Higher Powers and Other Powers Converge for Church Purchase
Deerpark Reformed Church was bought on inspiration with a developing vision.
The dwindling congregations of three old Port Jervis churches had been reconfiguring and collaborating on services and pastors for a couple of years when Jack Bokota and his sister, Janina Vansovitch, noticed that one church, Deerpark Reformed Church on E. Main St., was for sale.
“We drove by many times,” said Bokota. “We saw the for sale sign. We investigated and were instructed by higher powers.”
To respond to higher powers, negotiating with government powers was necessary, they found. Buying the church took them two and a half years, Bokota said. But then effectively connecting power circuits is Bokota’s professional expertise, as an electrical design consulting engineer for big projects, such as the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. Vansovitch is a retired accountant, and they live in New Jersey but are considering residence in the church parsonage.
“To buy a tax-exempt property, you must be approved by the state supreme court. It was sold to us non-tax exempt. Now it’s the only church in the area that pays school and property taxes. We want to pay local, state and federal taxes. ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to him, and give back to God what belongs to Him,’” Bokota said, noting that he was quoting Mark 12:17 in the New Testament. “Then, like now, people avoided paying taxes. I’ve read the Old and New Testament many times,” including for Jewish holidays, he said.
Bokota and Vansovitch’s interest in the church appears to embrace spiritual practices more broadly. They had passed the church frequently because they drove from their New Jersey home to their Glen Spey property, not far from Kadampa Meditation Center, a Buddhist temple, where they sometimes attend events.
The vision is to make the church a “house of prayer” and cultural events and a place for women’s events, Vansovitch’s interest, Bokota said, as she is “majority holder.”
He expressed openness to Judaeo-Christian groups, including those from a Jewish congregation looking for a gathering place after the sale of Temple Beth El, several blocks east on Main St.; Bible studies groups; and those celebrating Reformation Day, which Bokota noted is on Oct. 31. That was the day, in 1517, when theologian Martin Luther was said to have posted his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. These challenges to Catholic principles launched the Reformation and Protestantism.
Bokota is intrigued by history, as his knowledge of this moment in Christian history suggests, so one initial attraction of the church was its age and origin. The church was built in 1867, and the parish created in 1737, now the oldest in the area, according to a sign in front of the church.
Old Bibles in old languages and other memorabilia linger in the building. Bokota and Vansovitch have been sorting through these leavings for items of historical value and discarding other materials. He noted a plaque with names of local people from World War II and the Korean War that he saved to mount on a wall. Also, a map is being made of who is buried where in the cemetery.
Non-religious groups will also be welcome to use the church for community and public events, “as long as they’re respectful, with the community in mind,” Bokota said. “Culture and business support each other. We’ll do what we can. Spend on what gives you joy. We don’t close the door to anybody with ethical standards.”
Their community interests were suggested by his mention of a parade.
“Yesterday, there was a police and firefighter parade, with the marshal seated in front of the church, with trucks from all over—Eldred, Monticello, Middletown,” Bokota said. “If we’d known about the parade in front of the church, we would have liked to offer refreshments. Now we’re cleaning up, but we’d like to offer public use and become part of the community.”
Making more of the space around the church more usable is part of the vision. Bokota would like to see a fenced in lot on the west side of the church made available as a parking lot.
“If the city would like to sell us the lot, we’d like to buy it. Or they could put parking meters there? It could hold 60-80 cars,” Bokota said. “Instead of parking on side streets and upsetting neighbors, free parking would be a godsend. If we bought the property, we’d pay taxes.”
He pointed out the shortage of parking for the new businesses on Front St.
Also, he said, “We’d like to request politely that the sidewalk be replaced for kids walking to school. We can snowblow it. Hundreds of motorcycles and lots of traffic go by there. Let’s have a nice safe sidewalk. The stones are uneven and could be dangerous. It makes sense that people could walk that square around Port Jervis. It’s nice to walk and get to know your neighbors. People are enlivened by interaction.”
However, Mayor Kelly Decker offered Bokota little encouragement with parking or sidewalks.
“The city does not own the old Sullivan School Property. The school district does,” Decker said. “I believe the agreement will only allow municipal use. We know nothing about any type of other sales.”
As for sidewalks, the city has been awarded $10 million by the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, and funds can be used for sidewalks downtown, but that doesn’t include the church area. However, work on sidewalks around the city has been gradually undertaken.
The church sale was finalized just a few weeks ago, in early June, and while the new owners have an array of visions for the edifice, much cleanup and connecting with the powers that be will be necessary. At this point, the church is most consistently used by an independent Christian congregation, El Bethel. They have a service at the church on Sunday afternoons.
Bokota and Vansovitch originally came from Poland, 30 years ago, at a time when political power was in transition, he said. Communism had recently fallen.
“Many people were leaving, and I came here to high school. I got education and expertise. I didn’t win the lottery. My sister was a guiding light,” said Bokota. “We’re looking forward to folks from various backgrounds reaching out to us and finding a combination of groups that would be a collage of what Port Jervis represents.”
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The fenced in lot was my elementary school playground 🙄
The city now owns the fenced in property.