Influenced by a Scandinavian heritage, Bernie and Jennie Nelson’s church affiliation was Lutheran, and all seven of their children were baptized in the Lutheran church. At one point in his teen years Bernie had aspirations of becoming a minister – a right-of-passage for any teenager influenced by ecclesiastical teachings. In the late twenties the family was living at an apartment on Fourth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets. After a fire broke out, the family moved to Bay 8th Street. The older boys were fond of their Sunday school at the Lutheran Church on 46th Street, so Grandpa Anderson offered to drive them to the church in his “Tin Lizzie” (Model T Ford).
When the family settled into life on 56th Street in the thirties, the boys were more interested in street games than in church, so the ecclesiastical influence waned. However, when Dick returned from his tour of duty in occupied Japan after the war in 1947, he related some experiences he had while in Japan that caused him to long for reconnection with church. The church that received his attention was right around the corner on 4th Avenue and 55th Street, called South Reformed Church, a member of the former Dutch Reformed Church system that became the Reformed Church In America. From there a whole new chapter emerged for the Nelson family and many friends, thanks to Dick’s influence. Dick and his wife Pat were married at South Reformed in 1947, and until they began their own family seven years later, they “adopted” Dick’s younger siblings, Marilyn, 10; Gene, 8; and Howie, 6, by virtue of taking them many places, especially to South Reformed.
The only pastor at South Reformed from the mid forties well into the sixties was Pastor Frank Curtis Williams, who, with his published poet wife, lived in a historic Revolutionary War home in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn – one of the few Brooklyn homes with a patch of lawn! During that era South Reformed became a haven of varied social activities for hundreds of families and friends virtually every night of the week. A hobby club in the basement gave young boys the opportunity to build model airplanes. One member, Bob Scott, an accomplished drummer, formed a Fife and Drum Corps, secured some marching band drums, gave lessons, and had the kids participate in the annual May 17th Norwegian Day Parade on Fourth Avenue for years. In the summer the church became a gathering place for the Prospect Park YMCA Day Camp program. Friday nights were for the Christian Endeavor youth group (CE), which was a very popular program for a large contingent of young folks. In the mid fifties a tall, young, handsome, ebullient and energetic student minister from Union Theological Seminary, Hale Schroer, made his mark on the youth group at South Reformed. He was quickly taken in by the group, which had difficulty letting him go when the time came for him to move on. One of the most social groups for the adults, however, was Choristers, a group also influenced by – guess who? Yes, it was Dick. In fact, the story of the Choristers is so expansive that it deserves its own post.
Alice and Allen were married at South Reformed circa 1950. Marilyn met her first husband, Ken Kroth, at South Reformed when Ken, a talented organist and pianist graduate of Julliard School of Music, was hired as the church organist and choir director. Ken was a fellow student with Van Cliburn at Julliard when Cliburn won the 1st Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. Marilyn and Ken were married at South Reformed circa 1959. Gene and Anne followed in January 1961, then Howie and Lily circa 1963. It was in the sixties as the Nelson family followed many others from the church who began to migrate beyond the confines of Brooklyn that the church family had taken on a new look. Years later the church was sold to either a Greek ethnic or Asian ethnic congregation, and not long after that it was destroyed by fire.
When the family settled into life on 56th Street in the thirties, the boys were more interested in street games than in church, so the ecclesiastical influence waned. However, when Dick returned from his tour of duty in occupied Japan after the war in 1947, he related some experiences he had while in Japan that caused him to long for reconnection with church. The church that received his attention was right around the corner on 4th Avenue and 55th Street, called South Reformed Church, a member of the former Dutch Reformed Church system that became the Reformed Church In America. From there a whole new chapter emerged for the Nelson family and many friends, thanks to Dick’s influence. Dick and his wife Pat were married at South Reformed in 1947, and until they began their own family seven years later, they “adopted” Dick’s younger siblings, Marilyn, 10; Gene, 8; and Howie, 6, by virtue of taking them many places, especially to South Reformed.
The only pastor at South Reformed from the mid forties well into the sixties was Pastor Frank Curtis Williams, who, with his published poet wife, lived in a historic Revolutionary War home in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn – one of the few Brooklyn homes with a patch of lawn! During that era South Reformed became a haven of varied social activities for hundreds of families and friends virtually every night of the week. A hobby club in the basement gave young boys the opportunity to build model airplanes. One member, Bob Scott, an accomplished drummer, formed a Fife and Drum Corps, secured some marching band drums, gave lessons, and had the kids participate in the annual May 17th Norwegian Day Parade on Fourth Avenue for years. In the summer the church became a gathering place for the Prospect Park YMCA Day Camp program. Friday nights were for the Christian Endeavor youth group (CE), which was a very popular program for a large contingent of young folks. In the mid fifties a tall, young, handsome, ebullient and energetic student minister from Union Theological Seminary, Hale Schroer, made his mark on the youth group at South Reformed. He was quickly taken in by the group, which had difficulty letting him go when the time came for him to move on. One of the most social groups for the adults, however, was Choristers, a group also influenced by – guess who? Yes, it was Dick. In fact, the story of the Choristers is so expansive that it deserves its own post.
Alice and Allen were married at South Reformed circa 1950. Marilyn met her first husband, Ken Kroth, at South Reformed when Ken, a talented organist and pianist graduate of Julliard School of Music, was hired as the church organist and choir director. Ken was a fellow student with Van Cliburn at Julliard when Cliburn won the 1st Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition in Moscow. Marilyn and Ken were married at South Reformed circa 1959. Gene and Anne followed in January 1961, then Howie and Lily circa 1963. It was in the sixties as the Nelson family followed many others from the church who began to migrate beyond the confines of Brooklyn that the church family had taken on a new look. Years later the church was sold to either a Greek ethnic or Asian ethnic congregation, and not long after that it was destroyed by fire.
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