The Scarsdale Inquirer Founded

Founded in
in 1901
1901
VOLUME
Volume 87,
87, NUMBER
Number 28
33 FRIDAY,
Friday, JULY
AUGUST 10, 2009
14, 2009 REPRINTED
Reprinted WITH
with PERMISSION
permission

SCC welcomes new minister

Dennis Angel Band takes wing with timely blues tune
By DEBRA BANERJEE
By ILENE NECHAMKIN now they’re ready for something new. That
Diners at the popular eatery Rustico on testifies to something about the interim. I get
Central
The Rev. Avenue got a little
Dr. Larry mood music
Kalajainen, the new to a sense of energy, that they’re raring to go.”
go along
senior with their
minister pasta
of the the evening
Scarsdale of July
Congrega- Search committee chairman Lucy Pullen
30 when
tional Edgemont’s
Church, Dennis Angel
UCC, delivered andser-
his first his Werner said, “In the rigorous search pro-
ensemble
mon, played jazz.
“Celebrating OurThe full dining room
Dependence,” last cess by a committee whose life experiences
on a weeknight
Sunday. belied
“It coincided anythe
with worries
July 4 about
holidaya span seven decades, Larry emerged as just
weak
and theeconomy.
way we The prizemoodnationalwas and
upbeat, even
personal the right choice to meet the goals identified
as Angel debuted
independence,” he his
saidnew duringsong,an“The Wall
interview by the congregation. He proved to be as de-
Street Recession
Tuesday afternoon Timeat theBlues.”
church. “Yet we lightful at the dinner table as he is inspira-
areThe band, dependent
all deeply which has and been together for
interdependent tional from the pulpit. He translates his own
abouteach
upon a year,
other.”features Angel on trumpet, knowledge of the Bible and of the world into
David
He sat Shaich
in hisonfreshly
bass, Mike painted Campenni
office, fur- on themes relevant to the issues each of us face.
drums,with
nished Joela Mofesenson
computer table onfacing
piano,theGot- far He relates well with gray-haired folks like me
tfried Stoger
corner, on sax and
and dominated by avocalist DeForest
round table with and kids the age of his 3 ½-year-old grand-
Raphael.
several Raphael
chairs. Notablyand missing
Stoger was havea large
been son. We are blessed and are looking forward
with the band
executive styleonly
desk.since
“It’sApril.
only myWith the day
third ex- to introducing him to mid-Westchester and
ceptionheofsaid,
here,” Angel, band members
motioning to the are all pro-
cartons of mid-Westchester to him.”
fessional musicians.
unpacked books on the Raphaelfloor. is“I’m
alsogetting
a man Members of the Dennis Angel Band: Kalajainen said he had received a profile
of the cloth,
another shelf.”serving as minister to a church Joel Mofsenson, pianist; Mike Cam- of the congregation that was compiled from
inKalajainen
upper Manhattan. is still “getting to know the Thedrums;
penni, Rev. Dr.DeForest
Larry Kalajainen
Raphael, vo- discussions at many cottage meetings, listing
While in and
community highmy school, Angel made
congregation,” the
which cals; David Shaich, bass; Angel. Not its, and by extension, his, priorities. “One I
decision
he describedto go asto“bright,
a liberal arts college
intelligent and rath-
out- pictured is saxophonist Gottfried know is to expand our mission to families
er than
ward Juilliard.He’s
looking.” He doesn’t regret his just
still determining de- “And, on
Stoger. a theological
Right, the CDlevel, the church
cover for An-is with children and youth. We have a nursery
cision,
how to although
expand the playing
church’s trumpet continues
programs and a community of reconciliation, at all levels, school at the church. We have a fair number
to be a big part of his the
life. community.
By day Angel is gel’s new single.
its engagement with But between people and one another. And we’re of families with young children, not neces-
an attorney
the themes of with hisa sermon,
firm on Central
connecting ParkwithAv- also working for the reconciliation of the sarily young families, but parents who had
enue that
others, providesthe
furthering the public
film and TV indus-
good, while world, overcoming the distance between our- children in their late 30s, early 40s, unlike a
try with aliterary
creating genuinelytitle caring
and copyright
community reports.
in a selves and the divine. If the church is not a mainline Protestant church, where 50 or 60
Angel was featured
fragmented, on Sky Radio’s
morally deteriorating world“Spe-
will tron. “We don’t have to go to Blue Note to percent of the congregation is over 65, and
healing place to be, if it’s not a healing place
cial Tribute
likely resoundtothroughout
America’shisBest Lawyers”
ministry. hear them.” has different priorities like the care and ser-
for others, if we’re not reaching out, there’s
show.
“People His who
interview was broadcast
go to church really want on all of
to be The song that’s been getting attention is vice of the elderly.”this past winter,” Angel
not much purpose. It’s not a social club.” kerage statement
American
there,” Airlines’s
he said. “You can’tworldwidecount on flights
anyone in Angel’s composition “The Wall Street Re-
cession Time Blues.” According to Angel, said. The songwhat
“We’ll find kinds of by
was recorded programs we
chief engi-
January
just turning andupFebruary
because 2006 it’s theonthingthe to Forbes
do.” Strengthening families can
neer offer
Danny that will enrich
Lawrence their livesBeach
at Manhattan and
Radio Channel.
Waning church membership, he explained, the song has been played in 12 states across strengthen
Kalajainen, a graduate of the University of
the country and in cities like Houston and Recording their families.
Studios in New It’sYork
a place
City,tohome
start
Angel
began andlate
in the his’60s
wifeorLinda have “the
early ’70s, livedendin Pittsburgh, holds a master of divinity from talking,”
to MarionheMcPartland’s
said. “Piano Jazz” radio
Edgemont
of the Ozziesince and 1983
Harriet andera,”are the
whenparents
routineof Boston. RadioIndy.com said, “A triumph The 350 members of the church come
Asbury Theological Seminary, a master of show.
daughters
church Stephanie,
attendance was 27, Michele, 23,thing
the “respectable and of composition and execution and timely from
theology from Princeton Theological Semi-
as hell, ‘The Wall Street Recession Time Andiverse
earlier backgrounds
CD, “Someone andtoreligions,
Watch Overand
Rebecca,
to do.” 13, who will be in ninth grade nary, and a Ph.D. in the New Testament and include
Me,” was intermarried
recorded in couples. “We will
April 2008, and find
fea-
at Nowadays,
Edgemont “a High lot School
dependsthis on September.
what they Blues’ by Dennis Angel Band is a terrific ways
early Christianity from Drew University. An
slice of vocal jazz.” tures totheserve
fivethem,” he promised.
jazz songs from the 1920s
Afterthere,
find their what
daughter
kindIlana died in 1989,
of welcome, whether the ordained minister for 37 years, he most re- to the 1960s. Angel said his influences are
Angel
the family
church founded
is open and the Children’s
hospitable Brain
or just a Raphael delivered the song with just the Varied experience
cently served as senior minister of the First Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis.
Tumorclub.
closed Foundation.
As long as I’m here, it won’t be right bluesy feel. Lyrics like, “my 401(k) Kalajainen’s congregation
Parish Church in Brunswick, Maine. He
has seen a better day,” “when am I going CDs are available at CDinBaby ParisiTunes,
served
The crowd
a closed club.”at Rustico enjoyed jazz stan- also spent almost 10 years as senior pastor the English
Amazon. speaking
Read community
more about of expats,
the band at mys-
dards
“Peopleplayed withtoa church
come lot of feeling, like “Girl
for a variety of to get a bailout” and “not a whole lot more diplomats and students. In 1994, he said,
of the American Church in Paris, 16 years at pace/dennisangelband.
From Ipanema,”
reasons,” Freddie
he explained. “ItHubbard’s
could be the “Little
mu- money I can lose, I got those Wall Street Re- only 8 percent remained
several churches in New Jersey, and was a
cession Time Blues.” Next up for the Dennis in France
Angel Band lon-is
Sunflower,”
sic, the sermon “Misty,”
— or in“’Roundspite of the Midnight”
sermon mission pastor of a Chinese congregation in ger
a gigthan six 27
Aug. or seven
at theyears, a number
Watercolor Caféthatin
andorGrover
— a needWashington
for a ritual Jr.’s “Mr. Magic.”
connection to that “The idea for ‘The Wall Street Recession jumped to 30
Malaysia for another six years.
Time Blues’ came to me when I finally got Larchmont, andpercent
on Oct.by2 atthea concert
time heatleft,
the
“We’re
which luckytothey’re
is greater here,”Or
themselves. said
theyone gopa-
to He follows the Rev. Harry Taylor, interim partly
Manor Club in Pelham Manor. from West
due to the immigration
a social place, where they can form friend- enough courage to open my retirement bro- African countries during civil wars.
minister, who served after the retirement
ships.” The church exists to shape them into of the Rev. Phillip Washburn in 2007. The “They came as refugees”, he said, and
a community of spirit, where they feel em- interim during the search for a permanent “became a permanent part of the congrega-
bedded, responsible and accountable to each replacement, he said, functions to prepare tion.” He said the number of Franco-Amer-
other. “There are lots of lonely people out the congregation for a change in leadership:
there, and we serve them, too,” he said. “They speak highly of Phil Washburn, but Continued on back

©
© 2009
2009 S.I.
S.I. Communications,
Communications, Inc.
Inc. All
All Rights
Rights Reserved.
Reserved.