THURSDAY-FRIDAY, MARCH 23-24, 2017
THE FREEMAN’S JOURNAL & HOMETOWN ONEONTA A-7
Gutted Church Pastor Sees ‘Exciting Challenges’ Trump Budget Would Hurt CHURCH/From A1 “They’ve always represented a strong connection with the congregation,” said Barrett in an interview Tuesday, March 21. Each window was donated in memory of a congregant, including one from the Wilber family, whose forebear David Wilber made a fortune in hops and founded the bank that bore his name for a century. Also, the plan is to save usable bricks from the old church to use if a new one is built. Beyond that, the congregation’s future is unclear – on purpose. At a service Sunday, March 19, at a packed service in the Upper Susquehanna Cultural Center, two doors south, the Rev. Everett Bassett, Oneonta, the Methodist district superintendent, called for a “season of prayer” before deciding what to do next. This Sunday, the 26th, the congregation will again worship at the Upper Susquehanna Center – its
the single digits, but that rose to three dozen regulars and on the 12th, District Superintendent Bassett delivered a sermon at the church attended by 75. A few hours later, the church caught on fire. Since the fire, there’s been an outpouring of support, evident in the more than 200 people from Schuyler Lake and Fly Creek UM and Cooperstown’s First Presbyterian who joined the congregation Jim Kevlin/HOMETOWN ONEONTA & The Freeman’s Journal on the 19th, and from offers Thirty-two members of First Presbyterian Church, of space from churches Cooperstown, joined the Milford United Methodaround the county, and letists’ at worship Sunday, March 19, a week after ters and e-mails from near the UM church there burned. From left are Kaand far. tie Boardman, Lucy Webster, Karen Dunlap, Will Also, Barrett said, church Walker, Thom Rhodes and Richard Blabey. members who used to attend directors have offered the the congregation’s future. the local church are coming former Presbyterian church Regardless, a first order back, perhaps a half-dozen, for the Methodists’ use as of business is to settle with and people who have never long as they need it – and the insurance company and been members are being will meet afterwards to beclear the site on North Main drawn in by the crisis. “It’s gin talking and “brainstorm- Street (Route 28). quite exciting,” said the ing” about the future. Going forward, “we have pastor. “It’s going to be a There’s a “clear protocol to understand what and who challenge, but an exciting within the church,” the paswe are building for,” said challenge.” tor said, and she’s already the pastor, who serves both For now, the building is contacted people to serve on the Milford and Portlandbeing boarded up this week a task force to contemplate ville Methodist churches. and, fearful of a collapse, no Barrett was raised in Eng- one is being allowed inside. land as a Anglican, moved However, Barrett said, she’s to Canada, serving with been advised the stained the Church of Christ in the glass windows can probProvince of Ontario, evenably be removed from the tually retiring to Upstate outside. New York. In retirement, The fire broke out in the she sought and received an kitchen area at the rear of appointment as a chaplain at the building, but fire offiFox Hospital in 2013, and cials advised the pastor it’s that led to the offer to serve unlikely the cause will ever Milford and Portlandville be determined. They ruled, later that year. however, that it was not When she arrived, some suspicious. Sundays attendance was in
Poorest, OFO CEO States
he said, help working famiOFO/From A1 lies stay afloat. “Struggles elimination of Low-Income to just get by put a lot stress Home Energy Assistance on families and on kids,” he Program and the Weathersaid. “It’s important that a ization program, as well as lot of these programs exist.” Community Services Block In New York State, there Grants that help support the are more than 120 head start homeless shelter, domestic programs, and more than violence shelter, Build1,100 community action ing Healthy Families and action agencies nationally. Wheels to Work. These programs total “This budget is $13 billion, with the the president’s wish U.S. budget proposed list,” he said, “But at $13 trillion, so it’s Congress that these programs make actually approves the up a 0.001 percent of budget.” the budget. “They’re That means John not going to be savFaso, R-Kinderhook, ing a lot by cutting will cast his vote Maskin these programs,” said for whether or not Maskin. OFO can continue But this is not the first its mission to serve Otsego time they’ve faced threats of County. “We need to let our shortfalls. “Reagan zeroed representatives know that it out, George H.W. Bush, there’s a lot of support for these programs on both sides even Barack Obama, in his State of the Union, said it’s of the aisle,” said Maskin. time to close programs that Locally, the CSBG proare dear to my heart, like gram uses $230,000, weathCommunity Action,” said erization uses $300,000 and Maskin. “LBJ was our last Head Start and OFO using $3.3 million in federal fund- real fan.” OFO is calling for the ing. CSBC funding be restored to “We serve 400 families its current national level of and 160 employees,” he $715 million, Weatherization said, “It’s important our at $215 million and HEAP at employees hear the organi$3.34 billion, and for Head zation is advocating.” Start to be funded at its curBut there’s more to these rent levels, including adjustprograms than just dollar ments for cost of living. signs and numbers. “In a “Our staff sees firsthand cold winter, HEAP can be a these resources alleviate the matter of life and death,” he financial burden brought said. “But it’s often wrapon by underemployment, around services that are important to working families.” health-care expenses and ever rising costs in Otsego Day care subsidies, food stamps and SNAP programs, County,” he said.
AllOTSEGO.homes