POTSDAM – Students – and others – making their way home after a night at the bars will have a new “whistle stop” starting early this Saturday morning (Nov. 7).

Potsdam United Methodist Church, 26 Main St., is launching its “First Friday Whistle Stop” (technically Saturday morning) from 1:30 to 2:15 am, Nov. 7, on the church lawn.

Pastor Brooke Newell and church member Chris Remick invite everyone to join them as they distribute cocoa, granola bars and Alka-Seltzer to folks returning home from the bars. Rev. Newell says, “Our prayer is that some students we might never see at Sunday morning worship will feel a connection to the church if and when they ever need us.”

She continues, “It began with a suggestion from a clergy colleague. I was at a meeting with some other United Methodist clergy and I mentioned that the college students come past the church at about 2 a.m. most mornings. He said, ‘That’s when the bars close. I know because I used to be in that crowd. I graduated from SUNY Potsdam.’ He suggested, a great way to get to know the students would be to offer water and Alka-Seltzer as a symbol of Christ’s healing. When I shared this suggestion in a sermon last month, Chris Remick was quick to take me up on it. Chris said, ‘It’s cold now; I think we should do decaf coffee too.’”

Rev. Newell says, “Life can be tough. Earlier this semester, a Clarkson graduate student was murdered. Senseless tragedy can touch our lives at any minute. We want to the students to know that we care and are available to them. We expect to have some great conversations along with Chris’ excellent coffee! Our plan is to be on the church lawn from 1:30-2:15 am on the First Friday (technically Saturday morning) of each month.”

For more information, call the church office at 265-7474.