On
December 19, 1829, eight people gathered in the courthouse in
Batavia to organize a Presbyterian church. They held their
first service the next day, also in the courthouse as they had no
building of their own. By the following year, a frame building
was constructed which was used in a partially finished state until
it was completed in 1833.
In 1833 the Rev. George
Beecher became the church's pastor. During his years in
Batavia, his sister, Harriet, later Harriet Beecher Stowe, visited
him many times, and his brother, Henry Ward Beecher, preached his
first sermon in the little church.
The church flourished
until 1839 and then for several years there were no regular
services.
In December of 1858,
the eighteen members who remained faithful decided to raise funds to
build the present church. The first sermon was preached in the
new church on August 24, 1861 although the building was not yet
completed. In 1866 a vestibule and bell tower were added.
By 1884 the church
had 113 members with 150 students enrolled in the Sabbath School.
Because of overcrowding, it was decided to do without a regular
pastor for several years and use the money saved to build an
addition to the church. The addition was completed and a new
pastor called in 1886. In about 1960 the house next to the
church was purchased to be used as a Christian Education Center.
The church has always
tried to serve the community. Beginning in 1901 it sponsored
an industrial school. For many years it operated a nursery
school, and now the Head Start Program uses the church facilities.
Today its projects include a Food Pantry, which furnishes food for
the needy, and a Mission Garage which supplies clothing, furniture
and other household items.
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