West Cartage Church Grieves Pastor's Death

When the man from Gainesville, Ga., came north to preach on a Sunday morning in fall 2005, Christopher H. Bramberg knew Long Falls Baptist Church had found a new pastor. The small congregation that meets three times weekly - twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday night - was without a pastor for more than three years, and parishioners were wondering if they'd find someone who matched their fundamental beliefs.
That's when Mr. Bramberg said an average-size man with an oversize heart walked into the church with a warm Georgia drawl and answered their prayers.
The Rev. Christopher P. Tweedell, then a 39-year-old, with a love of God, golf and photography, was an assistant pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Ga., and was looking for a full-time pastorship.
He attended Gainesville (Ga.) State College, North Georgia College and State University, Dahlonega, Ga., and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, before coming to West Carthage.
The Rev. Mr. Tweedell found open arms at the aging white church with the bell tower tucked between two houses at 23 N. Main St.
"We knew this was who the Lord led us to," Mr. Bramberg said.
He described the pastor as a conversationalist who would stop friendly faces at the store to talk about the gospel.
The new pastor laughed with parishioners about the snow and they helped him acclimate to the north country through the first winter. The Rev. Mr. Tweedell would fire back with jokes about digging out of his apartment after an overnight dusting.
"We had some good-natured ribbing," Mr. Bramberg said.
The joking ended Aug. 19.
Two parishioners visited the West Carthage apartment the Rev. Mr. Tweedell had moved into earlier in the month after he was late to Sunday morning service and found that he had died overnight from a heart attack at age 41.
After calling emergency personnel, Mr. Bramberg and the other man went back to the church to deliver the news.
"They took it hard," Mr. Bramberg said through glassy eyes. "But we have some very mature Christians in our congregation."
Mr. Bramberg describes the congregation of about 40 members as "young, old and everything in between."
Church members packed the things in the pastor's apartment in less than a week and are still trying to box the belongings in the church office.
Now they'll continue the search for another pastor. Until then, assistant pastors will preach from sister churches from as far away as Schenectady.
"This is more of a test of faith," Mr. Bramberg said. "We're confident the Lord will bring good."
The congregation will continue to try to sell the church, which is more than 100 years old, and construct another building on land it owns along Route 26 in Champion. The project was encouraged by the Rev. Mr. Tweedell throughout his nearly two years there.
Mr. Bramberg said the church will meet at parishioners' homes if the building is sold before another is erected.
"At times it hurts, but we know he's in the presence of the Lord," he said. "We'll press on."
The Rev. Mr. Tweedell helped form a suicide hot line in July in memory of Harold J. Wagner Jr., 44, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his West Carthage home in May. Mr. Wagner was a parishioner at Long Falls Baptist Church, and the pastor found him at his apartment the following morning after he committed suicide.
The "Warm-Line" service is operated by the Mental Health Association of Jefferson County to help those who are feeling lonely, anxious or depressed.
A memorial service is being scheduled for the Rev. Mr. Tweedell at 10 a.m. Saturday at the church.
The hot line number is 788-8097.