Memorials, Gifts and Dedications in the Vestry of Peoples UMC

The area of Peoples known as the Vestry is the downstairs area of the main church. When Peoples on Broadway was first available for use it was the vestry that was used for all purposes since the sanctuary was still under construction. It opened with a main area with the kitchen on one end and a stage on the other. Behind the stage were two rooms that were first used as teaching rooms for the youngest of our children. They were also used as dressing rooms if members of the church were using the stage for performance.  Originally sliding doors separated the vestry into two areas for Sunday school with elementary age children using the areas nearest the stage and the junior department using the area closest to the kitchen. Senior high students might often be seen in a small room where today can be found the stairs to Ellis Hall and a closet used by Shawl Ministry. Where the ramp is today and the choir room was a pass through in order to avoid disturbing what might be transpiring in the areas already mentioned. Parallel to the rooms behind the stage was a short hall with a rest room for men and another for women. Today there is one unisex bathroom as the men's rest room was removed when the trustees and the handicap accessability initiative le for the elevator shaft to b extended to that level

There are a number of memorials, dedications and gifts to be found in the area of the vestry that are often bypassed  which will be noted here.



Sports and Scouting Trophies

 

 On the shelves by the Choir Room Door stand a number of trophies that tell the story of Peoples and sports and Boy Scouts. In the 1960’s the men sponsored a bowling team that was very successful in engaging men in the Greater Portland Christian Men’s Bowling League that operated first at the YMCA and then at the Big 20 in Scarborough. The YMCA also sponsored a Teen Basketball League for both Junior High and High School. The teens from Peoples always did well in the league and on more than one occasion won the league.

 

There is also one trophy on the shelf indicating that Peoples sponsored Troop 23 did well in a regional camporee. Peoples has since 1918 sponsored a Boy Scout Troop and after World War II sponsored Cub Scout Pack 23 until a few years ago when it dropped the number 23 and Pack 22 came to Peoples. A long history with organizations for girls such as Girl Scouts and Campfire Girls dating back to the 1920’s also appears to have ended.

Hanging over the piano in the Vestry is a picture titled, “The Raging Sea” which was painted by Elsie Hoyt a long time active member of Peoples UMC. She was the daughter of Rev. Charles O. Perry who served as pastor of Peoples in the 1930’s. The picture was a gift from her when she and her husband, David moved to the west coast. David and Elsie had three children all of whom had been active in the life of Peoples. Charles Hoyt also became a Methodist pastor.

 

Located to the right of the stage is an upright piano that was a gift to the church from Linda and Fred Wade. When the church was in transition from High Street to the Broadway location a temporary organ had been purchased from a warehouse in Massachusetts for $500 and placed in this location where it served until the Estes Organ purchased in 1912 and brought from High Street could be installed in the new sanctuary. Within two years that organ was sold to another church for $550. An upright piano was purchased by the choir once that organ was removed and served until a few years ago when the one pictured was made available.

The pew found in the vestry was one of three removed from the present day sanctuary to allow for a wider aisle as one enters. The primary provider of funds for the pews was Meredith Trefethen and his family. Meredith was an outstanding member of the church choir and was involved in a number of church activities. He was the owner of Trefethen’s garage located at the corner of Broadway and Cottage Road. The garage for some time was the local dealership for Pontiac automobiles.

The display cabinet pictured above is found in the vestry on the wall by the ramp. It was commissioned by the Archives committee as a memorial to the 175 years that we as a church trace to the first class meeting held in the area of Willard Square (Point Village) in 1839. The cabinet was masterfully constructed by Jim MacKinnon and hung in this location for all to see in September 2014. While it most often will display a changing display of church memorabilia and archival materials it might be used to display other items as well.

 

Covering the back wall of the vestry are a series of panels that were painted by teenage members of the church who were either members of a class and/or the UMYF (United Methodist Youth Fellowship. These were painted in 1978 and were hung there until there was some damage caused by water leaks on that wall. They were taken down and placed in the old garage storage area between the church and the parsonage. Forgotten for a period of years they were a few years ago rediscovered and again hung in the vestry. It is the important story of creation that is told in the Bible and also serves as a reminder of what our young folks, if given the opportunity can do and leave for future generations to use.

In the beginning God made the sky and he separated the waters above from the waters below.

And the Lord separated the land from the sea and said “let there be light.”

And the Lord created sea life and birds above and then life came to the land in the form of living creatures and plants.

 

 

And on the Seventh Day he rested.