Montauk Pioneer - April 10, 2009

Edna Biase can still remember going to church services, as a child, in a movie theater on Montauk Main Street, where the Montauk Beach Store is today.

At that time, the minister gave his sermons from a theater ticket box, instead of a traditional pulpit. Biase, 90, remembers the excitement when she heard about the building of the Montauk Community Church, which began in 1927 and continued until its completion in 1929, on the Montauk Highway overlooking the village.

"I used to watch this church getting built," she said. "When it opened, I used to walk to Sunday school, all the way from my home in the old fishing village, because my family didn't own a car," Biase recalls. "In those days, during the 1920s, Carl Fisher was constructing all his buildings, and my father was a Norwegian builder, who made beautiful parquet floors."

Biase was one of about 20 people who were recognized last Sunday at the 8oth anniversary Celebration of the Montauk Community Church, during a service held by the interim minister, Reverend Ann Stewart Miller. These people all had connections to the first worship service held in the new church on Easter morning 80 years ago as relatives of the first 72 charter members, or as affiliate members.

Nancy Pfund, of Montauk, who spoke before the church service last Sunday, explained how there were 72 original charter members who agreed to start a new church in Montauk, back in 1927. They got their first session minute book from the Sag Harbor Presbyterian Church, and signed all their names. Pfund showed a framed copy of this document that is hung in the church to this day. The minutes of the session were presented to the Presbytery of Long Island, with the assistance of the National Board of Missions.

Among the three first children baptized in this new church were two Verhagen sisters, eight-month-old Florence Elizabeth and two-year-old Catherine Rosalie. Rosalie, now 82, of East Hampton, attended last Sunday's anniversary along with her sister, Dorothy Osborne, who was also baptized in the Montauk church in 1935.

"I'm very happy to be here today, in the same church where I was baptized," said Rosalie, after the service. Her sister had even brought her original baptismal certificate, from this church, for all to see. Viola Tilstra, of East Hampton, also brought her baptismal certificate for all to see. She served the church for many decades as a Guild member, working with the Youth Group, in the choir, as a Deacon, and teaching Sunday school. Her late husband, and church Elder, Dick Tilstra, laid the floor in the church. "I remember when the school teacher, Mrs. Tilden, had roller skating in the church basement," said Tilstra. "We also had so many wonderful church suppers and fairs down here, as we do today."

In addition, many other people relatives of charter members were recognized during and after the service, including Craig Tuthill, who was related to charter member E.B. Tuthill and his son, Edwin Baker Tuthill of Gales Ferry, Conn. Lois and Bob Winslow, of Amagansett, are the daughter and son-in-law of charter members John and Cora Sweeting. Chip Duryea, of Montauk, came with his wife, Wendy, to honor his grandparents, Jane and Perry Duryea, Sr., who were also charter members. David and Gail Webb, of Montauk, honored Dave's parents, charter members Richard and Emma Webb, while Edna Steck came to honor her relatives, Edna P. Steck and Mrs. William Petersen.

One of the longest members of the church, Libby Lane, a 72-year member, lives in Montauk, but was unable to attend last Sunday. Mary Smith Fullerton was also a long-time member.

Other charter members include E.V. Conway, whose son, Virgil Conway, of Montauk, became the head of the MTA. Ruth Gaden donated the hymn board in her memory; Mary Broughton donated the stained glass window in the sanctuary; and Carrie Honey, the first president of the Women's Guild, made a lace tablecloth, which is still in the church. Nellie and Cliff Windsor, formerly of Montauk, were also charter members.

The architect whose drawings were chosen for the new church was A. G. Lamont, and Richard Webb, of Montauk, was the project manager of this church built of stones. It was built by Pearson Construction Company, for $40,800.

The first minister of the Montauk Community Church was Reverend E. Hoyt Palmer. Since then, there have been a total of 21 ministers in this church. In his writings, Palmer wrote, "The workmen worked furiously to get things in shape-finishing up last minute tasks such as the floors scraped and shellacked, rubbish cleared." He said there were "little in the way of furnishings."

They borrowed the ticket box from the Montauk Theater, and Elder Clarence Monroe added a top due to his concern of having a "proper pulpit." A new Pulpit Bible and marker were given by Adele Tobler Hone in memory of her mother.