One of the earliest gatherings of the Neighborhood Convention was held near the Gay Head Cliffs. The year was 1898 and participants were invited to travel by boat from Falmouth, by way of the Vineyard ports, for a 50-cent fee.
“Take your knife and paper boxes to bring home some of this wonderful variegated clay!” noted an advertisement for the daylong excursion.
Today, the gatherings of the Neighborhood Convention run under two hours and most who attend arrive by car.
But the original flavor of the convention endures. Islanders of all faiths gather at a different house of worship each month to share information, pray a little and enjoy a meal together.
The Neighborhood Convention celebrates its 120th anniversary this month, and some time was reserved at the November meeting for a bit of reminiscing. The convention was born out of a time of hostility among the Protestant denominations of the Vineyard.
“There was nothing but unhappy relationships between all the congregations,” said Douglas Dorchester, who for 12 years served as president of the convention.
To mend fences, the Rev. Willard Packard and other church leaders brought their congregations together for a neighborly meeting; and “thus began the first Neighborhood Convention,” convention secretary Sofia Anthony said in opening remarks at the November meeting.
In 1944, when the convention celebrated its 50th, the audience heard Psalm 133. “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity,” the psalm reads in part.
Around the mid century, the convention opened its membership to non-Protestant churches. Today, the convention includes representatives from the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.
Over the years, topics discussed at the gatherings have ranged from strictly religious to political. At early gatherings, clergy presented on Luke and His Gospel, The Minister’s Place in the Prayer Meeting, and Should the Doctrine of Eternal Punishment Be Preached More Fervently? Over time, topics widened to include civil rights, Viet Nam, Wampanoag culture, Medicare, and The Preservation of Our Free Education. Today, the themes are mostly secular, and this year’s lineup illustrates the variety in programming that has defined the convention for decades.
The convention meets the first Tuesday of every month at 11 a.m. from October to June.
In January, Island poet Steve Ewing will present his work at the Federated Church. In February, E. St. John Villard will speak about Island gravestones. In March, the convention will welcome Windemere’s recreational director, Betsy Burmeister. In April Lisa Hayes will share stories from the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard.
There are two constants each year — in December, the convention enjoys a concert from the high school choral group, the Minnesingers, and in June, the group travels to Chilmark for an interactive program with The Yard dance colony.
At the gathering this month, some 50 people filled the pews at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Edgartown. The meeting began with the singing of a hymn, with longtime convention affiliate Phil Dietterich accompanying on the organ.
The Rev. Vincent G. (Chip) Seadale delivered a brief sermon and the main program commenced.
The topic was Vineyard House, the Island’s sober living facility. Dawn Bellante, the managing director of Vineyard House, showed plans of the new facilities under construction in Vineyard Haven. She told the audience that the demand for sober living space has grown among a younger segment of the population. Some 20 per cent of the residents are between the ages of 18 and 25, she said. “What is happening is that we are seeing more and more people with young families.”
During the business meeting that followed, Ms. Anthony read minutes from the October meeting, at which Menemsha fisherman Gregory Mayhew told fish tales.
At the end of last season, the convention donated $1,600 to charity, Ms. Anthony said. Over the years, the convention has supported a wide variety of causes — local, national and international.
“Every cent that comes in goes out,” she told the crowd. “We have no overhead.”
Mr. Seadale called for announcements and prayers for those in need.
Soon it was time for lunch. Participants bring a bag lunch and the host facility provides dessert.
As secretary, Ms. Anthony coordinates the programs with the help of other members of the board. She said scheduling is sometimes a challenge. “I have two or three fewer hairs than I had when I started,” she said. Still, they never run out of interesting topics to present each month. “This Island is full of wonder and wonderful people and that is why people come back,” she said.
Mr. Dorchester attributed the convention’s success to its uniqueness.
“The reason the Neighborhood Convention has survived this long is that it’s unique in all the nation in that its whole constituency is entirely ecumenical,” he said. “Because of the nature of the Island, you can have this kind of a brotherhood that lasts, and its meaning is that they all love one another regardless of their religious beliefs.”
The Rev. Armen Hanjian, a retired Methodist minister, has been attending the monthly meetings for 20 years, since he and his wife moved to the Island.
He said he keeps going because he’s found that most of the programs are informative and satisfying. He also goes to connect with people in the community, he said, and he imagines that others go for the same reason. “It’s a combination of interesting programs and a desire of people to meet another congregation,” he said.
Ms. Anthony also goes for the community and the wide variety of programming. She also feels a responsibility to carry the torch.
“For me personally, it’s because 120 years is a long time, and I don’t want it to disappear on my watch,” she said.
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