Freeville United Methodist Church Rev. Dale Austin, Pastor 37 Main St (NY Route 366), Freeville, NY 13068 Church Phone: 607.844.8760 | Parsonage: 607.844.5281

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Some Church History

In the beginning...

The first written record of a Methodist Community in Freeville is in the diary of Rev. Anning Owen, who recorded a meeting held on August 8, 1810-fifteen persons were present. The first church building was erected in 1848 and dedicated on Christmas Day.

The earliest records available to us date to November 13, 1874, when a Certificate of Incorporation was filed in the County Clerk's office. In 1890 the church building was physically moved from the outskirts of the village to a lot next to the parsonage which had been built in 1878 at a cost of fifteen hundred dollars. This is the present location of the church.

In 1948, a centennial celebration was held and an anniversary planned for Christmas of that year. A fire that fall changed the plans somewhat, but disaster was averted by the Freeville Volunteer Fire Company.

Interesting Features...

A charming feature of the church building is its stained glass windows, made in the 1940's by Haskins Studios in Rochester, NY. All the windows retell a biblical story ranging from the menorah copied from the Arch of Titus in Rome to Christian symbols. The windows were purchased and installed in stages, as money became available. Before the project was completed, people were asking to sponsor a window-but there were no more openings.

The sanctuary has undergone numerous renovations over the years. As a result of efforts during the early 1990's the sanctuary today appears much as it did over 150 years ago...a wonderful example of local craftsmanship and native woods used to create the unique diagonal paneling. While yet to be restored, the ceiling is an extension of this patterned woodworking.