Celebrating
the freeing, supportive presence of God. So your experience of God may
become your experience of life. It is wonderful what God can do!
A Brief History of
1816 - Present
1816
In 1816 a man named Henry Wallace became the first Methodist in Perry, NY. Henry Wallace was born on September 23, 1742. He came to this area from Worchester, Mass. Henry settled in Castile, NY in 1816 and died February 1, 1870, at the age of 81 years old.
The first known meeting place where Christians gathered in this area was at the Wallace log cabin on the Slack farm, near Castile. There were 6 members who attended. In 1816, Henry Wallace heard that the first Bishop of the Methodist Church, Francis Asbury, was to be near Caledonia, NY for a quarterly conference. He walked 30 miles to see him, and requested to be put on the circuit. A Pastor was to be sent to Perry. In the fall of 1816 a Pastor by the name of Reverend Robert Minchell arrived. A meeting was held in the log cabin home of Henry Wallace, near the Castile towneline. The meetings were then held in Reverend Minchell's home opposite the Perry record building.
In February of the next year, Rev. William Miles, a local preacher in the Methodist Church, from Seneca, Ontario County, came to Perry with his family. This was a great addition. "Father Wiles" was a known man of property. He owned the greater part of Main Street, and the most valuable water power on the outlet. His house became the second meeting place for The Church.
1819
In 1819, a meeting was held in the schoolhouse and a revival service was held. Twenty people were converted. Membership of this small church now totaled 36. On November 25, 1822, a meeting was held in the home of William Water and a society was formed to plan for their own building. This group organized the First United Methodist Church in Perry.
1824
In the spring of 1824, the first edifice was dedicated at Short Street & Lake Street. The cost was $800. This was to become the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Wyoming County.
1832
In 1832, as new membership was growing, a new church building was erected on Late Street, facing east. It was destroyed by fire in 1838. A Session House was built and intended to be used until a new church building was built, but it was completely destroyed by fire.
1840
In 1840, a third church building was built on the same site, and used until completion of our present building. In 1856, a great fire destroyed all the buildings on the west side of Main and Lake Streets. Just up Lake Street, the Methodist Church Steeple was destroyed by fire. The building was saved. A new bell was purchased for the new spire, and used not only for church, but as a fire alarm. This bell is still in use in the church tower today. The 1840 third church building was used until 1883.
1884
The 1840 church building was remodeled, a basement was added. The building was decorated and was turned halfway around to face Lake Street. A new basement, pews & cushions, stained glass windows, carpets and a furnace were installed.
1893
A new pipe organ was installed in the sanctuary at the cost of $800.
1906 - 1915
The present church building construction was begun. In 1906, the church society received $75,719.71 for the cost of the building, organ, and other expenses. The building cost alone was $39,540.95. The church membership now totaled 275 people. A pipe organ was installed in 1909, at a cost of $2,501.00. The final payment was made on January 15, 1915. The dedication was December 3, 1915. Church membership now 450 people.
PRESENT CHURCH
The present church is of English Gothic architecture. The well-known architects' names are Jay Fay and Otis W. Dryer. The sanctuary design is called "The Akron Plan". The original design displayed a beautiful sanctuary and stained glass windows as are viewed today. The sanctuary was separated by huge sliding doors with etched glass panels that were closed for the worship services. Behind their folding doors was a large "rotunda". This was the focal point for Sunday School, as the class rooms were to the very back of the church at large. A curving stairway began on both sides of the "rotunda" gracefully curved into a balcony above. This balcony was designed originally for overflow crowds of people attending very large meetings, conferences, revivals, etc. Due to lack of Sunday School space, the rooms were curtained off into sections, developing each of their rooms. Due to church membership growth and activity, the church people once again began renovations in the 1950's. Several additions took place, which made it into a thoroughly modern building. It was consecrated in 1957 and dedicated in 1963. The church continues to move on in service to the community with a new renovation currently underway. 2005 the property at 10 Short Street was purchased, and demolished, to make way for a larger parking lot. In September of 2006 the church was named to both the state and national registries of historic places.
