During Bible Study and studying Psalms 107, I contemplated what I was thankful for.
Washington Square Park Church came to mind. It was 2001 before 9/11, my check was lost in the mail. It was sent to Georgia while I was in NYC. I needed to make the deposit but my parents couldn’t find the check.
My funds slowly depleted until I totally ran out of money so I went to Washington Square Park UMC for a meal. They served on Wednesday evenings (I remember food was served on Wednesday evenings but I don’t know if they served every evening). I saw the pianist. He was a jazz cat with white hair and would play the hymns in a jazz style. All the music was performed in a jazz style. I don’t remember his name but I loved his music and the jazz choir.
I remember going in the summer of 2004 since my graduate studies in Educational Theatre was during the summer. I worked as a music educator during the school year in Georgia. It was their last Sunday in existence and I was there. I couldn’t believe it.
I don’t know how long the church was in existence in Washington Square Park, but it was a small group of people that would attend. It wasn’t sustainable and they had to close the church down. I noticed that they did wonderful things there. The church was later up for sale and the actress Kate Hudson was interested in the building but I don’t believe she bought it.
I’m grateful for the work of the church at Washington Square Park UMC. Later, my parents found my check in the amount of $10,800.00 stuck in a magazine that she happened to flip open. One of my professors offered to give me some money but I declined (the thought was appreciated but I couldn’t do it). Somehow while walking along the streets of NYC, I found $60.00 that I scooped up from the street and I made it through until my check was deposited.
The summer of 2001 was a hard year in my family which I won’t explain. The 9/11 attacks a few months later was horrendous. I was back in the music class teaching that day at Woodward ES in Atlanta, GA. However, I still remember the wonderful things the church did for the homeless, students, and everyone in need in that area in Lower Manhattan. Below is a link to another blogpost about the long history of Washington Square Park UMC.
Washington Square United Methodist Church: Where Identity and Inclusion Collided
What are you grateful for that you remember?
Kim
GVOS and Me 