Summer 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This month I would like to devote my page to saying “thank you” to someone who has been a good and faithful servant of Our Lord and this congregation for more than two decades. I am speaking about our organist, Jean Keeney, who will be retiring at the end of June after more than 21 years of service.

In my 28 years as a pastor, I have worked with four different organists. In White Plains, my first organist was Karen. She was a young woman from Minnesota who had come to NY for college and stayed in the area. She was soft-spoken, and easy to work with. She left us when she and her husband moved to Massachusetts. Our next organist was Norman, he was the son of a former pastor, a music teacher, and a pipe organ builder on the side. (He actually built an organ at Pastor Paul Henry Jr.’s church in CT). He was a brilliant musician, often with very strong opinions to go with it. When I came to St. John’s, our organist here was Borgny Austad, a long-time member of this congregation. She was a fine organist, but never really wanted the job. She took it when Miriam Leino left in 1986. Borgny commuted to work every day in NYC, and also took care of ailing parents. She stepped down as our organist in 1988, which led to Jean Keeney being hired in September 1988.

I realize that I have spent more than 75% of my pastoral ministry with the same organist. Day in and day out, Jean has faithfully played the organ, directed the Choir, and overseen the music ministry of our congregation. She has always been well prepared, and takes her work here at St. John’s very seriously. In addition to her work here, Jean is employed at OCCC where she is an English professor, and also works as a counselor in the Counseling Center.

After a number of years as our organist, Jean and her husband Don decided to become members of our congregation. Don served on the Building Expansion Committee, and Jean worked with Worship and Music, Altar Guild, and in a number of other ways. After Don’s tragic death in 2002, Jean continued to plug on with faithfulness and purpose. Now after nearly 22 years, she will be stepping away from the organ bench, but not from the congregation.

We are not saying “good-bye” to Jean, because she is not leaving our congregation. Indeed she will remain part of the Worship and Music Committee, Altar Guild, and the life of our congregation. She says she will enjoy sitting in the pews. Maybe she will even join the Choir that she has worked so hard to recruit members for. Jean hopes to also do some traveling. Her daughter Karen lives in the Rochester area. Jean says she will also be available as a substitute organist should the need arise.

On behalf of the congregation and myself, I want to thank Jean for her many years of faithfulness and commitment. From the largest Easter services, to small prayer services with just a few in attendance, Jean has always worked hard to see that our worship life is enhanced by music. The members of the Choir know better than anyone else the hard work and seriousness that Jean brings to her responsibilities.

It will be difficult to find a new organist, and then to help that person adjust to our worship style here at St. John’s. I know that Jean will be a great support to whoever succeeds her. To Jean, I simply say “thank you for a job well done,” or as Our Lord himself said: “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”

In Christ,

Pastor Rustico