Armitstead Honored At Community UMC Garden
The Rev. Austin Armitstead's 21 years of service to Community United

The 82nd Street entrance gate of the Community United Methodist Church Prayer Garden, dedicated to Rev. Austin Armistead, retired Community UMC pastor. Photo Austin Armitstead

Methodist Church in Jackson

Heights were honored last Wednesday with a reception in the church Prayer Garden, perhaps the last undeveloped space in the Jackson Heights Historic District. Aplaque on the 82nd Street entrance to the garden "welcomes all good people in the generous spirit of Rev. Austin H. Armitstead pastor 1974-1995". Armitstead, a World War II veteran who was instrumental in opening the church to services in languages other than English, including Korean, Chinese and Spanish, and a fan of the Mets since the team's inception, retired from active service as a pastor at age 70 in accordance with the regulations of the United Methodist Church. He immediately took up a new career as Roving Photographer and community liaison for the Queens Gazette.

Also honored at the event was Alice Faber, chair of the Prayer Garden committee, which coordinated various public events and negotiated with vendors to create the garden, and with Dr. Ronald Tompkins, current pastor at Community UMC, and attorney Rudy Greco, composed the wording on the plaque. She is treasurer of the church and its associated school and created "Fun and Fellowship", an award winning program for senior citizens. On retirement from a long career in accounting she volunteered to prepare tax returns under the auspices of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

Rev. Tompkins (l.) presents a key to the 82nd Street entrance gate of the Community United Methodist Church Prayer Garden to Rev. Armistead, to whom the gate is dedicated.

"I cannot thank Reverend Armitstead and Dr. Tompkins, our pastor now, for all they have done to make Jackson Heights a better place to live and to serve everyone in schools, organizations and causes," Faber said. Greco saluted Armitstead for his contributions to educational causes and to people from many religious groups. "Austin has been one of the people to bring all of us together and help us realize our need to appreciate each other," added Jerry Eng, a member of the Community UMC Chinese congregation. Eng also noted Armitstead's devotion to the Mets, especially in light of the team's current good fortune.

Attorney Rudy Greco (l.) and Rev. Armitstead.

"Austin has been one of the staunchest New York Met supporters, and it's paying off now. Let's go, Mets!"

The Community UMC Prayer Garden, open to people of all faiths or people who want to find a faith, is a gift from the church to the community and an outdoor symbol of the work of Community UMC. The initial stage of the Prayer Garden project began in November 2003 when Millamar Landscape Services began the construction of retaining walls and new elevations. With the generous support from the church and community, Phase 1 of the Prayer Garden, the complete installation of the Central Garden, first of six planned areas of the Prayer Garden, has been completed. Flowers have been chosen that will bloom from early spring to late fall. There are paths to walk and benches for quiet reflection and a Labyrinth, completed last fall. Changes have been made to the land to make the ground safe and level and a watering system to protect all the new plants. The Central Garden is a riot of color with azaleas and peonies. Benches invite visitors to pause to enjoy nature and offer prayers.

Alice Faber, chair of the Community United Methodist Church Prayer Garden committee, Rev. Dr. Ronald Tompkins (r.), Community UMC pastor, and Rev. Austin Armitstead (c., seated), retired Community UMC pastor.

Design elements for the existing garden and those still to be constructed include trees with a maximum height of 20 to 30 feet for cheaper maintenance, an in-ground watering system, benches too short to sleep on, but comfortable and sturdy for prayer and meditation during the week, 11 boulders with the eight verses of the 23rd Psalm inscribed for meditation as people progress through the garden (six boulders, each with a verse, have already been donated), architectural barriers to prevent running and ball throwing, so these activities can be confined to a fenced-off play area that meets city regulations and can be locked when not in use, ground cover other than grass--an item of affordable maintenance, fragrant plantings and a cycle of flowering so that there are always flowers, and an area where cremated remains can be offered and remembered. The Prayer Garden is open to the public during daylight hours by registration at the church reception desk so that its use is restricted to prayer and meditation.

Community Activist Jeffrey Saunders (l.) and Bianca Armitstead, wife of Rev. Armitstead, pose with Armitstead at Community UMC Prayer Garden dedication festivities.

Besides six of the eight boulders inscribed with verses of the 23rd Psalm and the 82nd Street wrought iron entrance gate, four benches, azalea beds a hemerocallis bed, Japanese maple trees, a paper birch tree and a copper beech tree have been donated. Further donations can be made to Community United Methodist Church, 81-10 35th Ave., Jackson Heights.