Episcopalians and Lutherans work together to put on annual Oktoberfest
September 29 event was fund raiser for new food pantry in Pottersville
Pottersville, NY: October 4, 2017—Members of SonRise Lutheran Church were joined by members of Christ Episcopal Church in Pottersville last week in offering their annual Oktoberfest to the community.
About 80 people from the area joined in bringing a little bit of Germany to the rural Adirondacks. Sausages, chicken, German potato salad (of course), sauerkraut, red cabbage, an incredible variety of desserts, and of course beer, wine (in moderation), and cider were all available. All food and beverages were provided by members and friends of the two congregations. Donations of supplies were contributed by the Adirondack General Store in Adirondack, Adirondack Moonshine in Chestertown, Oscar’s Smoke House in Warrensburg, and Crossroads Country Store in Chestertown.
This event had been held for some years at SonRise Camp in Pottersville and has always benefitted a local need, all proceeds going one year to aid a family whose son was fighting cancer, another time for a local family in financial difficulty. Funds raised have also gone to to area food banks in years past.
This year the beneficiary will be a new food bank for the Pottersville community which will open this fall by North Country Ministry. Mrs. Judy Carr, head of North Country Ministry, was present for the event with her husband Bruce and Dr. Jim Morrisey, chairman of the NCM Board.
The unusual alliance of Lutherans and Episcopalians came about when SonRise Camp was sold and the Lutheran congregation was asked to move from the only site they had known. This occurred one month after their pastor had taken a call to western New York. The Rev. Bruce Rudolf, a retired Lutheran Pastor who has worked as a speaker for Food for the Poor, one of the largest interdenominational relief and development ministries in the U.S. focused on aiding the Caribbean and Latin America, and a member of the SonRise Congregation, agreed to serve as their pastor.