The Great Thanksgiving
By your Spirit
make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, all honor is yours, almighty God, now and forever, Amen.
(excerpted)
breath, fire, cloud of presence, a still small voice, prophetic voice and fervor, the one who brings dry bones back to life, the one who gifts people with skill or talent, the one who gives people a place in the community, something like a dove, giver and interpreter of dreams, comforter, advocate, guide, empowerer, truthbearer, the one who gives courage and strength. . . what other images of the Holy Spirit do you recall from scripture? Which one(s) resonate most with you? Which one(s) describe your own experience(s) of the Holy Spirit?
The Third Person of the Trinity sometimes gets less attention in our conversations and thoughts about God. And yet, look at the variety of ways the Holy Spirit moves in our lives. And certainly we don’t have an exhaustive list! Maybe it’s because of the breadth of experience that we have with the Holy Spirit that we aren’t sure how to describe or even recognize when the Holy Spirit is at work. Maybe it’s because the experiences we have of the Holy Spirit can be deeply personal or even strange or unusual, and to share such experiences with others leaves us feeling vulnerable.
I wonder if our experiences and wonderings about the Holy Spirit might invite us to something far beyond ourselves, far beyond the ordinary, far beyond our expectations.
Continued on page 11.
Rev. Jenny Smith Walz Rev. Jenny Smith Walz
Kate Lasko
Sonja Arevalo’s church closed three years ago, she and her family went looking for a new place to worship. They visited several churches in the area, but none drew them to join - until a friend suggested they visit Kingston UMC. Shortly after attending the Ash Wednesday service in 2020, the Arevalos knew they had found their church. “We were drawn to the inclusivity expressed in the Statement of Welcome, and I resonated with the foundational beliefs,” she recalls. Since joining, Sonja has given generously of her time and talents, most notably as chair of the Leadership Board.
Sonja grew up in Lancaster, PA in a home where Christian values were embraced,“but I didn’t find my own faith until high school when I began attending a large youth group with some friends,” she shares. After several short-term inner-city mission trips, “I felt the Lord calling me to ministry with youth,” she adds. Sonja attended Philadelphia Bible College (now Cairn University), where she majored in Bible Studies with an emphasis on Youth Ministry. Considering her background, it is no surprise that she is drawn to service. At Kingston UMC, she has served in various capacities, from “leading liturgy and reading scripture during worship to doing yard work during cleanup days to organizing the church offices.”
A resident of Plainsboro, Sonja also volunteers throughout her community. In addition to packing lunches and organizing the clothing pantry at St. Bart’s Lutheran Church in Trenton, she is secretary for her local fire station and, whenever able, donates blood at the Red Cross. Engaging in these service opportunities “reminds me that we’re all in this life together, upholding each other and striving to make the world a bit better,” she shares, adding, “I enjoy it!”
In addition to her volunteer commitments, Sonja has served as Director of Patient Services for VOX Telehealth for the past seven years. Add to her already busy life, she and husband Edwin are raising three children, Hunter, Marisa, and Michael. Last year, in planning for the Central District Multi-Site Ministry (CDMSM) , Pastor Skitch asked Sonja to chair KUMC’s Leadership Board. “I spoke to Edwin and prayed about the opportunity for a few weeks before accepting,” she shares. “I had a lot on my plate at the time, so I had to consider what responsibilities I would have to lay down to take on this new role,” she adds.
Composed of nine members, the Leadership Board is to have “fluency in the vision, mission, and values of KUMC. It is responsible for governance, financial matters, staff structure, congregational vitality, spiritual formation and leadership development” within the church, explains Sonja. One of the eight core values adopted by KUMC is Disciplined Discernment, through which the individual and the collective cultivate the practice of listening for and aligning self with God’s direction and purposes. KUMC’s Leadership Board “practices Disciplined Discernment in several purposeful ways,” states Sonja. “We open and close our meetings with focused prayer, seeking the Lord’s will and guidance as we embark on the work before us and as we take action or seek further discussion,” she adds. Outside of meetings, the board members avail themselves to congregants that may seek assistance or guidance from the board. Finally, “we strive to set an example of service throughout KUMC outside of Leadership Board meetings,” she explains.
Kingston (and Princeton) UMC’s upcoming Holy Spirit Worship Series asks “us to see where the Holy Spirit is moving us, uniting us, guiding us, helping us face our fears, do hard things, and so much more.” For the Leadership Board, the Holy Spirit is at work “uniting and making us bold as we continue expanding our partnership with Princeton UMC; it also led us in thoughtfully considering and ultimately adopting a new vision, mission and values” for the church. As the Board deliberates over questions and next steps, Sonja looks forward to “The Holy Spirit moving in the Board [as it does] this important and exciting work for our beloved KUMC.”
We cultivate our individual and collective practice of listening for and aligning ourselves with God’s direction and purposes. Rooted in scripture, tradition, reason, and experience, our contemplative practice guides us to options and actions that lead to divine love, compassion, and life for others and ourselves.
Backin January, five eighth graders came together to begin the discipleship journey of Confirmation classes. Alongside leaders Rev. Tayler Necoechea and Pearl Assan, these confirmands wrestled with the great questions of Christian faith, Methodism, and what it means to claim membership to Princeton/Kingston UMC’s. All of this culminated on May 28th, Pentecost Sunday, when all five confirmands discerned that being confirmed at Princeton UMC was what the Holy Spirit was leading them toward. Each confirmand has a unique faith story to share.
Alex DiStaseWhen I think about my faith story, my mind goes to PUMC. Church was always a very important part of my life, and that started here at PUMC. Not only have I enjoyed attending church, but more than anything I enjoyed the community I became a part of along the way. Ever since I was little, I attended church service and eventually became a part of the community. I am so grateful for this church and the people in it. During covid was one of the many times I became aware of how lucky we are to be a part of something so great.
I’ve always gone to church, I was baptized here and growing up I made some great memories here. First I had gone with my family and as I grew older I became a part of the children’s choir and started volunteering at CCK. CCK is one of the things I value the most about our church. My twin sister and I started helping out my grandfather, Larry Apperson, on Wednesdays and it became something I really enjoyed. Eventually covid hit and closed CCK for a period of time. And recently I have been a part of Confirmation class.
My faith journey and being a part of this church is something I am grateful for every day. My faith journey was an easy thing for me because of the people I have been surrounded by my entire life.
Hello PUMC congregation. My name is Phoenix Roth and I’ve been a member of this church since I was born. People might remember me crawling around the church on a front pew or starring as baby Jesus in the Christmas Eve service. At a young age, I had a lot of confidence in my abilities. I didn’t hide from what I thought people thought of me; I was my own, unique self. I participated in the church’s children’s choir and musicals, and felt on top of the world in soccer. I knew I was good, even though I was playing on a local team where half the kids might not have wanted to be there.
As I continued to grow up, I grew more self-conscious. I felt like I needed to prove my worth. Every negative thing that I was told stayed with me for way too long. My soccer team got better because we acquired a new coach and with her, a handful of new, strong players that came with her from her old club. Things seemed as if they were great, as if this was just what I needed- a good coaching environment with good players around me to help me develop and get better. However, it wasn’t all good forever. The first season or two were good; I was so happy about my team’s continuous success. But I was starting to see a decrease in my confidence. As the competition and therefore the stakes increased, I put more pressure on myself to perform. My coach constantly confused me by yelling at me to dribble when I would pass, and to pass when I would dribble. This confused me and made me constantly tentative and wary of my abilities. Even though I did often feel tentative, there were still times that I felt that I had done well, but I never got the positive feedback to confirm it. After one specific game where I was confident I played well, my coach told me I had not been “disciplined.” It was all too much. I locked myself in the bathroom for two hours, crying. I couldn’t deal with the lack of assurance from someone I believed knew what she was talking about. Not a week later did I have an encounter that was the breaking point for me. During this conversation, my coach pulled me and one of my teammates who had been experiencing similar confidence issues aside, and she grilled us for twenty minutes straight. We both stood there, too shocked for words, and cried. She told us that our team wasn’t performing well because of our mentalities, even though so much of those mental issues had stemmed from her. During this time, I hadn’t been close to the church. We sometimes watched service remotely, but I hadn’t felt connected. I knew I was missing something.
We decided to stay for the spring season and see if things got better. It didn’t, so many of my teammates and I decided to find a new team. Clearly things weren’t going well. That’s how I ended up at my current club. It seems like I can’t ever complain about my current coach because of my past experiences. And don’t get me wrong, I still have issues with confidence and perfectionism. But I can confidently say that I have grown. And I couldn’t have done any of it without God’s love and the support of people around me. Every time I feel particularly unworthy or bad about myself, I try to remember the fact that I have a purpose, and that this is just a step in my journey of God’s plan. I just try to remember that God loves me, and so do so many other people. And I know that I make mistakes, but it is all a part of the process. You can’t learn without mistakes.
In addition, I think that this year has posed many changes and challenges, and I’ve had to adapt. I lost a lot of friends, but got closer with others, joined a new, more competitive team where I had to fight for my spot and reputation, and the challenges of school where all the teachers are anxious to fit all their work in before finals and graduation. All of this brought stress and anxiety, and I didn’t have an outlet or a place to talk about all of this. This Confirmation class brought me that. A safe space where I could discuss my faith and how it all ties back to the real world, the world that God created. And in all honesty, I was hesitant about whether this class would be worthwhile, especially since I knew I would be missing a lot because of soccer. But the more I attended class, the more I felt reassured.
I grew up with the church, and I went there almost every Sunday with my dad and brother. I joined the choir, was in youth group for a bit, and managed to keep going even during COVID. I could never have done this without my parents always pushing and encouraging me to keep doing things for the church. Without the support from my parents, I would have never joined the choir, which was a group I stayed with for 5 years. It was a great experience that I don’t think I could have found in other places. I learned the importance of a team when in Children’s choir, and many of the people I met there I still know today. Whether it was in the play or the spring musical, they were always there to support me through it.
A big part of my life has been during the coronavirus pandemic. I joined youth group at that time, which I unfortunately didn’t end up staying in due to scheduling conflicts with other things. I also stayed in choir. If it wasn’t for my family that kept me in choir and attending virtual church, I wouldn’t have the same connection to the church as I do today.
Lastly, I want to talk about how my family helped me with confirmation this year. While I was initially hesitant to attend, my dad was a key help in me figuring out how I felt about it. I ended up really enjoying Confirmation, and the experience helped me discover who I am as a Christian. The faith story, this faith story, let me write all of this out and I don’t think I would have been the same person without my family along the way.
I will be excited to see how being confirmed will affect me in the future. Whether it was performing in the musical with my brother, or going to church regularly with my parents, I learned a lot about myself, and the Christian religion of which I follow.
Growing up as a Christian, I was always surrounded by a strong community of faith. My family attended church regularly and I participated in Sunday school and youth group activities. As I got older, I began to explore my faith more deeply and found great comfort in the teachings of the Bible. I also discovered the joy of serving others and became involved in various volunteer opportunities through the church. My faith has been a source of strength and guidance throughout my life, and I continue to find inspiration in the message of love and compassion that Jesus taught. As I grew older, I began to realize how strict and rigid Catholic churches can be in its practices and beliefs. I learned that my father grew up in a time when the Church had a lot of power and influence over people’s lives, and that many of the rules and traditions were strictly enforced. This made me appreciate even more the freedom and flexibility of Christianity. I am grateful that I have the ability to explore my faith in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to me, without feeling constrained by a set of rigid rules and expectations. I realized that my father’s upbringing had shaped him into being a believing Christian father, but I am also grateful for the ways in which my own experiences had allowed me to teach me my own path and connect with God in my own unique way.
Ryan Babler
Izzy DiStase
In spring of 2020 I was in 5th grade. It was the spring that George Floyd was murdered. His death caused a movement in the country that was long overdue. Police brutality against black males had always been a concern, but was now at the forefront of the news and many conversations. My parents always talked to me about what went on in the world but this was the first time I was really aware of what was happening.
My mom had previously done things involving activism but it was at this time I had the opportunity to go to a protest. I was nervous at first but soon realized that it was nice to be among like-minded people who cared as much as I do. I quickly learned that instead of sitting at home doing nothing, it would make a bigger impact if I actually went out and helped. I understood that my voice mattered too. Later that spring my dad had the opportunity to speak at a local protest. It was one of the first times I got to hear his perspective growing up as a black man in this country.
In the fall of 2021 I entered 7th grade. I was still going to school with the same kids but things seemed a little different. A lot of the kids in my school, mainly boys, started to throw around racial comments like jokes. It was very annoying how they could turn horrible words with meanings behind them into a joke that they think they can use amongst friends. I would say things but they never cared. Eventually there was a video of a boy I knew saying the N-word. I was fed up and decided that because I now had proof, I should do something with it. I went to our principal which resulted in him having to face consequences. I knew it wouldn’t get everybody to stop but it was nice to let people know I wasn’t going to stand for what they were saying and doing. I realized if I wanted to make a change I had to use my voice. I joined the BSA, (Black Student Alliance), where we were able to do things around our school like host a movie night and speak to a panel of parents about our experiences. Over the last three years I’ve become more aware of what’s going on in the world as well as seeing what’s going on in the community, and I realize I can use my voice to say what is right and wrong. (Anya not pictured - will officially be confirmed at a later date.)
Left to right: Rev. Tayler Necoechea, Izzy DiStase, Phoenix Roth, Alex DiStase, Ryan Babler. Not pictured: Anya Obe, who will be confirmed at a later date & Pearl Assan, the other Confirmation leader.
Leslie and Dana Dreibelbis come to Kingston UMC as full members and Princeton UMC as affiliate members. Already very involved across the multi-site ministry, you might know Dana from his efforts in organizing the annual Juneteenth cookout, as well as spearheading the Salvation Army bell ringers each holiday season. Many Sunday mornings, both Leslie and Dana can be found in deep discussion amongst the Contemporary Issues Class. They both look forward to growing spiritually and building the Kingston UMC community together. Welcome (officially) Dana and Leslie!
Both life long United Methodists, Evelyn and Edward Gulama come to Princeton UMC as full members from the United Methodist Church of New Brunswick. Immigrating to the United States in 2000 from Sierra Leone, Evelyn and Edward are parents to three children together and Edward has one additional child. They appreciate the strong sense of belonging at Princeton UMC and they are eager to start participating in more church activities. Welcome Evelyn and Edward!
Leslie Dreibelbis
Dana Dreibelbis
Evelyn & Edward Gulama
Kara Escobar joins into full membership with Princeton UMC after having grown up Catholic. Kara offers this witness, “From a time of darkness and grief, PUMC held my hand through pain, healing, all the way to renewed strength and faith. I was welcomed instantly into the community, first with an invitation from Susan Davelman at Christmas. Then Barbara Fox took me under her wing as my mentor, and now we have a regular schedule of offering tours of PUMC’s historic stained glass windows. I am filled with gratitude for the grace that has been shown and shared with me.” Welcome Kara!
Brooke Foster transfers her membership to Princeton UMC from Union UMC in Dallas, TX. Having completed her M.Div from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2022 (even interning at Kingston UMC during her tenure there,) Brooke is excited to invest more of herself in the life of the church community. She hopes she will grow through new relationships and new opportunities to serve and learn. Brooke loves the diversity of the PUMC community — diversity in age, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, etc. She feels it represents a true image of the body of Christ. Welcome Brooke!
Ashley Fabien, a lifelong United Methodist, transfers her membership to Princeton UMC from Asbury Park UMC. She is excited about the youth programs and church community, so that her son has other children and families to share his faith with. She’s also eager to engage in work with the community through the church’s community partnerships. Ashley and her son Titan are of Haitian descent. She works as an Education Director, specializing in Early Childhood Education, Curriculum and Teacher Training. Welcome Ashley!
Kara Escobar
Brooke Foster
Baptism doesn’t save us—only Christ saves us. But baptism is the primary way Christ invites us to join in his death and resurrection, to experience Christ “washing us clean” of our sin in the water, and giving us new life.
In the old days baptism meant you went to the river and were dunked under water, and the preacher held you there till you gasped for air, and you thought you were dying, and then you were brought out of the water so you could breathe, and live again.
That’s how baptism is a sign of our new life in Jesus Christ, and it’s such a primary channel that God uses to pour grace into our lives, that the church believes you will never have to be baptized again—the grace that God gives you in baptism will mark you forever.
So baptism is like an invisible tattoo that you can’t wash off – That tattoo says, from that day forward, you are a beloved child of God, and Christ has claimed you for his church, and nothing you can ever do will change that.
Louisa Jane Dreibelbis and Titan Ray Holman received this sign on Pentecost Sunday and will wear it for ever more.
Welcome to our church family, Titan and Louisa!
Itseems clear that Christianity was born out of Love amidst violence (whipping and crucifixion), and hardship (11 of 12 Apostles met violent deaths as a result of their witnessing to the Gospel). Flash forward to suburban Princeton, NJ, where ‘life as a Christian’ is rather different. On the spectrum of, “For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it, …” to a life of discipleship here today there seems to be some dynamic tension. My path on The Way has bounced along in this space, a journey for me only possible with the constant comfort and advocacy of the Holy Spirit.
My life has been very stereotypically that of a privileged White, and I remain disabled by that sheltered life. My “WWII” father used the GI Bill to get the first college degree in our family. We had a stable home life with two loving parents and two older brothers, four loving grandparents for good measure, stable finances, generally three meals a day, church on Sundays, cutting neighborhood lawns and having a paper route to learn how to do good work, and off to college, graduation and my own very lucky, wonderful family life, and career.
In some ways for me the Spirit did indeed move in unexpected ways.The newspaper route was key in opening my eyes to racial disparities and injustices - - it was the Newark(NJ) Evening News, and the Newark “Race” Riots among other unrest were front-page news almost everyday - - that was a wake-up call to me. This has long been a source of wonder, thankfulness, and confusion, for me. When the classic verses of the Holy Spirit filling the crowd at Pentecost are read, I wonder not so much that each can understand what is happening, as that people from 14 different ethnicities, nationalities and cultures are peacefully assembled in the first place. Out of this faith context I dealt with a few race-related challenges growing up. As examples:
• Moving from a wealthy all-White north NJ town (an “inter-faith” marriage was between a northern European White Protestant and a Roman Catholic) to a rural segregated PA town bordering the Mason-Dixon line, (about 15% Black).
• We moved during the summer, and my only friends were Black children who played at the community parks, and we quickly cultivated mutual respect and friendships based on nocomplaints/no-fouls/play-hard basketball games.
• The principal’s hand-picked student guide pulled me aside right before the first day of high school, 9th grade, and said, “Bring a knife tomorrow. We’re going to cut the N….’s” Team activities and activities quickly undercut that sort of influence; classmates soon paved the way for many interracial friendships.
Pictured Right: Congregants from Kingston UMC, Princeton UMC, and Mt. Pisgah AME gathered for food and fellowship last year at the Cloister Inn, in Princeton, to celebrate Juneteenth, Freedom Day. All are invited to celebrate at the same location this year, on June 10th from 11:30am to 3:00 pm.
This is recognizable as the sort of interaction any middle/upper middle class White life might have been at that time, with some racial awareness amidst it all. Some difficulties, all recognizable. Suffice it to say, many others have grown up somewhat racially isolated with some unfavorable views passed down, all while trying to navigate the ‘normal’ trials of life.
Healing often takes time, yes. And we may also be tempted to pull into our shell and disengage from a hostile, dangerous world.How do we manage it and find energy to be constructive and loving to all our neighbors? For me, it has all only been my faith and the comfort and support of the Holy Spirit.
Our Juneteenth cookout is one way for us to be witness to our faith because the Holy Spirit keeps us going and shows us the way. In my case, a few years back just after the Charlottesville White Supremacy rally, a nationally-known African-American leader speaking on campus suggested that sharing a meal with people of diverse characteristics can be a means of constructively bridging the racial divide. Not unlike how Jesus always seemed to be eating! We’ve now been on that journey for four+ years, including a year+ of pre-planning, meeting and bonding with Mt. Pisgah African Methodist Episcopal Church, and enjoying our cookouts.
For me, this is all only possible for us with the help of the Holy Spirit. I had never heard of Juneteenth six years ago. The Spirit gave and keeps giving the energy to continue despite many bumps along the way. The Spirit has led me, and I think others at P/KUMC, to fruitful conversations at the cookouts and food for thought throughout the year. And our fellow disciples at Mt. Pisgah share the positive sense of Spirit-led community building. Yes, we all have many responsibilities tugging at us, and we have our own baggage, but the Holy Spirit is much bigger than all that. And who doesn’t like a nice cook-out??? Join us this year, again or for the first time, and help us do a little faith & fellowship building over a meal! The cookout will take place June 10, 11:30am-3:00pm, at The Cloister Inn. PUMC and KUMC congregants are asked to bring a dessert or side to share.
Pastor’s Note continued from page one.
You may recognize the prayer you see on page one as the words we share at the very end of our Great Thanksgiving prayer we say every time we gather for Holy Communion. It’s exquisite, isn’t it? Full of hope, promise, longing. And it’s a holy, bold request and proclamation - that we might be one! Whole! Unified! With Jesus! With one another! In purpose and service to the world! Drawing us into the Kingdom of God! This echoes the very prayer that Jesus prays on behalf of his disciples just before his arrest in John’s Gospel (John 17), just after the Last Supper and his farewell address (John 13-16).
Would you pray this prayer regularly, daily, with me and one another over these next weeks as we move into this season after Pentecost? Let it summon us to the communion table each week for a season. Let the prayer and the sacrament draw us into the presence of the Holy Spirit and the holy, bold work the Holy Spirit is doing in and through us. Let’s come to the Table to re-member and to be re-membered, that is, to be put back together. And we need to be put back together in all sorts of ways, don’t we? As individuals, as friends and neighbors, as people who live in a divided and broken world, as people who long for union with God. The Holy Spirit, in all the ways she comes to us, in all the ways we experience her, is seeking to do just this: to make us one with Christ, one with each other, one in ministry to all the world! May it be so! Come, Holy Spirit, Come!
Peace and love, Pastor Jenny
We are emboldened by the Holy Spirit to do hard things and face our fears while rooting deeply in the life-giving way of Jesus: speak truth to power, stand with the marginalized, maintain unyielding integrity, engage in difficult conversations, follow God’s call, even when it’s risky and unpopular.
There will be a Summer Pick-Up Choir at our Princeton campus. If you are interested in singing this summer, come join the choir. The dates are 7/2, 7/23, 8/6, 8/20, and 9/3. The pick-up choir will meet on those five Sundays at 9:00am in the music room, located upstairs.
Jess Winderweedle, a past pastor at Kingston UMC, was ordained at Annual Conference last month! It was a joyous occasion that began the Annual Conference, and attendees were able to celebrate her well. Thank you to the many who helped make a video for Jess’ special occasion.
After leaving her appointment at Kingston UMC, Jess began PhD studies at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she continues today.
Pastor Jess will be coming to Kingston UMC on June 18th to preach and preside over worship.
During the month of February 1878, the people of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Rocky Hill had an evangelist, Ms. Lizzie Sharp, come and conduct revival meetings in their church. The result of these meetings was a great religious awakening among the people and there were some sixty or more that professed to be reborn of the spirit.
There were some twenty or more of Kingston people who attended these meetings and were brought under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The Kingston people walked on the railroad tracks to Rocky Hill, which is a little over two miles.
On April 11th, a prayer meeting was held at Brother Durling’s. There were forty-five people present.
Brother J. E. Swan was leader and there was great interest manifested. At the close of the meeting, Brother Swan called for a meeting of all those present to determine their opinion in regards to building a Methodist church in Kingston.
Brother Swan was elected chairman of this meeting and Henry R. Hight secretary. After some discussion of the matter, Brother John Perdun made a motion and it was unanimously adopted. Brother Durling moved that a building committee of ten members be appointed. It was so ordered that the following be appointed: Rev. J. E. Swan, Charles Green, Charles Stenes, N. M. P. Durling, H. R. Hight, Charles R. Robinson, William Bunn, James D. Harris, and John Perdun.
Mr. Robinson moved that there be a committee of four appointed to look for a site (and to suggest) a place to build the church. This committee consisted of Charles Green, T. L. Reed, J. E. Swan, and N. M. P. Durling.
On June 3rd, the building committee met for this new church. Brother Durling reported that he had seen Nelson Conover about a lot, and that he was willing to sell it for $250.00: one-half cash and the balance on time. Brother Durling moved that we buy it at once; and it was so ordered. Brothers Swan, Durling, and Robinson were made a committee to buy it.
On August 12th the ground was broken. Mr. Jacob Gilchrist dug the trenches and on August 14th, the corner stone was laid. The mason work was done by Ira Pullen and S. B. Bastedo, the father of Mesdames Totten and Grove. Messrs. Pullen and Bastedo worked for $2.00 per day, and boarded themselves. On August 29th the lumber was contracted from J. W. Fielder Company for $600.00 to be delivered by boat at Kingston Basin on September 14th.
Brother Swan was the architect and superintendent of the work. The building was raised on Friday, September 20, 1878, and it was finished and dedicated on Thursday, January 30, 1879.
Creator God, the one who built everything from our planet to a flower. We praise the structure and beauty you made for the world we live in today.
Your kingdom helps us do God’s work for justice and equality to strive to make earth as peaceful as heaven.
Bless the bread we have. Help us to be thankful for what’s given to us and think past ourselves to help others.
Restore us from sins and pardon our transgressions. We are sorry for our greed and selfishness. Sometimes we don’t
deserve your kindness or the kindness of others. We do our best to forgive and keep peace.
Help us to not be tempted by the evil of the world. By greed, by unkindness, by deceit. Redeem us from the temptations that we have fallen into.
We cherish your kingdom, your strength, and the light you shine. We commit to the ways of your teachings and know that you are the Lord Almighty.
Phoenix RothOur Heavenly Father, May your name be honored and praised. Please let your Kingdom come and your will be done, here on Earth, just as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into incitement, but carry us from darkness, For yours is the domain, the potency, and the brilliance, for eternity. Amen.
Izzy DiStaseOur father the creator of Earth
Your hopes for us as true as they may be in heaven Let us be nourished and taken care of as you feel we are worthy Give us a second chance to right our wrongs Do not force us to be tested but rather let us show how we are worthy For you are everything we wish to be and more. Amen.
Anya ObeMy God, above in the skies, Thank you for all you have done for us on the Earth Through your determination your will shall bring down your kingdom and all shall be redeemed
When I pray tonight please gift me the motivation for the day ahead And if we make mistakes, let us try again. Give us the will to do the same to others I believe you will keep us safe, on the right track to heaven May your kingdom and glory last for eternity for others. Amen.
Ryan Babler