A Chattanoogan and a Long Islander
On the way to Brooklyn
Unique parking
The Brooklyn Tabernacle
Lunch at the Landmark Diner
Philly cheesesteak on sourdough
Stephanie Toombs and her father Christos Dimakos.
People are important to me and it excites me to meet new friends of all walks of life and all ages. One reader that responded to a previous article I had written; told me that she had moved from Long Island to Chattanooga, 27 years ago. After I responded to her, we found out that we had met before and that our kids even went to a private school together in Chattanooga.
Seventeen years ago, in 1994 I worked at the Metropolitan YMCA in downtown Chattanooga. My desk was across from the delightful Martha Wilson. It was back when the desk was a full time position and more business-like. It was my first full time job, I was young, raising my boys and it was such a wonderful place to meet people. One of the people I met was Stephanie Toombs, the lady that recently wrote me about my article. She remembered our Y days vaguely, but I remember it like it was yesterday. People interest me; I like meeting new people and I enjoy seeing the differences we have in life.
Because we had already met years ago and we had many friends in common on Facebook, we decided it would be great to see each other again when she came to New York to visit her family. Was I in for a treat. No, we didn’t meet up and sight-see all over New York or go shopping at all the shops… I may seem simple to some, in what interest me- but I find little treasures in how a conversation is played out; or “how” two friends are brought together, how their paths cross or what time they spend together that makes a lasting memory.
To someone that snow skis in the Alps, takes in a Broadway performance in Europe or goes hunting in Wyoming, I may seem really simple; but to those that appreciate the small things, the moments in life where another person adds to your life or you to theirs… it’s a lot deeper. In each of our journeys that we trod -but in our own unique way; and to take the time to share what it means to us or learn what it means to someone else… is what moves me.
The first reunion with Stephanie was her coming to my townhouse and us chatting for two hours, reveling in the oddity of our lives being so opposite. She moved from Long Island to Chattanooga and I moved from Chattanooga to Long Island. She found a faith she never knew and I had balanced mine that at one time was somewhat fanatical. I grew up in the bible-belt and even though I still have a very strong faith, I have matured in what I believe. I am not so “cookie-cutter” that I cannot think for myself.
As Stephanie and I talked about our faith- even if we had a few differences, it was clear we both enjoyed sharing our love for God. No matter how someone worships or what religion they have or what religion they don’t have… I think affording someone their right to their own belief is necessary if we are to live together in this world.
As we talked, Stephanie mentioned a church close by that she thought I should try. I don’t mind visiting churches, but I don’t intend to be involved in a church each time the doors open- the way I used to. She mentioned that she also liked to visit “Brooklyn Tabernacle” when she was in New York. As soon as she said that, I exclaimed; “I have always wanted to visit there!”
When I worked at the Y in Chattanooga, I had also met a dear lady named Betty Smith, who gave to me a special gift; a video cassette of The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. That spoke to me more than someone wanting to convert me into a boxed-in-belief that their church said is the “right way.” To me, music reaches way deep inside your soul and I personally believe God speaks to me with music. He touches me through music. He loves me through music. Oh music does not have to be about “faith” for God to touch you. I am touched by all kinds of music! But I remembered when it came to my spirit, what watching that video did for me.
I wanted to hear this choir in person!
Stephanie and I toyed with the idea of us going there on Sunday. We would have to get up early to meet up and drive to Brooklyn, but we decided to go! I was so excited. I do not consider myself “backslidden” or in need of “revival” or any other “feeling” churchy-words I have been brought up with; I just wanted to experience a place that touched my heart and I that I deeply respected what God was doing there. For 17 years I have wanted to visit Brooklyn Tabernacle and after all these years, I cannot even tell you what denomination they are… I don’t care.
I don’t like “boxes,” I have been to all kinds of churches and I respect others rights to their belief no matter what it is or what it isn’t. If we are so busy about the “shoulds” - how can we truly love and accept each other? There are so many “sides” people think they have to take- no wonder our country is in the mess it is. I have seen many people claim to love others and yet they push away those that don’t believe just as they do-(one reason why I am not thrilled with organized religion). Gasp! I said it… yet trust me when I say that I may even be more spiritual than the person that is in church five times a week.
Stephanie and I used my GPS to take us to Brooklyn. Her father, Christos Dimakos went with us. He is from Greece and it was fascinating to listen to Stephanie and her father converse in Greek! When we got there, we used the parking facility next door. I had never seen anything like it! It had hydraulic lifts that placed the cars in rows on top of each other! In a big city, I guess you have to conserve as much space as possible and there are many things done in New York that I would never have seen in Chattanooga.
We walked to the building and a distinct smell curled around my nose that I will never forget. It wasn’t a bad small, but not pleasant either… it was definitely a smell that would go in my memory… there is just something about the streets here in New York- they have to pave with asphalt because of the hard winters and the snow plows tearing up the roads- asphalt is less expensive. The smell of the hot sun on the asphalt along with the motorist in the city was something I will not forget.
The building used to be an old theater; it reminded me a lot of the Tivoli Theater in Chattanooga. Stephanie and her dad wanted coffee. I was thinking about Ooltewah Methodist, the church I was visiting some before I moved to Long Island; and how they had coffee in the foyer. Silly me… this was Brooklyn New York! Of course they had a café in the basement of the church! It was even larger than Panera! After Stephanie and her dad drank their coffee we were ushered to some open seats in the tabernacle. I saw the choir seated up front behind the stage, ready to go. No choir robes, no formal clothes… in New York, summer is “vacation time” and people are pretty informal.
On my way to sit down, I noticed the variety of people. It wasn’t like Sunday morning church in Chattanooga when someone new visits, where you actually notice what someone is wearing or what color their skin was or if they spoke with a Southern or Northern accent. People here were extremely diverse that all you seem to notice was the “one-ness” we all shared.
Because each and every person was different from another- even Stephanie with her Greek background or I with my Tennessee apple-pie look, did not stand out! No one did! I heard my thoughts loud in my head, “This must be what Heaven is like.” No one put on airs, no one was better than the other… we were all there for one purpose. There was no “social club” feel. I saw all types of dress, from African to Indian and everything else.
I was fascinated but like I said- they really did not stand out because there were so many people in the same type of clothes as well as the style of clothing Stephanie and I wore. It was as if I had stepped into a place where there were no “religion” at all, no politics or clubs. I would almost swear that Jews, Muslims, Baptist, Presbyterians, Hindu, Greeks, Catholics, Methodist…. you name it- were all there under one roof and smiling!
It made me wish the rest of the world was like this. Maybe it is because there are many visitors and such different groups of people in New York, that this particular church didn’t deal with territory wars or with people that would “pull their tithe” if things didn’t go their way, (believe me, I have seen it all in churches). I still respect the church and I love my Christian friends who like to be at church five times a week, but it was nice to experience a service without all the politics.
I was ready to hear the choir that I had wanted to see in person for 17 years…but alas… Kareem Abdul-Jabar was standing in front of me, (okay, it wasn’t really him, but this man was at least seven feet tall or taller!) I stand at five foot two. We stood and sang together to begin the service as most churches back home would do and I peered around my tall friend the best I could.
Then the choir began to sing. They did not disappoint! There had to be over 200 choir members and their voices rang out so loudly! It was almost like being at a football game where you are excited to be there and to be a part of it- yet you know that if you were watching it on television you would be able to have it all condensed for you to not miss anything! Of course I could not see their faces from where we were sitting, so the videos are special in that way. When I would go to the symphony in Chattanooga, I would get center orchestra seats about J or K isle, because it was close enough to “see” the symphony as well as hear them. I love watching an artist perform and see the expression on their faces. I just dig the people part of life!
After the choir sang, Jim Cymbala, the pastor did not preach. Instead, they let their youth group, “BT Kids,” perform very poignant skits. In fact the last one brought tears to my eyes. They simply walked on the stage one by one with a large billboard sign… the front would say something about a weakness or a trouble in their lives and they would turn the sign around and it would tell how God changed that. Some adults had joined in on this skit. When a man walked across the stage with a sign that read “Was abused by my father” and then he turned it around and the sign read “I am a loving father to my own children." A girl walked out with a sign that read “I thought the world revolved around me” and she turned her sign around and it read “I am going out in the world to be a missionary.” A woman walked out with a sign that talked about suicide – by this time my eyes were clouded with tears, each person that walked out had a testimony of what they dealt with in life but when they turned the sign around, it was a positive message and we all applauded the turning of the signs.
We shared communion together and the service ended. It was a three hour service, but worth it to me. I enjoyed it. I wanted to meet Pastor Jim Cymbala, so Stephanie went with me and we talked to him. He is a very pleasant, humble man and I respect him greatly as I know the history of this church.
Afterward, Stephanie wanted to go to a diner, (Nothing could be finer than a New York Diner …). Her father picked the “Landmark Diner” on Northern Boulevard. It was a two story diner and very clean, very popular and had delicious food. I always thought a diner was a “greasy spoon” like Ihop or Waffle House and those are two places I loathe. A diner in New York is very different. Stephanie said she had been to “City Café” in Chattanooga and said it was kind of close to some of the diners in NY, but you still should experience a NY diner.
I decided to get something simple but that I had never tried before; a Philly Cheesesteak on Sourdough. It was delicious! I tasted the caramelized onion, the mushrooms and the tender beef in each bite! Just the sandwich alone was filling! Stephanie had an omelet and her father had a Greek appetizer called spanakopita, (spinach pie.) They told me that most diners on Long Island were Greek. In fact, Mr. Dimakos owned a diner many years ago.
It was so special to watch him speak with the servers of the diner in Greek, (there was also a woman that sat right next to him in church that spoke Greek and was from the same town he was from in Sparta)! I was amazed at the people at Brooklyn Tab, the people in the diner and the people I was with this day! Sure, there are many things I want to see in New York, but the most important part of it all… is the people. I heart New York.
Jen Jeffrey
jenjeffrey22@comcast.net