After more than two years and a global pandemic, the Episcopal Church of St John the Baptist (StJB, Sanbornville, NH) had a glorious celebration on Sunday, July 25, 2021. The 10th Bishop of NH, Bishop Rob Hirschfeld, presided over a well-attended service in St John’s sanctuary reminding us that Jesus is ‘ego eimi’ (“I am”; or always with us) and “God’s love in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” After service, Bishop Rob and StJB’s Reverend Dave DeSalvo led in the long-awaited blessing and dedication of StJB’s new Hansen Pike Hall. A joyous reception with an abundance of good StJB food and great fellowship followed.
The reception ceremony outlined StJB’s nearly 3-year journey in completing its campus reconfiguration. St John’s Senior Vestry Warden, Dave Giunta, detailed the 3-part vision, formed in late 2018: tear down the decrepit 1894 parish hall (early 2019), sell the 1881 rectory to be better repurposed (late 2020) and complete an energy efficient, ADA-compliant addition (early 2021). It was really a consolidation of three older buildings into one right-sized addition, complete with kitchen, bathrooms, new sacristy, classroom and offices, all attached to St John’s historic 1877 ‘little white church on the hill.’
It was also a day to honor and thank StJB’s very own ‘Mary and Martha’ for their amazing faith and extraordinary generosity. These two long-time parishioners -- the late Mary Hansen (1937-2019) and Martha Atwood Pike – enabled StJB’s transformation. Their bounteous financial help and thoughtful input (Martha tirelessly served on the StJB Building Committee) were instrumental and invaluable.
In his remarks, Father Dave DeSalvo, recalled his first meeting in early 2019 with Mary Hansen -- a gifted singer and poet who joined St John’s at the tender age of 13 (~1950) -- shortly before she checked herself into Mountainview nursing home. He visited her weekly and learned about the remarkable Huggins Hospital nurse of four decades, who also started hiking in her 50s and climbed all 48 of NH’s “4,000 footers.” After her death in May 2019, Father Dave, dear friend, Becky Keating, and a few others spread her ashes on top of her favorite NH peak, Mount Willard, and read her version of Psalm 23. Later that year, the church was stunned to find Mary left everything she had to St John to support the building project. Father Dave shared, “If Mary were here this morning, I believe she’d tell us, ‘I gave so that you can make St John’s – and the world -- a better, more open and equitable place.”
The StJB building project’s second major benefactor is Martha Atwood Pike, a brilliant woman of many exceptional gifts -- musician, photographer, politician, gardener, naturalist, & author. Born in Burlington, VT (2/7/1930), Martha is a beloved sister, mother, grandmother, friend and long-time StJB member. At 89, she joined StJB’s Building Committee formed in early 2019 and attended every meeting – in person and on Zoom. Martha always had wonderful ideas, thoughtful input, caught mistakes and as Father Dave quipped, “was occasionally a royal pain.” StJB’s is forever indebted to Martha who made the addition and hall such a functional and attractive success. At 92, Martha’s book debut, If You Talk of Love to Me, was just released at Pike Brook Press via Amazon. She is an inspiration and blessing to all.
Dave Giunta and Father Dave also acknowledged and thanked Bishop Rob, the NH Diocese (especially Reverend Janet Lombardo, Benje Ambrogi and the Finance Committee) for their ongoing help, along with many StJB parishioners who contributed to StJB’s Building Hope Capital Campaign 2019-2021, which surpassed its goal to raise more than $108,000. They also recognized the bold leadership of StJB’s Vestry leaders: Dave Giunta, Dave Tyler, Jackie Keating, Jane Daniell, Ann Elkins, Kathryn Saunders, Mary Cullinan, Maureen Gillum and Father Dave DeSalvo.
StJB Building Committee (BC) Chair, Kirt Gillum, also thanked the indefatigable BC team: Dick & Rhonda Burke, Father Dave DeSalvo, Tina Firicano, Dave Giunta, Maureen Gillum, Martha Pike and Cheryl Randall -- for their dedication and hard work since January 2019. He also thanked John and Brian Rourke of Rourke Fine Builders, who built the addition, and StJBs acting sexton, Russ Belyea, Jr, who just completed StJB’s stone patio. Kirt and Martha also cut the cake and had the honor of unveiling the new ‘Hansen Pike Hall’ hall sign.
Bishop Rob declared the project a “wonderful success” and said it was “joyous” so many of Martha’s family and friends came to honor her. Giunta concluded, “Mary and Martha went above and beyond to support this project spiritually, financially, and lovingly. Without them, Hansen Pike Hall never would have gotten off the ground or come to fruition. They can't be thanked enough.”
Now that the new Hansen Pike Hall is built and open StJB is putting it to full use. There are exciting upcoming weddings, several community non-profits are using it for meetings and other events are being planned. St John’s hosts its weekly coffee hours (following the Sunday 9 am service) and will use it for its popular Community Dinners, the first of which is a Community Chicken BBQ on Saturday, August 14th 5-7 pm to welcome and feed all. Of note, StJB’s largest community outreach program, EpiscoGolf (a 2021 Golden Raffle) to benefit local children’s charities -- just surpassed raising $100,000 for kids in need since its inception in 1995 – will be drawn at StJB’s August 14th BBQ. For more EpiscoGolf information and the chance to win up to $2,000, visit www.stjohntb.org/episcogolf. Please join StJB at their yummy chicken BBQ open to all and tour the new Hansen Pike Hall.
By Maureen Gillum