Pastor saves Greenpoint church

NEW YORK (FOX5NY) - On the quiet streets of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, a unique pastor is stirring things up.

"I was living the lesbian, redneck dream, serving two congregations on the East End of Long Island, I was in the fire department which is fabulous hunting and fishing, I was in a gun club," said Pastor Katrina Foster.

In 2015, Pastor Foster got a call from a Bishop telling her that St. John's Lutheran Church on Milton Avenue was struggling to stay open. Peeling paint, falling plaster, and a fading congregation with just a handful of people attending Sunday service.

"I asked what he was going to do with the church. He said tongue-in-cheek, 'not even Jesus can make that place' work. And then he looked at me and said, 'but you can make it work'," said Pastor Foster.

So the Pastor moved from the Eastern tip of Long Island to Greenpoint to work her magic.  Two years later, they're celebrating their 150th anniversary and watch as hundreds of people visit the church weekly. Lifelong congregant, 91-year-old Ruth Haupert, was baptized and confirmed here. She's seen it all.
 
"She came in with energy like we have not really seen in a while and it energized all of us and we all wanted to work harder and come more often and her sermons are excellent," said Haupert.

The church will celebrate its 150th anniversary with a big festival at the church on Sunday October 15th, starting at 4pm.  The Pastor says it's just the start to another 150 year journey.