The history of our church

The following history was compiled during the celebration of our 200th anniversary year--in 1998. We spent the year examining the anniversary theme "Celebrating the past, Building a future, Living in the Presence." This history celebrates the past, but is also a history of the people of Preakness living in the Presence, and it is where you will find the seeds of our future. The end of our second century has been well marked, and we continue to be blessed by the presence of God in our lives and in the life of the church as we begin our third.

If you would like to read more, a copy of our 200th anniversary
edition of "Preakness and the Preakness Reformed Church: A History"
is available from the church office. The first hundred years, compiled
by George W. Labaw, has valuable information about Preakness and is often sought after by those researching their genealogy. The second hundred years, gathered by Albert A Smith,puts the history of our church in the context of world and local events. Copies of the two-volume set
are $25, and all money from the sale of the books goes to the Preakness Reformed Church Memorial Scholarship Fund.

In 1798, a group of individuals contributed funds to build a church at Preakness on land owned by Edo Merselis. The following year, Mr. Merselis deeded the land to the "builders of the Church at Preakness." In 1998, the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Preakness Reformed Church, the people of Preakness honor the visionaries of the past who started small, did simple things, and were not overwhelmed. It is a time to proclaim who we are and where we are going as a community of faith.

The first Preakness Church was built on the present site in 1798. It took the people of Preakness to make it happen. No written records exist to tell the story of the movement which started the building, except for some very old subscription lists. In all likelihood, the movement to build a church at Preakness took shape slowly, without any organized effort in the beginning.

Preakness itself was first settled sometime between 1714 and 1720. The name Preakness (pronounced "Preake-ness") is an American Indian name thought to mean either "quail woods" or a "young buck." Incidentally, the race run annually in Maryland called "The Preakness" was named after a race track that once existed along Valley Road.

The hill on which the present church stands was probably chosen because of its prominence in the Preakness area. Until construction in the modern era altered the landscape, the church could be seen from the hills on the other side of the valley and from the valley to the south.

Funds for the construction of the first church were obtained by the builders of the church by subscription from among the local residents. A copy of the original subscription list shows that the money was pledged in English pounds, shillings and pence.

There are no pictures of the original building which stood from 1798 until 1852. We do know that it was not as large as the present one and was constructed of rough, unhewn stone. The ground on which the church stood was not deeded to "the builder" of the church by Edo Merselis until June 7, 1799. Interestingly, the oldest tombstone in the cemetery behind the church is that of Mr. Merselis who died in October of 1799.

The church had no formal organization at the close of the eighteenth century, and it was not until 1802 that the Classis of Bergen took steps to provide ministers who would preach at Preakness at least once a month and celebrate the Lord's Supper twice a year. The money to pay for the ministers was raised, like the funds to build the church, by subscription. On October 23, 1811, by a special act of the New Jersey Legislature the Preakness Church was incorporated. Thus, the affairs of the church were transferred from "the builders" of the church to Elders and Deacons and their successors as trustees of the congregation. A special act of the State legislature in 1851 vested the property in the trustees of the corporation, that is, the Consistory. Originally known as "The Dutch Reformed Protestant Congregation of Preakness in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey." The corporate name was changed in 1961 to that by which it is now known, the Preakness Reformed Church.

In the early years the people of Preakness did not have sufficient funds to support their own minister. It was not until 1825 when the Reformed churches at Ponds (Oakland), Wyckoff, and Preakness called the Reverend Zachariah Hoffman Kuypers, that the people of Preakness had a regular preacher. Mr. Kuypers served all three churches until 1842. Although Mr. Kuypers was not considered a "gifted" preacher, he was elected the first president of the Classis of Passaic, when the Preakness church was transferred from the Classis of Bergen to the newly formed body.

The first full time minister of the Preakness church was the Reverend John Woods who began his duties on Christmas day, 1842. In June of 1843 Mr. Woods left the Preakness church and the ministry. A preacher of some ability, it was rumored that "he was weak in regard to the use of liquor." Before the year was out, the people of Preakness called the Reverend John A. Staats. Mr. Staats served the Preakness Church from 1843 until 1861.

Under Mr. Staats leadership, the first Sunday School of the Preakness Church was organized in the summer of 1844. Mr. Staats was the first pastor to come to Preakness with a family and in 1846 work began on the first parsonage. The house, completed in 1847, stood in the vicinity of the present intersection of Valley and Ratzer Roads. The major accomplishment during Mr. Staats tenure was the construction of a new church. The original building had served the congregation well but became entirely inadequate for the growing community of Wayne Township. In 1852 a new church was built on the same site. During construction the congregation met in the local schoolhouse. They raised funds for the erection of the new church by selling pews. The price for a pew ranged from $90 to $20 and the last four pews on the main floor were free. The last pew in the gallery was reserved for people of African American ancestry who were part of the congregation. The Reverend Staats also served as Superintendent of Schools for Wayne Township from 1848 to 1851.

The Reverend Cyrus B. Durand succeeded Mr. Staats. The first individual to be ordained to the ministry in the Preakness church, Mr. Durand served Preakness from 1862 until 1868. He left Preakness to become the pastor of the Second Reformed Church of Hackensack. In 1882 he entered the Episcopal Church. During Mr. Durand's time the church acquired its first organ. The parsonage was twice robbed during his ministry at Preakness. An able preacher and administrator, Mr. Durand helped abolish the church's debt and increased benevolent giving.

In the twenty years following Mr. Durand's departure in 1868, five ministers passed through Preakness. The Reverend Solomon T. Cole served from 1868 until 1872. He was remembered as a strong advocate of temperance, perhaps "too much for some." The Reverend Albert A. Zabriskie, who was at Preakness from 1873 to 1878, followed. Among of the saddest events during his time at Preakness occurred when five young Dotterwich children went sledding on an ice pond. The children, between the ages of six and sixteen, all lost their lives on a Sunday afternoon in 1874. They are buried in the church cemetery. Under the leadership of the Reverend Benjamin Wyckoff, who served at Preakness from 1878 until 1884, church membership for the first time passed the 100 mark. Between 1884 and 1889, the Reverends John R. Verbrycke and Theodore A. Beekman served the people of Preakness. In 1889, Mr. Beekman performed the first marriage ceremony in the church erected in 1852.

In 1889, the people of Preakness called the Reverend George Warne Labaw. "Dominie" Labaw, as he is remembered to this day, served the congregation until his death in 1927, or for nearly thirty-eight years--longer than any other minister in the history of the church. In 1902, he authored the first history of the Preakness Reformed Church. A historian and scholar, Mr. Labaw was active in the affairs of the community and the Reformed Church. He is credited with the introduction of mail delivery service from the Paterson post office to Preakness. A staunch supporter of antiliquor legislation and other related causes, Mr. Labaw did not hesitate to use his position as pastor of the Preakness church to influence the social issues of the day. He was the first minister to receive an "auto allowance" instead of hay for his horse, and was the first minister to use a telephone. In 1926, the church was illuminated by electricity. Mr. Labaw and his wife are buried in the church cemetery.

In 1927, shortly after Mr. Labaw's death the church extended a call to the Reverend Alexander T. Paxson. Mr. Paxson immediately began to make changes in the life of the church. Initially the changes were welcomed by the congregation, but soon, perhaps because of (his) leadership style, or his personality, or his theological emphasis, whatever trust level there was deteriorated into clear conflict between Mr. Paxson, the Consistory, and the people of Preakness. In May of 1930 the church was completely destroyed by fire, and in July of the same year, the parsonage was partially destroyed by fire. Mr. Paxson left Preakness and the Reformed Church. In short order, the people of Preakness repaired the parsonage, and rebuilt the present church upon the old foundation--all at a time when the country was feeling the effects of the Great Depression that began in 1929. A reminder of this tragic time is the damaged bronze plaque honoring Mr. Labaw and his wife which was pulled from the church fire. The plaque is mounted in the hallway of the parish house.

In 1931, the people celebrated the dedication of the present church structure and the arrival of the new minister, The Reverend James C. Dykema. During Mr. Dykema's tenure funds were very limited and a good deal of effort was directed at reducing the debt incurred to rebuild the church. In 1944, Mr. Dykema resigned as minister and became chaplain at Preakness Hospital in Wayne Township. In the same year, Sunday evening services ended.

The Reverend Roger B. Juckett, a recent graduate of New Brunswick Theological Seminary was ordained and installed as the next minister of the Preakness church in July, 1944. Remembered for his excellent work with youth, Mr. Juckett left Preakness in 1948 to accept another call. Shortly before he left Fellowship Hall was dedicated and the 150th anniversary of the Preakness Church was celebrated. The church was without a full time pastor for nearly two years following Mr. Juckett's departure. During that time, the church was served by students from New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and the Reverend Dr. Richard Suffern, a professor of theology who was contracted to preach and celebrate the Lord's Supper.

In 1950, The Reverend Dorr L. Van Etten and his family came to Preakness. Mr. Van Etten was the last pastor to live in the 1846 parsonage. In 1954 he and his family moved into a new parsonage on Ratzer Road one mile east of the old home. This parsonage was used until 1977 when it was sold to the minister and the proceeds set aside to assist future ministers in acquiring their own homes. During Mr. Van Etten's ministry at Preakness Christmas and Easter cantatas became a highlight of the church year. In the seven years that Mr. Van Etten remained at Preakness church membership nearly doubled.

Following the departure of Mr. Van Etten, the church was served by several ministerial candidates. In 1957, the people of Preakness called one of those candidates, The Reverend David C. Van Sickle. During his ministry, the parish house was erected. Mr. Van Sickle initiated a number of reforms in the order of worship. He was the first minister to wear a clerical collar and clerical vestments during worship. A church newsletter, THE TOWER was first published in 1959. A second Sunday morning service of worship was begun in 1961. The pulpit, baptismal font, and Communion Table now in the sanctuary were acquired in 1962. The annual Antique Show began in 1962. In 1967, the Reverend Douglas Fromm was called as the first Associate Minister of Preakness Reformed Church. Shortly after, Mr. Van Sickle accepted another call and left Preakness. During Mr. Van Sickle's ministry the church membership doubled from 250 to 500.

In the summer of 1967, the Reverend Albert A Smith, then the minister of the Blawenburg Reformed Church, was called to be the next pastor. Mr. Smith accepted the call. No stranger to the Preakness church, Mr. Smith had grown up in Wayne and had been a member of the church during Mr. Van Sickle's ministry. Mr. Smith's nineteen-year ministry at Preakness was characterized by openness, cooperation, and good humor. In worship he was a self-styled "centrist" who followed the Reformed Church liturgy. In 1971, following several years as the other half of a successful multi-staff ministry, The Reverend Douglas Fromm left Preakness to establish Willowbrook Ministries. History was made in 1973 when Deacon Marilyn Ratcliffe and Elder Elda Goeller were the first two women elected to the Consistory of Preakness Church. In 1980 the first pictorial directory for the church was published. In 1982, the first church school Christmas Pageant was presented. In 1984, another milestone was reached when the Reverend Phyllis Palsma became the first woman to serve as an Associate Minister at Preakness. In 1986, Mr. Smith accepted a call to become the senior minister of the First Reformed Church in Schenectady, New York. One of his final gifts to the people of Preakness is his book which covers the history of the Preakness church from 1900 until 1990. His untimely death in 1990 was deeply felt by all who knew him. Shortly before his death, the people of Preakness created the Albert A Smith Fellowship in Reformed Church History at New Brunswick Theological Seminary to honor Al. Mr. Smith is buried in the church cemetery close by Mr. Labaw, with whom he shares the distinction of being the chronicler of the life and times of the people of Preakness.

Following Mr. Smith's departure for Schenectady in 1986, The Reverend Dr. Emrys Royden Weeks was retained as interim pastor while a search committee sought to identify a successor to Mr. Smith. Roy's leadership skills, pastoral ability, and preaching made for a smooth transition during this time between pastor. In 1987, the Reverend Dr. Timothy J. Mulder, minister at the Bedminster Reformed Church accepted the call to become the next pastor of Preakness Reformed Church. Tim's pastorate at Preakness was one of enthusiasm and new ideas. Children were invited to join Sunday morning worship before attending Sunday School or the worship center, copies of the Bible were placed in the pews, music became an integral part of worship, and Communion was served once a month. In 1988, when the Reverend Phyllis Palsma resigned to accept another call, the Reverend W. Joel Warner, Jr. was recruited to equip lay people for ministry. Joel became a regular guest in the pulpit and friend to the people of Preakness. In 1989, the Reverend Mary Marcus was hired to develop programs for adult nurture and assist with Christian education. Dr. Mulder encouraged closer identification with denominational activities and the people of Preakness responded with pledges for RCA mission activities here and abroad, including the Warwick Center. In 1996, Dr. Mulder announced that he was resigning to take a position in education with St. Bernard's Episcopal Church in Bernardsville, New Jersey.

Following the resignation of Dr. Mulder, the people of Preakness were fortunate in being able to again recruit the Reverend Dr. Weeks to serve as the part-time interim pastor. Beginning in the fall of 1996 until the following June, Roy faithfully attended to the spiritual needs of the congregation. He was ably assisted by the Reverend Marcus. Mary, as Minister for Adult Nurture and Pastoral Care, preached, supported Vacation Bible School programs, made pastoral calls, conducted adult forums, and helped to oversee the day-to-day affairs of the church. Someone has observed that never before had the Preakness church seen so much "ecclesiastical fire power." In June of 1997, the Reverend Mary Marcus succeeded Dr. Weeks as interim pastor.

In the summer of 1997, the people of Preakness issued a call to the Reverend Dennis TeBeest, senior pastor of Hope Church in Holland Michigan. Mr. TeBeest accepted the call and assumed his duties as pastor for the Preakness church in September of 1997. Dennis, his wife Suzanne, and their daughters Anne and Sarah reside in the Packanack Lake community.

At Preakness there is a strong sense of continuity with past and future generations, a feeling that the present is meaningful and that what we do now matters.

Much of what has gone on in the past, what is happening now, and what will happen in the future depends upon God working through the people of Preakness. We the present generation honor the community of saints of the past. These men and women who led ordinary lives trusting in God gave us a legacy in which we are can be proud. May they inspire us with the same gratitude and confidence in God's grace, and may we continue to inspire this and future generations to come.