During 1898, a German congregation rented the Chapel for morning sessions and regular services of the Society were held in the evening.
The Rev. B. F. Parliman, a Presbyterian, was called to serve as Minister for one year, beginning January 8, 1902. He remained a second year. During his administration, on February 3, 1903, action was taken which leased the church property from the old Society to the “Presbyterian Society,” and a Presbyterian-type of Church government was formed.
The Rev. A. L. R. Waits, pastor from 1904 to 1906, was succeeded by the Rev. D. J. Lloyd, who was pastor until 1914. The first Assembly Hall was built during this period.
During 1909, the Jewish people of the village requested and were granted the use of the Assembly Hall for their meetings.
At the 1910 annual meeting, membership had increased to 90 and an active Sunday School was also increasing in size.
The weekly envelope system for church finance, tried for a time in 1899, was reestablished on November 6, 1911 and has been used ever since.
In 1912, the Assembly Hall was enlarged. In 1914, it was used for athletics for the first time.
The Rev. F. E. Brooks, fourth minister of the church, came in 1915 and left for YMCA work in 1917 during World War I. At this time the Assembly Room was used as a service men's recreation room.
In 1918, the Rev. George G. Dunshee was brought from
1921 and 1922 were years of growth. A new organ was installed and the Manse was built next to the Church on the land purchased in 1887. 95% of the cost of the Manse was on hand before work began.
Another enlargement and alteration of the Assembly Hall took place in 1927.
To meet the needs for proper insulation of the Sanctuary and provide a new building for educational and social programs, a Building Council was founded in 1936. The interior of the Church was soon renovated and put in fine shape. In May 1937, a meeting resulted in the transfer of ownership of the property from the old Mineola Union Chapel Society to the First Presbyterian Church.
Stimulated by a bequest from Mrs. Anna D. Albertson of some $10,000 in January 1938 and by the steady growth of
The next forward step was in the department of music. A new arrangement of the choir loft and, in 1944, the installation of a fine modern organ stimulated a growth in the choir, which has continued to the present time [that is, 1955].
Increasing pastoral duties resulted in a call to the Rev. Edward J. Machle, who became assistant pastor to Rev. Dunshee on September 19, 1944.
A year later, the congregation petitioned the Presbytery of Brooklyn-Nassau (at the request of Mr. Dunshee) that he be relieved of his active ministerial duties as of November 15, 1945. Added was the request that he be made ‘Pastor Emeritus.’ But in October, a shocked people learned their beloved pastor had died. More than 500 people attended the funeral service, held in the Church house auditorium.
Mr. Machle decided to enter the teaching field in 1946. A search was made for a new pastor. In February 1946, the Rev. Kermit J. Nord was installed, bringing with him many new ideas. While some of these ideas seemed very new and very different, the results were an even faster growth in membership and improvement in both organizational and financial strength.
Membership increased from 600 to over 1100, with a corresponding growth in Sunday School. The employment of a director of religious education and the adoption of the new curriculum together with a larger church membership required a double session of both Church and Sunday School. Additions to the congregation’s ministries included the New Life Movement, the Men's Club, the Young Adult Group, the Westminister Fellowship, and the Pre-school Mother's Study Group. With the employment of a minister of music, a graduated choir program was established, all within eight years.
One of the needs that the Church expressed to Rev. Nord when he was extended the invitation to serve here was that of a new Sanctuary. Growth in membership made that imperative, so the new Building Fund Council began raising money in January 1952. This canvass and previous gifts produced a total of some $87,000. Since church expansion required the land on which the old Manse sat, a first step was the purchase of a new parsonage, at a cost of $18,000 plus incidental costs. The present sanctuary was completed in 1956, at a cost of $235,000. A ten-year mortgage was completely paid by 1966, with a mortgage-burning ceremony on October 9th.
The fine Casavant pipe organ (3-manuals, 40-stops, with 2,460 pipes) was donated by the
In 1971, the Church voted to merge with
The former Methodist parsonage was used as a Counseling Service, and the former
Dr. Nord served 29 years before retiring in 1975. During the later part of his pastorate, some division within the congregation led to a loss of membership. His pastoral term is remembered as a period of growth, ecumenism, and outreach.
The Rev. David L. Bucci was called as the next pastor in 1975. He served until his resignation in 1981. Rev. Bucci had very different theological leaning from Dr. Nord, which led to some major conflicts. At his resignation, he formed the
In November 1981, the Rev. Richard W. Lund came to
[Note: The following materials are somewhat sketchy, but bring the history up to the present.]
The Rev. Robert Duncan was called as the next installed pastor in 1983. With his wife, Polly, they labored relentlessly for the Church’s growth. With changing demographics on
Another Interim Pastor was called, the Rev. Edward Poole, who served for about two years before the search for the next installed pastor was completed.
During these years, the congregation began partnerships with two ethnic congregations with similar theological perspectives. One congregation was mostly Korean immigrants; the other was mostly Brazilian (Portuguese-speaking) immigrants.
In July 1993, the Rev. Chester J. Easton and his family arrived in
