MonTalk©
with Ingrid Lemme

Dream Quote of the Month: Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.”  ~Steve Almond

Dream Woman of the Month: Actress Tohah Feldshuh, presently performing ( standing ovations every night) as Irena in the play IRENA’S vow until November 2nd.  “Featuring a cast of ten and starring four-time Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh, Irena’s Vow is the riveting, life affirming story about one of the most courageous and unsung heroines of World War II. At the Baruch Performing Arts Center (BPAC). “ www.tovahfeldshuh.com  “ I had the great honor of interviewing Miss Tovah at Gurney’s Inn on my talk show  American Dream last month and can’t wait to share this intimate interview with you on Hamptons TV WVVH (channel 78 in the Hamptons).” – Ingrid

Dream Man of the Month: Captain Bob Tuma, Montauk fishing legend Bob Tuma appeared on the American Dream Show, watch out for his interview this fall on Hamptons TV WVVH ( channel 78 in the Hamptons).” – Ingrid

Good Friends of the Month: Jack and Bob

Organization of the Month:  Montauk's Women's Guild.

Dream Business of the Month: Kai-Kai

Dream Teen of the Month: Matthew

Dream Media of the Month: Hamptons TV, CHANNEL 78 a commercial cable and broadcast TV station based in the Hamptons and aired in tri-state NY with access to 5 million households.

Dream Kid of the Month: Jared

Dream Boat of the Month: Captain Bob Tuma’s  "Dawn" of Montauk.

Dream Teacher of the Month: Sue Nicoletti, Montauk School

Dream Media of the Month: Southampton Press 

Dream Author of the Month: Author of Sea of Greed, J. Douglas McCullough, the U.S. attorney who unraveled the Cayman Island cartel, reveals never-before-known facts of the case that began on the docks of a historic fishing village of Beaufort, NC when authorities found a shrimp boat full of marijuana. McCullough is presently dividing his time between his judicial responsibilities in Raleigh, his home in Swan Quarter ( a fishing village in Hyde County on the Inner Banks), his re-election efforts and promoting his book. 

Dream Book of the Month: Sea of Greed - The true story of the investigation and prosecution of Manuel Noriega and the largest drug ring in United States history. The story is told by J. Douglas McCullough, a Republican judge on the N.C. Court of Appeals, in a fascinating new true-crime thriller, called "Sea of Greed." He was the lead federal prosecutor who helped crack one of the biggest drug rings in U.S. history.

www.seaofgreedbook.com

Dream Couple of the Month: Ray and Joanie Hegner

Dream Artist of the Month: Barbara Carol Roughton Fleming

Website of the Month: www.montaukcommunitychurch.org

Never Forgotten: Vera Engstrom, she died on Monday, September 1, 2008

Save the Date:  For the Opening Night of the Hamptons International Film Festival at Gurney’s Inn Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

The Montauk Community Church welcomed interim Pastor Anne Stewart Miller from Portland Oregon end of June. She served as a Presbyterian pastor for some seven years, though a life-long resident of the West Coast, she has always had a strong affinity for the northeast as both an American history major in college as well as one who enjoys strong family ties with members who live here. Pastor Anne Stewart Miller is a 3rd generation Presbyterian minister, and the daughter, niece and granddaughter of pastors. She began seminary with 45, while taking her 1st grade daughter Julia with her to the San Francisco area to attend denomination seminary. Her husband, Ken and son Tom, remained in Portland for those three years to keep the home fires (and Ken’s career) burning. Prior to seminary, Pastor Anne Stewart Miller had a marketing career in the business world. We wish the pastor, her family and the Montauk Community Church family the very best and find this to be a good opportunity to ‘Recall the Origin of the Montauk Community Church by Richard Webb”.

What a busy, exciting time the spring of 1927 was! Carl Fisher's development of  Montauk was in full swing—the Montauk Manor was nearing completion, the 7-story office building was opening, stores, houses, the Surf Club, Golf Club and Yacht Club were under construction, roads were being carved out of hills and valleys, and water mains and electric lines were being installed. The Shepherds Neck Village was being expanded to accommodate some of the personnel and their families who were supervising and performing the work. Surveyors, office personnel and hundreds of workmen were being housed in temporary bunkhouses and commissaries. The mood of the times could best be expressed by two words: Activity and Optimism. But there was no provision then for the year-round worship of God, although a few were attending church in East Hampton. However, in the early spring of 1927, the Long Island Presbytery was active and optimistic about seeking religious leadership in Montauk. A survey was made to determine the denominational background of the people living and working in Montauk. The survey showed about 25% to be Roman Catholic and the balance divided among Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, and several other denominations, with Presbyterians in predominance. There seemed to be a real desire among the residents for organized year-round religious work. The Presbyterian Board of National Missions engaged the Rev. E Hoyt Palmer to be the first minister in Montauk and agreed to pay half his salary for the first year and Presbytery paid the other half. Rev. Palmer's work started July 1st.

On the 3rd day of July 1927, sixty-two people gathered together for worship in the Montauk Theatre Building (between White's Liquor store and the Printing Shop). During the previous hour, twenty-seven children gathered for religious instruction, taught by adult volunteers. During the summer and fall, attendance at the worship services continued to increase and the Sunday school grew by leaps and bounds, indicating how great was the need for these services. During the fall there were several informal meetings to discuss the organization of the church and the character of the work to be carried on, also what name to call the church group. Because several denominations were represented, it was decided that the effort should be interdenominational - a community of religious backgrounds; this gave a reason for the name selected: “Montauk Community Church.”

On January 17, 1928, The Presbytery of Long Island met with the congregation in the Montauk Theatre to organize the church. At this meeting forty-eight members joined the church by profession of their faith or by letter of dismission from other churches or by affiliation. Seven elders who had been previously nominated were elected, ordained and installed, thus officially constituting the Montauk Community Church. From the very earliest days, this church has been blessed with a strong group of women- the Women's Guild- whose cooperation has been the strong right arm of the church. Their first social activity was a supper given in the theater on December 7th. In spite of a lack of equipment and facilities, 175 were fed and the proceeds, $200, formed the nucleus of a building fund. The men of the community met several times during the autumn of 1927 to plan social activities during the winter and spring, the proceeds to be given to the building fund. Arrangements were made to promote a series of eight Saturday night home talent entertainments at the Montauk Theatre in conjunction with the moving pictures. The series included a barn dance, vaudeville, children's night, etc. and ended in April with a minstrel show, which played to a packed house of about 350. The net proceed of the series amounted to $400 which was turned over to the building fund. Although the church group appreciated having the Theater in which to meet, the bare walls, poor lighting, uncomfortable seating and reverberating echoes didn't add much to the worshipful atmosphere of the services.

Much thought was given to the provision of a new church building and to its size, location and how it could be financed. So as the summer of 1928 approached, a committee was formed to consider a suitable site for the new building and to arrange plans for financing the venture. Carl Fisher offered to give an acre of land wherever the committee decided, if they would agree to build within one year. The present site was the first choice of the committee. At first the thought was to build a small one room chapel to meet the immediate needs, but the optimism of the time assured that eventually, we would outgrow such a facility and that rooms should also be provided for various uses such as Sunday School, social activities, etc. The committee obtained the services of the Architect for the Board of national Missions, Mr. A.G. Lamont, a specialist in church architecture, to make preliminary drawings of a future group of buildings with special emphasis on the proposed first unit. In due time the preliminary drawings were presented and approved, although the architect's estimate of cost exceeded the amount tentatively agreed upon. It was decided to hold a campaign for funds during the last two weeks in July 1928 with the hope of raising $35,000. A professional campaign manager was employed and publicity prepared and sent out.

In order to be able to sign contracts and other papers, it was necessary to incorporate the church and to elect a Board of Trustees; so on June 17, 1928, incorporation papers were drawn, signed and recorded, and a group of men elected as trustees.  The final results of the campaign amounted to $22,880 in gifts and pledges, including also the excavating and painting of the building by local contractors. Arrangements were made with Richard Webb, a local architect, to make the working drawings, details and specifications, and to obtain bids from contractors. A local contractor, the Pearson Construction Company, submitted the lowest bid of $49,925. After eliminating unessential items and revising the specifications, the contract price was reduced to $40,800. On November 12, 1928, the contract was signed and ground was broken for the new building. With great interest the people watched the building grow and on December 31, 1928, the cornerstone was laid with fitting ceremonies. The men of the church volunteered to gather and cart the stones for the tower and it is interesting to know that many of these stones had formed the foundations of a house in  Indian Field in which it is said the Montauk Indians held their religious services conducted at one time by Rev. Samson Occum. After a noble effort on the part of the contractor and the workmen, the building was ready for the first service on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1929.

By the summer the Women's Guild had purchased furniture for the church parlor and dishes and silverware for the kitchen. The pews and chancel furniture designed by  Mr. Webb, and given by members and friends in memory of loved ones, were installed. Mrs. E.P. Maynard gave the beautiful memorial window in the chancel in memory of her parents. Mrs. Maynard was born in the Third House and her parents were keepers of the sheep and cattle that grazed in Indian Field.

The Church House and Sanctuary were dedicated in a beautiful service on September 1, 1929. At this time, a little over two years after services started under humble circumstances in the Montauk Theatre, there was a splendid church building centrally located, adequately furnished and equipped to accommodate worship services, religious education programs, club meetings, theatricals, dinners, dances, community meetings - wholesome fellowship and entertainment of every nature. But the building was only half paid for; there was a mortgage of $14,000 and bank notes to the extent of about $9,000. The Long Island Presbytery very generously agreed to pay the interest on the mortgage and for many years the Board of National Missions paid half of our minister's salary. The prevailing spirit of optimism came to an abrupt end with the Stock Market crash in late 1929, and for the next ten years of depression the payments on the mortgage and notes proceeded slowly and with great difficulty. But thanks to the faith and courage of the Women's Guild, they alone were able to earn the funds to meet the payments on the indebtedness. And so by the grace of God, the mortgage was finally paid and burned on the 25th anniversary of the church in 1952…….

~ Love Ingrid

Ingrid Lemme is Director of PR and Marketing for Gurneys Inn Resort & Spa in Montauk. She is show hostess of her talk show American Dreams® which airs on WVVH TV, 78 Hamptons Television Tuesdays 6:00 pm, Fridays at 7:00 pm and Saturdays at 2pm. Send her e-mail to ilemme@mac.com, or a letter to PO Box 752, Montauk N.Y. 11954 if you like.

The American Dreams® Show is aired on Hamptons TV, CHANNEL 78 a commercial cable and broadcast TV station aired tri-state NY with access to 5 million households.