Catskill Meeting - Mourning
Mourning
Jane Harries
The vibrant life of an old friend is fading away. When the struggle is over, there will be no funeral, no memorial for the many years my friend has served the community bringing peace and comfort to all. I am mourning for the Catskill Monthly Meeting.
The Catskill Monthly Meeting of Grahamsville, NY is part of the Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers or Friends. Its meetinghouse, built in 1838, is the oldest place of continuous worship in Sullivan County, NY. It is a simple one-story wooden structure without electricity, running water, or formal foundation. It is divided into two main rooms, each heated by separate wood-burning stoves that connect off a common chimney flue. The internal wall between the rooms is composed of large wooden panels and a connecting door. The top half sections of the panels can swing up and be secured open by ceiling hooks allowing a larger gathering of attenders to feel united. The outer walls are lath and plaster which provide little insulation from cold weather. The floors are wide-plank chestnut and oak. Wooden benches with flat board backrests are the only seating. Natural light coming in the wavy glass panes of sash windows on all sides of the building provides illumination.
Two doors on the front of the building and the lack of adornments—such as a steeple, bell tower or stained glass windows—are typical hallmarks of Quaker meetinghouses. The Grahamsville building hasn’t altered much over time, except for replacing the original wooden shake roof with metal. There is an attached storage room with an outhouse which never upgraded to flush toilets despite the town’s expanded sewer system in 2009. Being one of the more primitive examples of a Quaker meetinghouse, the building served as a template for a full-size replica in Museum Village in Monroe, NY.
Most Quaker meetings in NY are un-programmed, meaning silent worship without a minister. While this was popular and economical in early times, the lack of a minister hinders cohesion in today’s fast-paced world. Like many modern day religions, there has been a decline in membership (except in Africa where Quakers have evangelical programs/ministers).
The Catskill Meetinghouse often looks abandoned in winter months when its doors are locked and windows shuttered, and worship is held in a private home. In warmer months, the two remaining active members try to keep the meetinghouse open for worship, but Ann Higgins is age 98 and Pixie Piera, in her 80s, will soon move out of county. Together they are trying to find a resolution for the Meeting’s fate and are hoping for my support, though I have been retired and living in Orange County for over fourteen years.
I have always had a soft spot for that Meeting. I never formally joined though I spent most of my adult life attending with my husband Ted who is a Quaker. Our daughter Kersten prompted us to attend regularly since second grade. All her Catholic friends were receiving religious instruction for their first communion, so Kersten felt she needed to know more about Quaker beliefs. I was a lapsed Catholic, drifting towards Ted’s faith as it seemed to be a religion that fit me rather than my trying to fit a dogmatic religion. Its basic concept is there is that of God in everyone. Its doesn’t matter if others have different beliefs or are atheists, or if baptized or not, we are all equal. The simplicity, equality and peace that Quakers strive for in life are appealing qualities to me. The silent worship format, while unnerving initially, provides a calmness.
I have so many rich memories and strong feelings for Quakerism, the Catskills Friends, and for the building itself. I was given a key to the building the third time attending. It left me speechless to have members include me and my family with this simple act. Later on, we invited members to meet for worship at our house during the winter months as we were centrally located in the county. We cleaned and baked refreshments for these weekly gatherings as one would for visiting relatives. When our daughter spent a year in Costa Rica as a high school exchange student, members would stay and listen to her lengthy letters home. When she selected a college to study architecture, it brought great reassurance to know Rhode Island School of Design was Ann Higgins’ alma mater.
When I struggled professionally as a guidance counselor, I spent time two summers ushering Quaker youths around the Hudson Valley to visit Quaker meetings, both active and inactive, to help these adolescents gain a broader connection while at the same time enjoy fun in nature. It gave me greater confidence in group work and led me to incorporate mediation skills within my school system.
Being a part of the Catskill Meeting pushed me to new challenges. When Pixie’s husband, Charlie, was overly stressed with his prison work and role of clerk for Catskill, I offered to assist and soon was clerking instead. I took on tasks such as hosting memorials, a wedding, craft fairs and building maintenance. Each event provided personal growth and instilled a sense of duty and need to payback.
Ann and Pixie are now trying to find a solution for the stewardship of the meeting before they are no longer able. I am helping them get a historic marker to place roadside so the Grahamsville community will be more aware of the building’s historic status since 2010 with the National Registry of Historic Places through the US Department of the Interior, but I worry that the marker will be viewed as a tombstone. The Time and Valley Museum in Grahamsville has shown some interest in taking over stewardship of the building, but an endowment needs to be included, so I’ll help with fundraising. Time is running out. I will do what I can for this beloved friend who gave so much.
Donations can be made out to Catskill Monthly Meeting and should be designated for the endowment account before being mailed to:
Chris Dembergh, treasurer
Catskill Monthly Meeting
2364 Ulster Heights Road
PO Box 81
Woodbourne, NY 12788
