President's Message - August 2025

I had the opportunity last week to give a tour of our building to a few Second Place East, Inc. board members. I never tire of this activity - bringing people to our historic building and showing them all the things we've done over the past few years to modernize it. And it never fails to impress our guests just how much of Rev. Beecher's mandate to us - that we be a seven-day-a-week church home - we are able to accomplish. We have a huge building and a healthy endowment to keep it in good repair and insured. But most importantly, we have the willingness to act, respond and to welcome the community in to help us to be successful. I always point to Rev. Beecher's portrait as I say "It's all his fault - he had big dreams and audacious goals about what The Park Church could do in Elmira."

It was fun presenting my "Mrs. Beecher" on Sunday July 13 during worship. Part of my affection for the church is certainly its history. As a theatre person and a lover of American history, I am comfortable to call Park "home." As we approach our 150" anniversary of the dedication of the new sanctuary and the 50* anniversary of our magnificent organ - to be celebrated on Sunday, October 12 - we can be grateful that while so many churches in America are closing, ours is growing!

To get us into the anniversary mood, here are a few historical notes that I've collected over the years:

250 years ago: 1775 - Lyman Beecher is born (this little baby would grow up to be the father of eleven children - our Thomas K. Beecher among them). Local date context: four years later, in 1779, the Sullivan-Clinton Battle of Newtown is waged.

225 years ago: 1800 - Two of our church founders are born in that first decade of the 19" centuryJervis and Olivia Langdon (born 1809 and 1810 in Oneida County). Local date context: in 1811 the name of the town changes from Newtown to Elmira.

200 years ago: 1825 - The Erie Canal opens for business. The Chemung Canal would connect to it eight years later in 1833 after $300,000 was appropriated by the NYS Legislature to build it. It is 23 miles in length with 53 locks needed to gain the 57 feet in elevation from the Chemung River to Pine Valley and then the 433 feet in descent to Havana Glen. During its operation, Jervis Langdon makes his fortune shipping Pennsylvania coal to all points east and west via the Chemung and Erie Canals.

175 years ago: 1850 - The Fugitive Slave Act makes it illegal to aid or harbor run-away slaves -- fines and/or imprisonment were possible. The North Central Railroad is completed in Elmira allowing John W. Jones to sequester run-aways in the baggage car of the 4 AM train leaving Elmira for Watkins Glen and Canandaigua with connections to Canada. Many members of the First Independent Congregational Church of Elmira (the original name of our congregation) aid Jones in this illegal effort.

150 years ago: 1875 - On Sunday, October 10* the first worship service is held in the new sanctuary and baby Jervis Langdon II (son of Charles and Ida Langdon and grandson of our founders) is baptized. Samuel and Bertha Annis Ford Eastman are married. Julia Jones Beecher invites ladies of the Park Church to create Missionary Rag Baby dolls.

125 years ago: 1900 - Rev. Thomas K. Beecher dies after 46 years as our pastor. Schools and businesses close on the day of his funeral. The City of Elmira commissions a bronze sculpture of Beecher to be created and placed in Wisner Park. John W. Jones dies - after a lifetime of service including conducting over 800 fugitive slaves to freedom and supervising the burial of 2973 Confederate prisoners of war. The Kirker-Bender Spiral Slide is added to the west façade of the Park Church building to assure emergency egress.

Julia Jones Beecher and one of her Missionary Rag Babies

100 Years ago - 1925 - Rev. Samuel Eastman dies and is buried next to his wife and co-minister (who had died in 1910) in their family plot in Canandaigua. Jervis Langdon (that baby baptized in 1875) remodels Quarry Farm and notes in his journal, "July 4* - Big Ku Klux Klan parade in Elmira - very discouraging site - organized ignorance!"

75 years ago - 1950 - Peak population record for Elmira - 50,000 souls.

50 years ago - 1975 - The new Schantz organ with its 2832 pipes is installed in the balcony in 1974reflecting the joy of the community, who worked ceaselessly in the massive clean-up effort after the Hurricane Agnes flood of June 1972.

25 years ago - 2000 - The Park Church membership votes in October to become an "Open and Affirming Congregation" after much study and discussion and the loss of some members.

Our history marches on - "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" and keep making "Good Trouble."

See you soon, Jenny

P.S. In August we'll watch the progress of a Centre Stage Community Theatre production of All My Sons by Arthur Miller, directed by Mark Sardo. The set will load in to Beecher Hall after the August 16th reception and then they will rehearse all that week. Performances will be held at 7:30 PM on Friday and Saturday, August 22 & 23 plus a 2 PM matinee on Sunday, August 24. Welcome to another new community facility user!