A condensed History of CSCC - Central Square Community Church

1 The History of the Central Square Community Church Central Square, New York 2011 Revision MISSION STATEMENT: The Central Square Community Church is a family of Christ that recognizes the uniqueness of all who worship with us. We welcome all, as God welcomes us. We affirm our beliefs in God, the divinity of Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of our church is to provide spiritual nurture through meaningful worship, music, study, prayer, and mutual caring; to proclaim the gospel in our lives; and to accept the challenge to be co-­‐workers or partners with God in responding to human needs. In spite of our imperfections, we reach out toward a deeper understanding of God's grace. CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 2 For over one hundred and fifty years this Central Square Church has been the center of family worship, fellowship, and community service. We are proud of this community of faith and its accomplishments both large and small. We recognize that many people from the past contributed much to make us what we are today as a loving family of faith. We recognize that many changes have occurred over that time and that many more will occur in the future. As a strong, resilient family of faith we know we can meet the challenges of the future and go forward to continue to be a vital force in our community to serve Jesus and proclaim his word for generations ahead. Throughout that time this congregation knowingly and unknowingly has sought to carry out the 5 purposes of a church community: ~Mission is about how we can make our church's service, however we understand it, central in our life together: why we are a church and what God expects us to accomplish together. ~Fellowship is about deepening relationships and making all of our interactions welcoming and worthy of being called Christian. ~Worship is about making our services more compelling, meaningful and accessible… not just for those of us who are already a part of the congregation, but also for those people God wants us to reach. ~Generosity is about expanding our experience and expressions of thanksgiving such that we become more generous with our time, talents and treasure. ~Invitation is about helping us to share our faith more easily among ourselves, and then finding appropriate ways to share those promises beyond our four walls. These principles, whether we are aware of them or not, is what makes us uniquely Christian in an often not so Christian world. Much of our past successes have occurred while we carried out these principles and some of our brief historical failures have occurred while we strayed from them. CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 3 Being truly involved in a church is a process that creates lasting memories. Over the 150 plus years of service in the Central Square Community different people have different 'memory triggers'. Do any of the following ideas trigger any memories for you? Ø
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Circuit riders, Epworth League, the Junior Epworth League, penny wheels, Stormy day bags, Ringing the bell at the brick church, Cranking heavy five and ten gallon ice cream freezers for Eulalia Vollmer, the Ladies' Aid Society, The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, the Standard Bearer's Society, Philatheas class in Sunday School, get acquainted picnics, lay ministry teams, the 'Mile of Dollar Bills' the Brotherhood, Evangelism Team, the Care Team, Vacation Bible School, progressive dinners, masquerade parties, scavenger hunts, "Tree for Others" project during lent, Ø "Living Room Seminars" with guest speakers, Ø bowling parties, Ø covered dish dinners, Ø roller skating parties, Ø film nights, Ø The Family Camping weekends, Ø MYF, Ø visits to Folts home, Ø Rock-­‐a-­‐thons, Ø Merry Mixers, Ø Friendly Helping Hand Circle, Ø the Northern Lights Circle, Ø the Circle of Friendship, Ø The Wheel of Faith project, Ø the "Love Bear Project", Ø the audio tape ministry, Ø the video tape ministry, Ø the Prayer chain, Ø Charles Coady bringing dogs to church for the guide dog program, Ø church cook books, Ø Bake sales, Ø Men's fellowship group, Ø The "Kiss the Pig" contest, Ø Lay Pastoral Representatives, Ø Puppet Ministry, Ø Lenten Soupers, CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 4 Ø Some Highlights in the History of the Central Square Community Church
[formerly known as the Central Square United Methodist Church]
Beginning of Methodism in Central Square --- somewhere between 1825 and 1828.
In 1833, Anson Fuller and Joseph Cross conducted services in the Central Square schoolhouse
In 1842, the Methodist Episcopal Church [society]was founded.
1846, The White Church was built:The first Methodist church of Central Square was built in
1846 at the corner of Mallory Road (County Route 12) and State Route 49. This was the first
church edifice in the center of Central Square.
[According to the records of Inez Moon, a group of twenty-three
disgruntled Methodist Episcopal Church members withdrew from their
church in 1860, established a Wesleyan Methodist Society, and built a
church which they called the "white church." This building was
located on the east side of South Main Street just past the intersection of Caughdenoy road. After
a short time, the group disbanded and the new owners made the church over into a public
entertainment hall, called Mutter's Hall.]
In 1875, a Session Room was added to the original structure.
In 1903, THe pastor Rev. Goering had decided to become a Baptist. Several active members also
decided to go to the Baptist Church. At least three were members of the choir. So there was no
choir, no organist. Soon [it] was time for Annual Conference. Not one minister would accept
Central Square as his appointment. Finally, Rev. George Wood, a retired minister, living at
Cleveland, agreed to come for a year.
In 1909, the house just east of the church was purchased and remodeled as the first parsonage.
In 1914-15, the church was remodeled and a choir loft was added.
On Christmas Eve 1926, this frame building was destroyed in the disastrous fire which swept the
village of Central Square. Among the few things saved from this fire was the Steinway grand
piano which is still used in the sanctuary of our church today.
During the next months the church met in the Masonic hall across the street while a new church
was built.
In 1927, the Brick Church was dedicated on the site of the former white church.
CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 5 One interesting side light to the dedication of the brick building was the
purchase of additional property for parking.
In 1929, the congregation of 168 members added a restored pipe organ to
the church.
On September 28, 1941 the mortgage on this property was completed.
[ This building still exists as the location of Dr. Lyons dentist office.]
On November 10, 1946, the church celebrated the Centennial of the building of the first church
edifice in the middle of the village.
In 1957 a new parsonage was purchased on Fulton Street. The old parsonage was kept and used
for Sunday school classes.
In 1959. A Living memorial Program was established. This program provides a means of paying
tribute to deceased loved ones and a means to honor living loved ones in an ongoing, useful, and
meaningful way that perpetuates the memory of those individuals and gives comfort and
satisfaction to the donor of the gifts.
In 1962, when Sunday School classes were being conducted in the sanctuary, the dining room, a
small back room in the basement, and the old parsonage, a committee was appointed to study
present and projected needs.
In 1963, it was decided to build a new church building on the current site of the church. the new
building was dedicated in February of 1966.
In 1978, the parsonage on Fulton Street was sold and a new parsonage was purchased on
Northland Drive in the village.
In 1995, after years of mild disagreements and mild dissatisfaction with the United Methodist
Hierarchy, a major conflict arose between the local congregation and the hierarchy of the United
Methodist Church (UMC) that split almost the entire local congregation away from the hierarchy.
CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 6 The pastor was suspended and the local church fought for his reinstatement. The local church
negotiated for a year trying to reach an acceptable solution to the problem.
In 1996, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to sever its ties with the United Methodist
denomination and created the Central Square Community Church. Independent and
interdemoninational. The majority CSCC membership leased the CSUMC building while
different negotiations continued with the UMC hierarchy. The parties finally agreed to create a
federated church and all parties signed.
In October of 1998 (sixteen months after signing the Federation Agreement) without warning, the
UMC unilaterally rescinded the Plan of Union. Both the CSCC and the former CSUMC trustees
objected to the UMC action and the CSUMC trustees retained a lawyer to file for the transfer of
property titles themselves. The UMC responded by blocking the transfer in court.
In March of 1999, the UMC unilaterally "discontinued" the Central Square United Methodist
Church and declared the property abandoned by the CSUMC and claimed its right of control of
ownership of "abandoned" UMC property.
On May 20, 1999 the CSCC and the CSUMC filed suit against the UMC in the Supreme Court of
the State of New York for Breach of Contract. The suit was subsequently settled out of court in
January 2001. The CSCC was relieved of its responsibilities under the terms of the Federation
Agreement, retained ownership of the church land, building, and parsonage, and its absolute
freedom from the UMC in exchange for a one-time payment to the UMC of $100,000. More than
half of that sum was raised by members of the congregation by the time the agreement was
signed.
Establishing our independence from the hierarchical connection with the United Methodist
Church awakened a new enthusiasm to define who and what we were as a Community Church.
Without forgetting our Methodist roots or the roots of other denominations which have made up
our church family, we began to establish new roots as a Community Church.
From 2001 until 2007, the CSCC continued its tradition of as a family of faith in the Central
Square community.
In April 2007 - the Pastor after a disagreement with the church leadership decided to separated
from the CSCC. The CSCC, now with no denominational ties, suddenly was without a pastor and
no easy solution in finding a new pastor.
In 2007, Sandra Jarvis agreed to take over as Emergency Interim Pastor and to lead the church
while the church pursued two major issues. One, finding a permanent Pastor and two, deciding if
connecting with another denomination was a wise thing to do. It was soon decided that pursuing
a connection with the UCC would be a wise thing and with the assistance of the UCC a serious
pastoral search ensued.
In 2008, Pastor Michael P. Grinnals becomes pastor and the CSCC becomes a UCC affiliate.
In 2011, Pastor Grinnals discerns that his role at CSCC needs to change and he becomes the
intentional interim pastor.
CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 7 Did you know that:
The large, oaken cross mounted on the north wall of the sanctuary as a background for
the pulpit was constructed from the altar rail salvaged from the brick church.
It is interesting to note that the mortgage on the 1929 brick church was paid in just twelve
years, (1929 - 1941), and the mortgage on the Route 11 building was also paid in just twelve
years, (1966 - 1978).
The Horwood stained glass window now restored and located at the North end of the
sanctuary was saved from the brick church.
George Devitt, the church organist from 1903 - ?? was still subbing occasionally at the
organ at age 100.
The Devendorf-Boughton family has been represented in our church through five
generations.
CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 8 PASTORS of the CSUMC:
1833 Anson Fuller
Joseph Cross
1835 Lewis Bell
John Thompson
1836 Truman Van Tassel
1837 Truman Van Tassel
Isaac Covert
1838 Isaac Hall (Hann?)
Nathaniel Bunnell
Edward Arnold (3 mo)
1839 W. C. Mason
Adam C. Green
1841 Augustine E. Munson
1843 Almon Chapin
Joseph Smedley(asst)
E. Halsey (asst)
1844 William Peck
1845 Daniel Barnard
1846 William Morse
1848 Thomas D. Mitchell
1849 Isaac Turney
1850 William Morse
1851 Francis A. O'Farrel
1853 Dennison D. Parker
1855 Reuben Reynolds
1856 Horatio Arthur
1858 Silas Ball
1860 Nathaniel Salisbury
1861 David Stone
1862 Hiram Nichols
1864 William B. Joice
1865 Henry S. Holmes
1868 Edward Arnold
1869 Rastus O. Beebe
1870 Melville R. Webster
1873 William F. Brown
1876 Charles E. Beebe
1879 Wicks S. Titus
1880 George G. Dains
1883 Albert E. Corse
1884 Daniel Marvin
1886 Hiram M. Church
1888 A. M. Child (Nov 25)
J. E. Ensign
1889 Samuel M. Crofoot
1891 Robert F. Whipple
1894 Charles W. Brooks
1896 Samuel Brown
1899 Frederick A. Miller
1902 Harvey A. Goering
1903 George W. Wood
1904 G. C. Hillman
1905 Samuel Call (Oct 5)
Frank N. Churchill
1906 Frank N. Churchill
1909 Charles N. Thomas
1910 Evan Evans
1914 Earnest C. Love
1919 Albert E. Potter
Robert F. Thomas
1920 Theophilus Wells
1922 Samuel Harry Stokes
1927 Samuel Harry Stokes
(Oct) R. Farr Brown
1928 R. Farr Brown
1930 George F. Shepherd
1932 Albert E. B. Blundon
1937 Pascal DiFlorio
1943 Roger Williams
1946 Carlton Frazier
1953 Jason Hollopeter
1956 Kenneth McQuinn
1960 Frank T. Bennetts
*1962 Edwin Potter
1970 John J. Kelly
1980 Robert R. Morse
*1983 David E. Carnie
*Donald Turk (associate 1988-1993)
*1990 Jack Kissel
*1991 - 1996 J. Michael Thesier
*1996 James Brand
* = Living
PASTORS of the CSCC:
*1996 - 2007 J. Michael Thesier
*2007 - 2008 Sandra Jarvis
*2008 - 2012 Rev. Michael P. Grinnals
*2012 – 2014 Rev. Kenneth Leamon
*2014
Pastor Craig Wilson
CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011 9 CSCC CONDENSED HISTORY 2011