Monroe County NyArchives History - Books .....Irondequoit Churches 1957 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 23, 2007, 8:59 pm Book Title: Irondequoit Story IRONDEQUOIT CHURCHES Irondequoit had no church buildings before 1911, when the UNITED CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, situated on Titus Avenue was erected. The origin of this church was in a Sunday School established in 1850. Sunday School services were held in the nearby school-house until, in 1884, the W. C. T. U. Hall was built. Here, evening church services were conducted by students from the Rochester Theological Seminary. When this hall was destroyed by fire on October 29, 1909, a new building was immediately constructed to take its place but, before completed, it was decided to organize a church. The comment of those days that "There's no religion north of the Ridge" was hardly fair, since interested town's people were at that time attending various city churches. The new building was dedicated on January 22, 1911 and the Reverend Harold Capron of the South Congregational Church of Rochester was called as its first pastor. The cornerstone of the new Congregational Church was laid on May 30, 1926 and the building dedicated on February 27, 1927. At that time, the original building became the Sunday School, to which an addition was constructed in 1952. The IRONDEQUOIT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH located on Culver Road also grew out of a Sunday School which was established in 1856. They, too, met in the school building for nearly three decades until a chapel was built, and ministers for their services were likewise students at the Rochester Theological Seminary. In 1914, they erected their present building and in 1956 built a fine new addition. Reverend Harold Estes is the present pastor. Another church which grew out of a Sunday School was the SUMMERVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. In the year 1875, Mr. David Copeland bought land on the bluff shore of Lake Ontario at Summerville and started a little Sunday School in his living room. As the school grew too large for his home, he conceived the idea of holding it out under the elms on what is now Summerville Beach. Each child brought his own chair with him. On January 10, 1885, the school was incorporated under the name "The Elm Beach Union Sabbath School." Later, Mr. Charles Salmon gave a fifty-year lease of land and a building called the Lyceum was erected. Besides Sunday School, regular church services were held, ministered by students from Rochester Seminary. Up to 1915, the school had been maintained only during the summer months, but on October 6, 1915, it was decided to equip the building for winter use. This was done at a cost of $700. By December 8, 1921, enough money had been raised to pay for land on which to build a church. Ground was broken for the new church on August 16, 1922 and, on April 8, 1923 the completed church was dedicated. Their first resident pastor was the Reverend David Moody. ST. THOMAS CATHOLIC CHURCH had its beginning in St. George's chapel erected in 1907 on the Boulevard at Summerville. In 1922, a new parish was established in the area bounded by Lake Ontario, Durand Eastman Park, Titus Avenue and the Genesee River, and the Reverend John F. Muckle was appointed Pastor. The new site, on Cole Road near St. Paul Boulevard, was purchased on November 14, 1922. In the following February, additional property was purchased and in February 1926, a new St. Thomas Church was erected on this site. This church was enlarged in 1947. Father Muckle served this church for 32 years. St. George's Chapel still stands and is used during the summer months for the convenience of visitors to the Lake. ST. SALOME PARISH built a summer chapel on ground given them April 20, 1908. The chapel was dedicated by Bishop Hickey on June 14, 1908 and destroyed by fire on October 11, 1910. New land was acquired in 1910-11 and the formal opening of another summer chapel was held on August 6, 1911. Before 1925, a second Mass was necessary to accomodate the people of the parish. In that year, also, their first resident pastor came and regular services have been held all through the year ever since. DURAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH really had its beginning in 1914 when a meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Gazelle. Church services and Sunday School were held in this home and later in a cottage owned by Mr. Williams. These services were conducted by a Mr. Findlay, a representative of the American Bible Society, who came to Irondequoit from Rochester each Sunday. In 1915, a lot, located at Park and Culver Roads, was donated by Mr. Bucher as a site for the place of worship. The building was completed and named "The Who-so-ever-will Chapel." In 1918, with the help of the Congregational Society, the services of a regular minister, Reverend Albert Briddon, were obtained. Shortly thereafter, the name of the chapel was changed to the First Congregational Church of Sea Breeze and Vicinity. By 1928, the congregation and the Sunday School had outgrown the chapel and larger quarters were needed. At a meeting held on April 23, 1928, it was decided to build a more adequate edifice. This, however, was the time of the depression and the cornerstone for the first unit was not laid until the spring of 1930. At this time, the name of Durand Congregational Church was selected. In 1945, the old chapel and the former parsonage were both sold. In May and June of 1951, plans were made for the present sanctuary. The cornerstone of this new building was laid on February 8, 1953 and on Sunday, September 27 of the same year, dedication services were held in the new addition. ST. AMBROSE PARISH was instituted by the Right Reverend Thomas F. Hickey, DD, on November 10, 1921. Reverend Walter B. McCarthy was appointed first pastor on the same day. A temporary frame church was erected on the corner of Culver Road and Empire Boulevard and the church was officially opened on December 11, 1921. The cornerstone of the present St. Ambrose Church was laid on October 1, 1922 and the church dedicated on September 9, 1923. The present pastor is Reverend Frank W. Mason. The first service of the CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION was held at the Masonic Temple on June 5, 1924. The congregation, however, was not formally organized until October 4, 1925, although they had decided to organize and had called the Reverend Harry J. Krieder as their pastor on June 27, 1925. On June 12, 1927, just three years after the first service, ground was broken for their new church on St. Paul Boulevard at Cooper Road. The cornerstone was laid on August 14, 1927 and the building dedicated February 12, 1928. The present pastor is Rev. Eugene L. Stowell. In November 1927, the Board of Missions of the United Presbyterian Church of North America purchased a site for the LAURELTON UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH at Helendale and Empire Boulevard. The first service of the church was held at Laurelton School on December 4 of the same year. In January 1928, a house was built on Queensboro Road to be used temporarily for church purposes and eventually as a church manse. The first service in this building was held on May 13, 1928. The church was organized September 27, 1929, and in the summer of 1930, the original building was completed. In 1947, the church became self-supporting, thus ending twenty years of dependence on mission support. On December 4, 1949, a fine addition was dedicated. In 1953, the church was again suffering from growing pains and on March 27, 1955 a new church building was dedicated. The present pastor is the Reverend Carleton A. Harrison, who has served Laurelton United since 1941. ST. MARGARET MARY CHURCH was planned on October 17, 1928, when six and one half acres of land at the end of Rogers Parkway were purchased. The first meeting of the Parish was held at the Masonic Temple on August 30, 1929 and the first Mass celebrated in the new church on September 15, 1929. In the same month, a house, located at 122 Scholfield Road, was purchased for a rectory. Ground was broken October 17, 1948 for a new church and rectory and, in September 1949, open house was held at the new rectory. Mass was said for the first time in the new church at midnight December 25, 1949, but the building was not dedicated until February 1950. The Right Reverend Msgr. Maynard A. Connell, DD, is the present pastor, having recently succeeded Father Charles J. Bruton who had served the church from its beginning until 1956. In January of 1930, land was purchased at the corner of Avondale and Culver Roads. Here, blessing of the site and ground-breaking for the CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION took place on April 26, 1931 and the cornerstone was laid May 17 of the same year. Reverend Elmer G. Schaertel became the first pastor on June 7 and the first church service was conducted July 10, although the building was not completed at that time. Dedication took place October 11, 1931. On September 7, 1953, it was voted to purchase property and a parish house at 3802 Culver Road. Possession of the parish house took place January 2, 1954 and the first meeting was held January 5. The Sunday School began holding classes January 24, but the House was not dedicated until March 7 of that year. The present pastor is Rev. Theodore D. Weiskotten. Four lots at the corner of Scholfield Road and North Clinton Avenue were purchased in 1925 by Mr. Frederick E. Wyatt for the establishment of a Methodist church in Irondequoit to be called the SENECA METHODIST CHURCH. At a meeting held May 10, 1930, it was definitely decided to go .ahead with the project. The necessary budget was raised and the Reverend Cecil F. Wilson was appointed pastor. Until the church could be built, services were held in the Hosea Rogers School. Building was begun on August 25, 1932 on the site donated by Mr. Wyatt. The cornerstone was laid with appropriate services on September 18 and the church dedicated October 30, 1932. It was built by the Rochester Lumber Company, of which Mr. Wyatt was President, without profit to the company. Ground was broken on July 31, 1950 for a new educational wing and the original structure was also remodeled and enlarged. This new building was dedicated and officially opened June 21, 1951. Reverend Franklin B. Laundry is the present pastor. The first services held by parishioners of ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH were conducted at the Masonic Temple on November 1, 1935. A few additional meetings were held at the Temple but, since there were other groups also meeting there, it did not prove a satisfactory place and the meetings were held for a time at Seneca School on St. Paul Boulevard at Thomas Avenue. Later, Mr. Walter Colt donated a plot of land on Winona Boulevard for a church and, early in 1937, the building of the new church began. From the beginning, All Saints was a mission parish, but was admitted into the diocese as a self-supporting parish about 1950. Extensive improvements were made to the interior of the church to care for the increased membership. In 1954, alterations were again made to provide a larger seating capacity. Reverend Donald A. Stivers is All Saints' current pastor. On land acquired from the Diocese of Rochester, ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH was built in 1950. Additions were made to the school in 1953 and construction of a convent is planned for 1957. Reverend Francis M. Feeney is the present pastor of this church, which is located on Brockley Road. In 1951, five and one half acres of land were purchased for ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC CHURCH and School and both were erected in the same year. In January 1956, an addition was made to the school and a chapel and second floor added to the convent. The church is located at 2732 Culver Road and Reverend Bernard C. Newcomb is the present pastor. ST. JOHNS EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH celebrated its 80th anniversary in 1953 before becoming an Irondequoit church: its former sanctuary was located on Joseph Avenue at Buchan Park. In 1949, the church bought five acres of land on Ridge Road near Hudson Avenue for the site of a new church. Ground for the new building was broken on October 25, 1954. The old site and building were sold in the same year to the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church and last services held there on November 27, 1955. 118 Dedication of the new church was held on December 4, 1955. The Reverend John A. W. Kirsch became the seventh pastor of St. Johns on August 1, 1945 and continues as its minister today. TEMPLE EMANU-EL dates from June 1953 when twelve men met to explore the need for a Jewish house of worship in Irondequoit. In September, first services were held in rented quarters and the congregation bought its present edifice, located at the corner of St. Paul Boulevard and Titus Avenue, in 1954. The Temple building, formerly a seventeen-room house, was remodeled for the most part by the members. In addition to the chapel, it contains a large kitchen, recreation hall, lounge, classrooms and Rabbi's study. George Rosenthal is the present Rabbi. On October 20, 1953, a group of Irondequoit Jews met at the home of Jack R. Hoffman and laid plans for the organization of a conservative Jewish congregation. It was at this meeting that TEMPLE BETH DAVID was born. The name was suggested by the celebration that year of the 3000th anniversary of the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem, which was the inspiration of King David. The first service was held at the Grange Hall on Friday evening, October 23, 1953. In the first week of November, temporary quarters were established in a vacant store located at 709 Titus Avenue. A group of devoted men and women worked untiringly to make the place suitable for worship. Barely one month later, the congregation was forced to move to the rear of the store as the front had been rented. It thus became necessary to secure more permanent quarters. In the spring of 1954, negotiations were initiated for the purchase of Unity Recreation Hall at 2939 St. Paul Boulevard and the congregation took possession of this building on August 1, 1954. Again, the members banded together in work to create a religious Temple out of a Lodge Hall. The first service was conducted at midnight Saturday September 18, 1954. This was the Selihot Service. The Temple was fully readied just one hour before Rosh Hashana of that year. The formal dedication took place on Sunday, April 17, 1955. Aaron Solomon is the present Rabbi. In 1952, the Diocese of Rochester purchased seventy-eight acres of land on Kings Highway (formerly North Goodman Street) south of Titus Avenue for CHRIST THE KING CATHOLIC CHURCH. Ground-breaking ceremonies were held on March 18, 1956. Since then a modernistic church has been built with a seating capacity of 820 persons and a sound proof, glass-enclosed room in the rear for parents with infants. A solemn high Mass at midnight marked the opening of the new church on April 20, 1957. The Parish Hall which was opened October 26. 1956 has been used for services awaiting the opening of the church. A convent also is a part of the new building. Rev. Charles Mahoney is the Priest in charge. Additional Comments: Extracted from: IRONDEQUOIT STORY A History of the Town of Irondequoit (Suburb of Rochester, County of Monroe, State of New York) COVERING THE YEARS 1839-1957 Collected and Compiled by MAUDE I. WEST, Town Historian Published by The Town of Irondequoit File at: http://files.usgwarchives.org/ny/monroe/history/1957/irondequ/irondequ13ms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/nyfiles/ File size: 15.9 Kb