MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. - Faith communities are the heart and soul of Mount Kisco.
That was a point on which everyone taking part in a recent recognition of local houses of worship could sincerely and enthusiastically agree.
Sponsored by the local historical society as part of Mount Kisco’s sesquicentennial (150th anniversary), the celebratory event drew a large crowd to the library on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Speeches were made, photos and memorabilia displayed, refreshments served, interfaith partnerships praised, and new friendships formed.
Kicking things off was society trustee John Rhodes, who thanked religious leaders for “all they’ve done to help make Mount Kisco a compassionate and loving village.”
Mount Kisco isn’t the only one marking a major milestone this year.
The United Methodist Church, for instance, is observing the 200th anniversary of Methodism in Mount Kisco. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is turning 175; the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 90; and Bet Torah Synagogue, 75.
The flock of eloquent orators included Mayor J. Michael Cindrich, county Legislator Erika Pierce, state Assemblymember Chris Burdick, Nicole Schwalbe, pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection; Rabbi Lisa Sacks of Bet Torah Synagogue, UMC Pastor Bette Johnson Sohm, Donald Wildman of the Religious Society of Friends, a Quaker meeting based in nearby New Castle; Susan Glickman of Temple Shaaray Tefila, a Reform Jewish congregation in Bedford; and Greg Brooks, clerk of the Vestry at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.
Cindrich
Cindrich, a longtime congregant of St. Francis of Assisi R.C. Church, was grateful that he’s been able to -- so far -- attend services at 11 of the village’s 13 houses of worship.
Speaking of the memorial held at the UMC for the 26 children and adults who perished in the 2012 Sandy Hook school shootings, Cindrich said the poignant tribute was one that “we all should be proud of here in Mount Kisco.”
Taking a stroll back to urban renewal times, he recalled that a church had – by its mere presence – saved a neighborhood.
Kisco Avenue was under construction and there were plans to extend the project through Maple Avenue all the way down to Lexington Avenue.
That could have doomed both the Bethel Baptist Church on Maple and “a lot of homes,” Cindrich said.
“Why it never happened is because the engineers and urban planners know it’s taboo to try to remove a church,” he explained, adding that the village is very protective and proud of, and humbled by, its religious institutions.
Cindrich said he thought that Mount Kisco had more houses of worship than any other community in northern Westchester, or maybe in the entire county.
“Unfortunately, they don’t pay taxes,” he quipped, pausing for sympathetic laughter to die down before adding with a smile: “But I guess God takes precedence.”
Pierce
All houses of worship – and not only the ones that were being recognized that day for their longevity and contributions – are vital to the survival and success of communities, said Pierce, thanking Cindrich for the “history lesson.”
“Think of all those generations, all those people who came together for events big and small whether it was a marriage, the hope of a birth, to mourn someone, or in the time of crisis such as Sandy Hook, these congregations often are the beating hearts of our community where we all come to try to be our best selves and where we try to remake the community that we live in in the best possible image,” she said.
Religious organizations may not paying taxes but “the good works” that they do – such as the nonprofit Emergency Shelter Partnership and the Interfaith Food Pantry -- are “worth their weight in gold,” Pierce said.
Burdick
While the vibrancy of faith-based communities seems to be on the wane in other places, the exact opposite is true in Mount Kisco.
Religious leaders and their congregations are consistently supportive of the efforts of local organizations that help those in need, such as Neighbors Link, Burdick said, adding Mount Kisco can be very proud, not only of its rich history of its houses of worship, “but their endurance, how strong they are now, and how vital they are to the health of the community.”
Schwalbe
Schwalbe emphasized that the Lutheran church was happy to be a part of “interfaith work” such as the local food pantry, emergency shelter partnership, and Midnight Run, a team of volunteers that distributes food, clothing, blankets, and personal care items to unhoused folks in Manhattan.
Congregations and local demographics may change over time, but a faith community’s mission never does. -- and that’s, she said, “to love God and our neighbor.”
Lauding cohorts for all that they do, Schwalbe told them: “We’re nothing if we’re not together. We’re not just a building; we’re people. Thank you for being part of that.”
Sacks
Bet Torah – the “baby on the block” at “only” 75 years old – was founded by a group of women who decided they they’d prefer to be in an egalitarian, rather than an Orthodox, community, Sacks said.
The Conservative synagogue has been renovated several times over the years and is planning to expand again.
Although headquartered -- so to speak -- in Mount Kisco it’s really a regional hub that attracts folks from places such as Bedford, Armonk, Chappaqua, Pleasantville, Ossining, and Croton-on-Hudson, Sacks said.
It also feels privileged to be able to participate in the community’s interfaith outreach programs and is grateful for the village’s support, especially during “these fraught times,” she said, referring to the crisis in the Middle East.
Many generations have passed through Bet Torah’s doors and it is praying that “the coming generation knows nothing but peace,” Sacks concluded.
Sohm
Whatever faith community they belong to, all share a common calling, and that’s to “love God and our neighbor,” said Sohm, adding that she was thankful for a God that allows folks to worship with different names, words, and ways.
“That’s just an amazing thing that there is a god that is so large and can say ‘OK, call me what you need to call me. You need to say thee and thou, go for it. You need to say ‘Hey, Daddy,’ that’s alright too; just talk to me,” she said.
Sohm also spoke of the UMC’s new thrift shop and its community outreach efforts.
The money it raises goes towards helping folks in need: “people who are expecting children, who have lost their homes, things like that,” she explained, adding: "If someone turns up and has no money in their pocket, we say ‘It’s okay, let’s see what we can do.'”
There’s a book at the shop in which folks can write down their requests for help or express their thanks to God or an object of worship.
“We will hold you in prayer,” said Sohm, pointing out that “it’s a wonderful ministry and you don’t have to be Methodist to work in it” and adding that volunteers are always welcome.
“As we all know, it takes many hands to do these sorts of things,” she said.
Wildman
After moving to the Mount Kisco area from Yorktown about a decade ago, Wildman started looking for a Quaker congregation to join.
He found one in the Croton Valley Meetinghouse, an historic landmark in nearby New Castle. (It has a Mount Kisco mailing address.)
Many folks don’t realize “how fundamental” the Quakers were to the development of Westchester, said Wildman, who was born into the religion.
The towns of Chappaqua, Purchase, Harrison, Rye, and Scarsdale were founded by Quaker farmers who had migrated there from Flushing, Queens, back in the 1600s and 1700s.
“Quakerism is a very simple story. You walk into a room and you sit in silent worship. The idea is that by sitting in silent meditation, you should be able to let the holy spirit move through you. You can speak with God on your own terms,” he explained.
Wildman fell in love with the circa-1902 meetinghouse the moment he walked through its door.
“It’s just a darling thing. I’ve been going to meetinghouses all my life, but this is a very special place,” he said, urging everyone to visit it.
“It’s real easy and we’ll welcome you,” Wildman added.
Glickman
Shaaray Teflia will be 50 years old next year.
“We’re really the newbie,” said Glickman, one of the temple's founding members.
One of its most basic Jewish teachings is “tikkun olam,” which loosely translates to “fixing what is broken in our world.”
According to Glickman, the phrase signifies a commitment to actively making the world a better place through social justice and ethical actions.
Shaaray Teflia has partnered with the Interfaith Food Pantry, delivered meals to the elderly and housebound, participated in Midnight Runs, held interfaith services with a Presbyterian and a Baptist church in Bedford, and collected food donations on high holy days such as Rosh Hashanah.
One of its first rabbis was the clergy for inmates at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. It celebrates Shabbat with residents of The Country House, an assisted care facility in Yorktown, and conducts Passover services at various group homes.
“I could go on and on, but I hope I have given you a little bit of the essence of who we are as a congregation,” Glickman said.
Brooks
Brooks represented St. Mark’s on behalf of the Rev. Kyle T. Martindale who sent his regrets from Mexico, where he’s immersing himself in the culture and language in order to better serve Mount Kisco’s significant Spanish-speaking population.
St. Mark’s started as St. George’s, a mission church, in 1761, Brooks said, pointing out that the church was originally located on East Main Street, just south of the present-day hospital.
It was formally recognized as a religious organization in 1850 in New Castle. The original structure was built on the site in the early 1800s. Its burial grounds contain graves dating back to the Revolutionary War.
The cornerstone for the present granite edifice was laid in 1910. It was inscribed with the words: “Where there is no vision the people perish.” The church was consecrated in 1917.
A fun history fact that Brooks shared was that one of Alexander Hamilton’s direct descendants had worshipped at St. Mark’s at one time and had “actually run the church although he wasn’t ordained.”
That, and other interesting tidbits, are contained in “St. Mark’s Church – A History,” which was written by Helena Meade.
A brochure detailing the church’s ABCs is written in both English and Spanish.
Calling St. Mark’s a “welcoming, caring, and inclusive community,” Brooks said Jesus Christ’s “loving example and teachings call us to love God and our neighbors without exception and to serve our communities wherever there is need.”
Good to Know
For a list of houses of worship within the village, visit www.mountkiscony.gov/residents/houses_of_worship.
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