He doesn’t walk on water. The Rev. Neill Tolboom frolics in it–at 39 degrees.
Call it a baptism of ice.
The pastor of Morristown’s United Methodist Church took the plunge–a “polar plunge” into a frigid kiddie pool–after Sunday morning’s service to satisfy a bet.
He told the church youth group he would take a January dip if the group raised $2,500 for last fall’s Hunger Walk by the Community Soup Kitchen. The kids raised $2,800, according to Vince Cattano, adult leader of the group.
And so, almost immediately upon returning from a toasty Caribbean vacation, Pastor Neill put his Canadian heritage to the test.
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“I feel alive!” he shouted, a towel wrapped tightly around him after two quick splashes in the pool. Church members whooped with delight at the spectacle. “I feel my eyebrows are straightening out!”
Youth group member Chelsea Dinneny: “He’s very…”
“…Awesome!” chimed in Chelsea’s friend, Victoria Cattano.
“Yeah,” Chelsea agreed.
In prior years Pastor Neill has lost similar bets that resulted in his tricycling around the Morristown Green in a clown suit and delivering a sermon in blue hair. He pointed out that it’s good fun with a serious purpose: Promoting the fight against hunger in Morristown.
On Monday, the minister will don formal attire to emcee Morristown’s annual Interfaith Breakfast honoring the late Rev. Martin Luther King.
Meanwhile, Pastor Neill’s flock is wondering how he will top the Polar Plunge next year. Swim the Whippany River? Bungee-jump from the church steeple?
Here’s a suggestion: How about dusting off his goalie pads for a shootout with some Devils? What could be more fitting for a man of the cloth?
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Great on always good on your promises Neill,
Congrats to the kids and church and of course the CSK
Good to see all of your faces!
Way to go Pastor Neill !!!!
It seems a shame to wait a whole year…maybe Pastor Neill can lay down an interim challenge to the kids.
Neill did a nice job emceeing this morning’s Interfaith Breakfast, by the way. So fortunately, there appear to be no ill effects from his polar plunge.
Actually, Pastor Neill has a curling background from his growing up in Canada. Perhaps we get him to participate in a curling championship? If people still remember what this is after the last winter Olympics?
He’s awesome alright – And I love his bathing outfit!