Island Park Methodist Church at 90 years

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The Island Park United Methodist Church, celebrated 90 years in the community with a service and luncheon May 2.

The Church can trace its roots to April 16, 1926 when the Reverend John Langdale came to preach. He was the District Superintendent of the Brooklyn South District of the New York East Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Langdale organized the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Island Park, and received 29 people into full membership.

First know as the Community Church members met in their homes until 1926, when a parcel of land was purchased on Newport Road.

In 1982 it became clear a new church building would be needed. The Greek Orthodox Church of Kimisis Tis Theotokou, “Panaghia of Island Park,” made an offer to buy the Newport Road church. The congregation of the Methodist Church voted 78-3 to sell on July 18, 1982.

Land was purchased at the current Long Beach Road location, and the “groundbreaking” was held Sept. 19, 1982.

The church was home to many other organizations. The Island Park Theatre Group, Little Seashell pre-school, and a Spanish congregation also call the church building “home”. Pastor Eva Guardado ministers them to.

“We had lots of damage as did everyone else with [Hurricane] Sandy and still need repairs to our kitchen. We do a small project at a time,” said congregant Elizabeth Rice.

For over 10 years there run a summer Bible School and Camp out of the church. Rice and Antoinette Rice is chair of the school, and Wilson is a Sunday school teacher.

Rice explained that parents like sending their children because for the $10 they get four nights of babysitting. “It’s an amazing deal,” she said.

Rice said the church offers a range of activities, “On Thursday Nights we have a prayer group, that starts at 7:30. Tom Rice is the Leader. We accept donations only for this group. Also on Thursday we have yoga class beginning at 6 p.m., instructed by Kathleen Regan and on Tuesday we currently have a bible study led by Pastor Prince Donkor, starting at 7:30 p.m.”