My family moved to East Williston in 1955. The Community Church of East Williston became a major part of our lives; baptism, Sunday school, confirmation, roles in the annual plays, the Women’s Club of the Willistons, pot-luck dinners, my mother serving as an elder of the church, etc., etc.
My parents are long gone, my siblings have moved away and I left the church many years ago. Three or so years ago, a dear friend of mine, very active in village affairs and not a member of the church, urged me to return after meeting Pastor Forrest Parkinson, who she couldn’t praise enough. I took her advice and met with Pastor Parkinson and I am forever grateful to her for her advice.
His enthusiasm, enlightenment, warmth and intelligence has been a joy to experience and brought me back from the wilderness of religious exploration. Only after considering becoming a member of the church again, did I learn of vicious, untrue rumors and false personal attacks that were being fomented against him and his family by a handful of unchristian, ungodly members of the church. They know who they are.
He was forced out of the church, as were several recent pastors him before him. The church’s history over the past decade exposes a pattern of being unable to retain a pastoral leader. With all the vitriol and unchristian behavior, it is easy to understand why.
I and others who attended the Saturday worship service that he began a little over a year ago focusing on the teachings of Jesus, plan on following Pastor Parkinson to wherever his ministry leads us. It will be a path toward Christian fellowship, mutual respect and the teachings of Jesus.
Many members of the church felt that the Saturday service attendees did not “contribute” anything to the church, whatever in their narrow minds that means.
Without an infusion of new members, the church faces economic demise as do so many churches today, but as it stands, the church has nothing to offer but conflict, vicious petty gossip and very unchristian behavior that should not be tolerated in any religious organization.
There are some very wonderful members of the church who should step up to the plate to insure that this never happens again. For the future health and well-being of the church, I hope that they do.
The Community Church is a beautiful building with a rich history, but it has lost its way and a very wonderful pastor. Fortunately for our Saturday worship group, we have found both.
Nancy C. Kirk
East Williston
