Albion Presbyterians celebrating 200th anniversary of congregation

Photos by Tom Rivers: The Rev. Sue Thaine, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Albion, stands outside the church at the corner of Main and East State streets. The church will be celebrating its bicentennial with events this weekend.

ALBION – The First Presbyterian Church of Albion is celebrating its first 200 years this weekend, with excitement about the future.

The congregation was formed by 16 people in 1824. Initially the church met in homes. Those 16 people were part of the Congregational Church in Barre and withdrew to start the new church in Albion.

The Presbyterians built a church on Main Street in 1830, a building they quickly outgrew. Christ Episcopal Church has used that structure for more than 150 years.

The Presbyterians built a brick church on East State, and then an even bigger building made of Medina Sandstone that opened in 1874. That church, with a 175-foot-high spire, is the tallest building in Orleans County.

The Rev. Sue Thaine sits inside the sanctuary of the historic church. Thaine, an Albion native, has served as pastor since 2018 in her hometown.

The congregation will celebrate its history, and a commitment to ministry in the community during this weekend’s events.

“This church started with 16 people, and those 16 people formed a church that is still here today,” said the Rev. Susan Thaine, the church’s pastor since 2018.

The 200 years of the First Presbyterian Church are a year older than the formation of Orleans County and the completion of the original Erie Canal – both from 1825, Thaine noted.

Those 200 years are a long time, but she notes many of the churches and buildings in Europe are far older.

“We’re babies compared to Europe,” she said. “We’re celebrating our first 200 years with a focus on the next 200 years.”

If the weather cooperates on Saturday, there will be a dinner for 100 on a closed-off section of East State Street. 39 Problems, a Main Street restaurant, will cater the meal. After the dinner, there will be two hours of music from the Batavia Swing Band, with dancing in the street.

If it’s too rainy, the meal and music will be inside. The dancing is open to the community.

On Sunday at 11 a.m. there will be a celebration worship service with an ice cream social and basket raffle to follow. Thaine said at least five people will be welcomed as new members into the church on Sunday.

Thaine is the ninth-longest tenured pastor in the church’s history. One of the church’s longest-serving pastors, the Rev. Gary Saunders, will attend Sunday’s service with his wife, Mary Jane, who also was a pastor at the church. Mr. Saunders served as pastor in Albion for 24 years while his wife was a pastor for nine years. Mrs. Saunders also led a church in Bergen while in Albion.

Thaine said she is grateful for the chance to serve in ministry in her hometown. Prior to Albion, she led a Presbyterian Church in Penfield for seven years.

She and First Presbyterian are active members of the Albion Ministerium, including an advent lunch, service of remembrance and Hope/Blue Christmas, baccalaureate service for high school seniors, Lenten lunches and Holy Week worship services.

The church also runs English as Second Language classes in the spring through fall for local farmworkers, and offers an after-school “play and pray” program for students in pre-k through junior high. Earlier this year, First Presbyterian leased space to the Genesee-Orleans Ministry of Concern.

The church also runs “Ben’s Backpacks” which provide school supplies and educational support for a school in Oaxca, Mexico.

Thaine also is pleased to see a growing church choir, and other faith development and outreach programs.