Amen

By Scott Baker BELLVALE — It was a sad day for the survivors.

That’s what the four remaining members of the United Methodist Church in the hamlet of Bellvale had come to call themselves. The survivors.

But they, too, would be gone on this day, Feb. 12, 2012, when the Bellvale United Methodist Church closed its doors for the last time after its final service at 9:15 a.m.

The church has been a fixture in this small hamlet since 1854, when it was built. Until they had a building to call their own, Bellvale Methodists had been congregating for worship at the homes of their various ministers and at the Bellvale Elementary School.

That first church stood for nearly 90 years, until a fire claimed its timber in 1940. A new building rose in its ashes before the year was out, and there it has been ever since. For 72 years, that new little white church has been welcoming its parishioners to Sunday service. It has been hosting weddings and baptisms, anniversary celebrations and funerals, fund raisers and turkey dinners.

Baptisms and anniversaries But its end has come. Even as the church celebrated its 200th anniversary amid much fanfare in 2009, it was seeing a decline in membership – from 40 regular members in 2007 down to four by late 2011.

And four people is just too small a number to support a full-time minister.

Janet LaPlante, one of the final four parishioners, has been a life-long member of Bellvale United Methodist Church. She attended the church for Sunday school in her youth, had her daughter baptized there, and became the church trustee in its final days.

As trustee, LaPlante found herself overseeing a merger between the Bellvale church and its sister church in Sugar Loaf. She learned a great deal of history as she sifted through decades of records in order to turn them over to the Sugar Loaf United Methodist Church, which had control of the Bellvale building and all of its lands as a result of the merger.

It was in going through those records that the harsh financial reality came fully to light: There was just not enough money to keep Bellvale operational.

“Declining membership leads to declining donations,” said LaPlante. “It’s a vicious circle.”

Rich Quackenbush, another of the four survivors whose family roots run deep in both the Town of Warwick and the Bellvale church, has been an official member of the church since his baptism in 1937.

His earliest memories, he said, are of the Bellvale church and the events that took place there. Several of his brothers and sisters were married there, and his parents celebrate their 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries there.

He said the church was also the center of his social activity. The Bellvale youth group got together at the church with the Sugar Loaf and Chester youth groups for dances and other gatherings. He also helped gather items for the annual auction and turkey dinner fund raiser.

Even in recent years, Quackenbush said, there has been a sense of community associated with the historic church, from raising donations for local charities to Christmas caroling as recently as 2010.

Final prayers Both LaPlante and Quackenbush said they are concerned about what will happen to the site of the church now that their congregation has closed. A small organization called Valley Bible Church has been renting space in the building for about 15 years. Their lease runs out at the end of 2012, and there is no guarantee they will be allowed to remain.

Then the building will truly be empty.

Quackenbush said he hopes Valley Bible Church will be able to buy the property so the building will remain a House of God.

LaPlante agrees. “If it isn’t sold to another church, I really hope the town will turn it into a historic site,” she said, “so I don’t have to drive by and see something retail (in its place).”

About 50 people attended Bellvale’s final service. They joined hands, teary eyed, as District Superintendent Rev. Betsy Ott recited a closing prayer:

“Almighty God, as in your great goodness you have blessed the many ministries carried on by this congregation in this building and on this site, so, now and in the days and years to come, we pray that you will bless your many ministries in your ongoing church. Bless all those who have worshiped in this place and will now be worshiping in other congregations and different places. As followers of the risen Christ, may we be ready to offer to others the grace and love we receive from you, through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”

The little white Bellvale church remains a symbol of the endurance and faith of a hamlet and its people, according to the hamlet’s Web site.

Now, although the final four survivors of that little white church will be worshiping elsewhere, they pray that the symbol of the Bellvale United Methodist Church remains intact in the community’s heart.