Plainview Reformed Church Installs New Steeple

By Denise D'Alessandro

The Plainview Reformed Church installed a new steeple on June 26. The steeple had been leaking for years and despite the church having a small congregation with limited resources, parishioners decided it was time to replace the steeple rather than continuing to repair it.

The little room under the steeple had to be built up to properly support the steeple and clear the roof peak.

Parishioners started raising money with the Christmas card sale. A church member took a picture of the inside of the sanctuary decorated for the Christmas Season and this became the cover of a card.

After much consideration, it was decided that direct sales would be a difficult way to raise all the money needed so the church began accepting memorial donations and direct donations for the steeple.

The demolition was done by parishioners Steve Hammel, Frank Rogers and Ron Bryhan on Saturday, June 21. They were lucky and got done just before a big thunderstorm.

As the steeple fund grew, an architect and steeple company were needed. Ron Bryhan, the head of Building and Grounds, eventually contracted with Campbellsville Industries in Kentucky to build the steeple. In the meantime, the church sent an application to the Town of Oyster Bay for the proper building permits.

On June 21, the old steeple was removed and during the week the new platform base for the steeple was built and a stained glass window was relocated. On June 26, the new steeple was delivered and installed.

The Mission and Outreach committee of the church will hold a community open house, tentatively scheduled for September 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to welcome the neighbors into the church. Also, the steeple will be dedicated at a 10 a.m. service on July 20.

Summer worship at the Plainview Reformed Church, which is located at 560 Old Bethpage Road, is at 10 a.m. After Labor Day, services begin at 11 a.m. Church activities include an adult choir, children's choir, adult handbells, children's chimes, an active adult social group, adult bible study, Sunday school and nursery care during services. The facility is also shared with the New Life Church and Fellowship Hall is rented for community group events, AA meetings and a ping-pong club. The church runs its own Thrift Shop, which is open Tuesdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the summer. After Labor Day, the shop is also open Saturdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Thrift Shop is not currently taking donations.

For more information on the dedication ceremony and upcoming events at the Plainview Reformed Church, please call 931-8770.