At Church Last Sunday in Staten Island

Dutch Reform Church of Port Richmond--as it looks today

Since I moved into where I'm now living almost 2 years ago, I've been thinking of attending the Dutch Reform Church in my neighborhood of Port Richmond. This is a historic church in Staten Island, first establish in 1715, by the Dutch who founded Staten Island as well as the rest of New York City.  I finally went last Sunday.  It was an amazing experience.

I once saw an Ingmar Bergman film about this minister who on Sundays spoke to a congregation of about 10 people in a church that would have held a couple of hundred.  By the end of the film, he was preaching to his totally empty church.  Because this minister was so spiritually empty himself, he had nothing to offer to anyone else.

the Dutch Reform Church of Port Richmond in its earlier days--
post card available on Amazon for purchase

Going to this Dutch Reform Church near my house last Saturday, was as if this Ingmar Bergman film had become real life.  There were only about 10 people in the congregation. All old people.  Even so, I rather enjoyed the service.  Leaving, I talked to the minister because he was at the door to shake hands as the people left, as ministers always do.  I thought maybe that he was new to the church and was just taking it over from someone else who hadn't been doing so well.  I asked him how long he had been the minister in that church and he said "7 years."  I couldn't believe it.  He had been the minister in that church for 7 years and only about 10 people came to listen to him preach on Sundays.   I tried to talk to the minister a little to see what he was like.  He seemed spiritually strong to me.  I could tell by looking into his eyes.   I liked him, although I could see that he was kind of a reticent type.  He seemed to lack enthusiasm.  Although, much younger than myself, he looked like an old bearded sea captain, to me.  I gave the minister my card with my blog addresses on it, but not the address for this blog because I hadn't started it yet.  However, I don't have much concern he will find this and read it.  I meet so few people who are computer literate, and hardly any older people.  What I don't understand is how this minister can keep his job when he can't attract people to come to the church.

This post card of the church and the old picture above are available on Amazon for purchase.

I haven't decided if I will go back or not next Sunday.  I did feel better afterward from having gone.  Not from anything that the minister said in particular.  The minister didn't give a sermon, which I rather liked.  I don't like listening to minister's insipid sermons and hardly ever get anything from them except boredom.  He just read from scripture and we sang three hymns.  I actually hate singing hymns because I can't carry a tune and have no voice whatsoever.  The only reason I could sing along at all was that the minister had a pretty good voice that I could hear and follow the tune.  What I like best about the Protestant Church Service is the readings from the Bible and the prayers.  That's all I really need, and that was all I got from this service.   I would kind of like to find out this guy's story.  I think maybe he wasn't cut out to be a minister.  He probably has different interests.  There are many spiritually minded people who aren't really warm and fuzzy people persons.  I've met a few men before like this who become ministers because that seems the right occupation for them, but they don't really have their hearts into that kind of work.  It seems to me, it's equivalent to some doctors, who don't really get along with people all that well (I'm reminded of TV's Dr. House) and they usually end up going into research.  The minister at least asked me to sign the guest book.  As I did I noticed that I was the first person to have signed the Guest Book in over a month.

I think that the Bergman film I'm thinking of is called "Winter Light" or something like that.  I'm not sure.  However, I ordered a DVD from the library that has several Bergman classics on it and I'm hoping that will be on this disk.  I like Ingmar Bergman films, because they are essentially religious in nature.