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About Us
Motto Our Staff Our Birth First Building Growth Changes to Building
The Organ
Our Motto
Founded November 15, 1796, our church motto helps to tell the story of who we are:
RICH IN HERITAGE, BONDED IN LOVE, GROWING IN CHRIST
RICH IN HERITAGE: Founded over 200 years ago, the present congregation respects and appreciates the richness of our heritage which calls us to continue the tradition of caring for one another, cooperation, and serving in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
BONDED IN LOVE: We strive to be a warm, caring, open, friendly church. Church fellowship is important to us. No matter your age or income, there is a place for you here. Out of this bond of love come our shared smiles in the time of joy and the shared tears in the time of sorrow.
GROWING IN CHRIST: We are growing in our faith, our service to others, and our proclamation of the Good News.
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Our Staff
| Pastor |
Sandy Porrey |
| Adm. Assistant |
Gladys DeSain |
| Ministry of Music |
Bethyn Boni |
| Organist |
Donna Messner |
| Sextons |
Alice and Bob McConnell |
| Newsletter Editor |
Phyllis Rechtin |
Contact us - To contact the pastor: sanders74@juno.com. For all others please click on the contact link and put the name of the person you wish the message to go to in the subject line. The church phone is 585-657-7755. Thank you.
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Our Birth
In 1796 the Rev. Zadock Hunn, a zealous man imbued with the missionary spirit journeyed from the New England States to the East Bloomfield area. He sowed the seeds for the establishment of the First Congregational Church of Bloomfield, making the East Bloomfield church, organized November 15, 1796, the oldest one west of Oneida. Keeping up his labors the good man then organized our sister churches in our adjoining townships of Bristol, Canandaigua and West Bloomfield.
Eight males and nine females are recorded as original members of the first meeting with the Rev. Mr. Hunn as moderator.
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The First Building
Started in 1801, the first edifice was completed in 1808. This sturdy building stood just north of the present structure. Large and wide, it fronted to the south with the pulpit in the north end. Wide galleries were on three sides. This housing proved inadequate for the ever-increasing membership. An addition was considered but this idea was abandoned.
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Growth
In 1836 the members raised the sum of $4,000 and this church was built. The exterior is in the Greek Revival Style of architecture and has not been radically changed over the years. "Gabriel" has been blowing his trumpet at the top of this present building even as he did since the days of the first frame building.
The interior of this church was colonial in design with "slips" as the pews were called, facing the east where the pulpit was located. The marks of these former slips may be seen in the wooden wainscoting along the sides of the sanctuary. The stalls were entered through little doors like those in the Canandaigua Congregational Church. There were two broad aisles; a wide gallery on three sides with the pulpit between the doors at the east end. In the basement were a large room for the use of the Sunday school and a smaller one for prayer and conference meetings.
It was dedicated September 28, 1837. The church society had purchased seven acres of land of Benjamin Keyes. Thereon was established the church edifice, the school and the burying ground north of the school. According to some records, Mr. Keyes gave the land for the "meetin' house green" to the church Society. Through the years the park was owned and maintained by the Congregationalists. Because of the ever-rising maintenance costs, it has been deeded to the Town. Since 1903 the plot has been know as Elton Park.
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Changes to the Building
Structural changes to the building have been numerous over the years. In 1851 the church edifice was considerably enlarged by the addition of 14 feet at the west end, the seats turned around and the pulpit changed to the west end.
In 1862 the lecture-room or Chapel (now known as Fellowship Hall) was framed on the southwest corner of the church property.
Extensive repairs and alterations were made in 1871. The side galleries were removed, and the windows changed to their present form. New slips were put in, with one center and two side aisles and a new desk platform built. In 1893 an alcove was built at the west end of the edifice to house the new organ.
About 1942 the basement of the church was transformed from what had become a dark storage room to an area for recreation.
In 1957 a new addition costing $16,000 was added, connecting the Church and Chapel. This gave room for office space, several new classrooms, and installation of modern lavatories.
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The Organ
Congregationalists, who were the worshippers in the original meetin' house did so, as far as is known, without the benefit of an organ or similar musical instrument. With the aid of the pitch pipe or bass viol or flute, the vocalists rendered the hymns of that day. When this edifice was completed the first organ was purchased and placed in the gallery at the west end of this sanctuary. In 1851 the musical instrument was moved to the east end. A new pipe organ costing $1500 was purchased and placed in the gallery at the east end February 20, 1869. In 1893, when the alcove was built, the organ was moved there in the west end of the church, with room in front for the choir.
In the olden days, a boy (usually) pumped air for the organ by hand. Two boys were required when there was to be extra organ music, to keep the little indicator at the proper level. With the coming of electricity, a mechanical pump was installed. During the pastorate of the Rev. Theodore Horvath an electric organ was purchased. The old console was removed from in front of the golden pipes and the new one placed at right angles to the choir loft, at the north side of the church.
In 1968 a completely new pipe organ was installed at a cost of $14,000. This is the organ in use today.
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