End of a season for Monticello church

Photo by Karen Donato
ONE LAST SERVICE — Pastor Paula Lilley led the closing service at the Monticello United Methodist Church. The time has come to disband; the Church has served the community well for more than a century.
By Karen Donato
Special to the Pioneer Times
    Sunday, April 29, 2012 marked the end of a long life for Monticello’s United Methodist Church. Filled to capacity, much like years ago, attendees recalled happy times when the church was the center of the community.
    David Dyrenforth, the pastor of record from the Patten Methodist Church greeted those in attendance saying, “The time has come to disband and close. We must take leave of this consecrated house, taking with us our memories, our experiences and our faith. We are reminded that we do not walk alone.”
    Current pastor, Paula Lilley recalled the history of the church which was first built on part of the Perkins Farm near Jewell’s Corner. Monticello residents, Thomas Melvin, Isaac S. Archibald, Harris and Hiram Stackpole along with Wallace Hardy of Littleton paid $50 for the property in 1875. On this lot in 1876, John Folsom built the Methodist Episcopal Church and the first minister to hold services in the new sanctuary was Shephard Brody.
    In 1880 this church burned and services were held in the schoolhouse in the village. Then in 1881 local residents, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Green, who were anxious to build a new church, purchased one-half acre of land from James C. Wellington for $100. This is the property on School Street where the church now stands. Before building the church, parishioners built the parsonage and then in 1897 the current structure was erected by Charles Cheney.
Photo by Karen Donato
STANDING TALL — The Monticello United Methodist Church on School Street has closed after serving 136 years in the community.
    In August of that year Governor Llewelyn Powers was present for the laying of the cornerstone in the southwest corner beneath the belfry. The names of the previous contributors were placed in the cornerstone and, on the day of the service, the names of all those who paid 10 cents were added. Robert Belyea of Monticello drilled a hole in the rock and the names were put in a container, placed in the hole and covered with cement.
    In 1912, the Gorwood family served the church. They came from England and were scheduled to sail on the Titanic, but due to the early convening of the annual Maine Conference, the family sailed on an earlier ship.
    In 1958 an addition was added to the main building and named the Hartt Fellowship Hall. Harry Hartt was a beloved member of the church. He was a local businessman, and very interested in the youth of the community. He volunteered many hours to church groups, baseball teams and the Boy Scouts. His daughters Gloria and Greta, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren have remained active members until the closing.
    Through the years a number of projects were undertaken including the building of a belfry to house the church bell and a new church sign by the front entrance. This sign was made in memory of Hazel Jewell Porter by her daughter, Genevieve Porter Carpenter and her brothers, Linwood Porter and Max Porter Good. The church also had several beautiful stained glass windows installed. These were given as honorariums or memorials by family members.
Photo by Karen Donato
FAMILY LEGACY — Gloria Hartt Jewell, a life-long church member, informed the audience of a $750 Monticello United Methodist scholarship that has been set in place for the youth of Monticello and Littleton for several years in the future. The church fellowship hall was named for her father, Harry Hartt, who was a devoted supporter of the church and the youth of the community.
    The church remained a very active entity through the previous century, but attendance began declining over time. It became more difficult to support a full-time pastor and pay monthly expenses. In 2006 the congregation realized the church may possibly close, but through the determination of a handful of members it held fast until this past December.
    More than 57 pastors have served the church and during the last 45 years the church has hosted several local residents as their clergy, including Robert Blake, Lynne Josselyn Morrison, Clovis Frame, Forman Swallow, Rodney Foster, Diane Langworthy and most recently Marilyn Rohdin and Paula Lilley.
    From 2007 to ‘11, under the leadership of Rohdin and Lilley, a group of ladies provided an after-school program each Monday that began with just a handful of students from the nearby Wellington School to 21 in its final year. The children listened to stories of faith, participated in projects and enjoyed an after-school snack. They received special attention from dedicated volunteers, Norma Folsom, Gloria Jewell, Barbara Swimm, Doreen and Alyson Lynds, Melody Michaud, Sandi Petro, Kim Kenney, Rohdin and Lilley. These women looked forward to this weekly program, when the students would burst through the front door with happy smiles and tales of their school day.
    Rohdin said, “God was working in our midst. He can do great things even in small numbers.”
    This program provided backpacks filled with school supplies for Wellington School students during the year. They also provided health kits for other groups and collected money for a penny challenge for the Methodist Youth of New England.
    Also attending the closing on Sunday were Galen Wilde and his wife Sharon of Houlton. Wilde grew up in Monticello and went to the church as a child with his parents and three brothers. As he shared his memories of earlier days, he said, “This church helped shape my life, I have a lot of history here.”
Photo by Karen Donato
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY — Gerald “Moose” and Leitha Harper Karnes were married 40 years ago in Monticello’s United Methodist Church. Attending the closing service recently, Leitha recalled attending the church as a child and the memories she had.
    His mother Dorothy MacDonald Wilde, 91 and a resident of Madigan Estates in Houlton published a collection of poetry including one to commemorate the building of the steeple to house the church bell in 1979. The Methodist Youth group had accepted a challenge to earn money to build a new steeple. The community had responded generously and made that challenge become a reality. As the poem was read, the bell tolled for the last time. This was even more significant due to the fact that longtime organist Barbara Swimm was unable to attend and had requested to have the bell ring one last time as the poem was being read.
    A former pastor recalled a youngster thanking him for helping him learn about Jesus and that he (the pastor) was “very nice and had shiny shoes.”
    Leitha Harper Karnes recalled having her bridal shower at the church followed by her wedding to Gerald “Moose” Karnes. They were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary on this day, sitting near the stained glass window that had been dedicated to her family members, Burnie and Fern Folsom.
    One final offertory was collected by longtime member Al Jewell and high school student Ben Lynds, great-great grandson of Hartt. A few years ago Lynds had posted these words on the Church sign, “This Church rocks!”
    Those three words inspired those that came through the door then and until now to continue the mission for as long as possible.
Photo by Karen Donato
SHARING MEMORIES — Brian Ketchum, left of Mars Hill reminisced with longtime church member Al Jewell of Monticello. Ketchum’s grandfather, Dr. Francis Hill was also a member when Ketchum was a youngster.
    As Reverend Dr. Patricia MacHugh, district superintendent of the northern Maine district gave her closing remarks she reminded the congregation, “To remember the past, but to dream new dreams, for the time to move on has come,” she said. “It has been God’s gift for a season, it has accomplished its purpose and it is time to disband.”
    After the closing service, guests enjoyed a reception in the fellowship hall and time to look through scrapbooks and photograph albums that had been kept throughout the years. At this time there are no definite plans for the future use of the building.
    The Sunday offertory will be added to other funds that are being earmarked for a $750 Monticello Methodist Church Scholarship that will be awarded for several years in the future to either a Monticello or Littleton student who is furthering their education and has maintained good academic standing. This scholarship will be handled through the Dollars for Scholars program at Houlton High School. Anyone who would like to contribute to this scholarship, please make checks payable to Dollars for Scholars with a note for the church organization. Send checks to: P.O. Box 190, Houlton, ME 04730.