Parishioners are trying to save a Nassau County church from closing for good this Sunday.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, in Carle Place, is a Tudor-style structure built in 1926 on Rushmore Avenue. The church is one of three parishes marked for closure by the Episcopalian Diocese of Long Island.
The reason? Low participation.
"I was baptized here, made my first Holy Communion here," said 81-year-old Marge Kogler. "Many of my children were married here, there are a lot of memories."
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"This has been around for years," said Monica O’Connor. "This should not happen."
Parishioners say the church is a cornerstone of the community. It has become a gathering place for veterans, a meeting hall for Alcoholics Anonymous, and a gathering spot for Boy and Girl Scout troops.
"We were trying to be very well integrated with the community," said Christy Shaw, Kogler’s daughter and parishioner. "It’s sad that it’s going to close."
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In late February, the Diocese told church leaders they would need to close at the end of March. But the church was gifted a $1 million endowment to help keep the church in good financial standing.
“We were left an endowment that has kept us going,” said Kogler. "If we can support ourselves, why close us?"
Bishop Provenzano said in a statement, "It is true that St. Mary’s had a substantial endowment. It is also true that per New York State and Church law that parish assets and property revert to the diocese when a parish closes."
He also adds that "the decision to close St. Mary’s was made due to the fact that the numbers of parishioners had fallen well below the threshold needed to sustain a meaningful congregational life that serves the community and not merely keep the doors open for a handful of people.”
Still, those who have been coming to the church for decades feel the sting of closing the church before Easter. Sunday’s service promises to be the last at St. Mary's, and church members have urged people far and wide to attend.
