Vernon Minister To Rappel Down His Church's Bell Tower

Bev's Corner on Elm Street, next to the Union Congregational Church in Rockville, is generally considered to be the epicenter of the annual National Night Out celebration.

And Larry Meehan, the host of Bev's Corner, couldn't resist letting out a secret this year.

The Rev. Ray Dupere, the church's pastor, will rappel down the church bell tower – a height of 50 or so feet, Meehan said.

When the idea was first proposed at a meeting of the Rockville Community Alliance, the event organizer that holds its monthly meetings at Bev's Corner, the initial response from most of its members was, well, "cool," Meehan said.

Then the question of "why" naturally came to the table after that.

"Because he can," Meehan said.

It is a skill Dupere learned in Special Forces training years ago.

Plus, the bell tower is there, sort of daring him to do it.

Thus, National Night Out became a good time for a demonstration, Meehan said.

Pastor Ray will not be using a net, but he will will have a belay person anchoring him, Meehan said.

"He has done this many times starting with his Special Forces training and service and most recently with the Union Congregational Youth Group," Meehan said. Meehan added it is not a subject taken lightly because the amount of ropes and safety gear evidently takes up a goodly - he joked that could be “God-ly” amount of space in the Dupere's office.

Meehan said that Pastor Ray originally wanted to do it “just for the fun of it," but is now is leaning more toward a demonstration of safety in rappelling and to show that a minister is not only active on Sunday mornings but is capable of doing many other things as part of a church that is active in Rockville.

The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

National Night Out is always held the first Tuesday in August and is a cooperation between communities and local law enforcement officials to help promote awareness of crime and drug prevention.