Parsonage Dedication Honors Former Pastor

The Clarkstown Reformed Church will be celebrating Founders Day on Sunday by dedicating its parsonage in memory of a former longtime pastor.  The current pastor, Rev. Richard E. Hasselbach, J.D., Ph.D., Pastor, will lead the dedication of the parsonage as the Warren G. Martens Parish House in honor of the Rev. Warren Martens.

Between 25 and 30 members of the Martens family are expected to attend the 11 a.m. ceremony in honor of Rev. Martens who served as pastor for 26 years. Rev. Martens retired from the Clarkstown Reformed Church in the 1990s and died at the age of 83 on June 14, 2012 in West Virginia.

Rev. Hasselbach said he is very pleased so many members of the pastor’s family will be participating in the service.

“It has made such an impact on the family that I would never had considered,” he said.

Rev. Hasselbach said even though many years have passed people still remember Rev. Martens and speak about him fondly. 

“He really was a person who lived it,” said Rev. Hasselbach. “He just didn’t talk it.”

The dedication of the parsonage, which is used as a residency, is open to the public. It will be preceded by a worship service at 10:30 a.m. and followed by a luncheon at 11:45 in the CRC Fellowship Hall.  The historic Clarkstown Reformed Church is located at 107 Strawtown Road in West Nyack.