Second Reformed Church is Marion, New York is really a beautiful church. I couldn't find a history on it. It is the only church I have taken pictures of, so far, that has a separate building for youth and education.
Hi Marilyn, I have been to this church for a memorial service and the pastor was wonderful. We have a beautiful day out there, enjoy it. Tom The Backroads Traveller
You took some beautiful pictures of our church. Thank-you. I've been going there a few years and am no historian, but some minor background: First Reformed Church of Marion was a Dutch Reformed church and spoke Dutch in services, but after the church had been here for a generation, the younger folks wanted to switch to English. A wave of newer immigrants wanted to attend church in Dutch, so they founded Second Reformed. First Reformed Church of Marion no longer exists, I don't know where it used to stand. Second Reformed Church later switched to English. I don't know the years, but there is one elderly lady who remembers the church still speaking Dutch as a kid.
...Oh, and the youth building, used to be a Seneca Foods can factory. We were very blessed to obtain it at very reasonable terms. Half the building collapsed under snow load, but the church rebuilt it and it has a very nice air conditioned gym with stage over there now, and renovated kitchen and bathrooms.
Denise - The First Reformed Church in Marion was on Union Street where it bends back towards Main Street. The parsonage was the 3rd house South(?) of the Church on the same side of Union Street. My uncle, Barclay B. Fishburn, was the Minister there at one time. I'm guessing perhaps in the early 1970's. He passed away on July 17, 2007.
David (if you happen to come back and see this) - yes, Barclay Fishburn served at First Reformed in the early 70s. My father, Russell Johnson (who passed away in December of 2021), pastored 2nd Reformed from 1969-79, and we had the chance to get to know your uncle and his family.
The offer from the canning factory to sell 2nd Reformed two buildings (connected - one with two floors, ideal to convert to classrooms, the other a vaulted ceiling building that would be converted to a gymnasium) was an incredible godsend. That all happened in the mid-70s, when my dad (Russell Johnson) was pastor, and I was finishing high school and entering college, so I had a ringside seat to the first stages of taking possession, converting the first building to classrooms. Just before that, ANOTHER old building, adjacent to these, was converted to be Seneca Food regional office building. SF also sold turned part of the property with access to Main Street to a parking area - and including THAT in the sale to the church, thus significantly adding to the old church's original, smallish parking area. With all this they made a deal that SF could use the parking lot during weekday office hours, and rented back the larger ("gymnasium"-shaped) building from the church for a few years. Again, an incredible, wonderful deal! (Catching a 3% interest rate at the time, and the donation by a large area business one of our elders worked for, of almost new materials they were about to discard when undergoing renovations [I mainly remember carpeting] didn't hurt!)
I've never had the chance to see the insides of the COMPLETED educations building(s), but am hoping maybe to come to town for my Marion High 50th this Fall, and stop by at the church....
New since these pictures, the wheelchair ramp has been replaced with a vestibule with chair lift. Enter in front on the left to reach the lift. Accessible entrance to the lower level is on the back corner of the building. (Foibles of an old building.)
11 comments:
Good Morning Everyone,
We are back to churches on Sundays again after Father's Day.
So far, it's another beautiful day today.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn,
I have been to this church for a memorial service and the pastor was wonderful. We have a beautiful day out there, enjoy it. Tom The Backroads Traveller
Thank you, Tom,
You have a beautiful day and enjoy it, too.
Marilyn
A very nice church.
Doreen
Good Morning Doreen,
Thank you very much. Enjoy this beautiful weather.
Marilyn
You took some beautiful pictures of our church. Thank-you. I've been going there a few years and am no historian, but some minor background: First Reformed Church of Marion was a Dutch Reformed church and spoke Dutch in services, but after the church had been here for a generation, the younger folks wanted to switch to English. A wave of newer immigrants wanted to attend church in Dutch, so they founded Second Reformed. First Reformed Church of Marion no longer exists, I don't know where it used to stand. Second Reformed Church later switched to English. I don't know the years, but there is one elderly lady who remembers the church still speaking Dutch as a kid.
...Oh, and the youth building, used to be a Seneca Foods can factory. We were very blessed to obtain it at very reasonable terms. Half the building collapsed under snow load, but the church rebuilt it and it has a very nice air conditioned gym with stage over there now, and renovated kitchen and bathrooms.
Denise - The First Reformed Church in Marion was on Union Street where it bends back towards Main Street. The parsonage was the 3rd house South(?) of the Church on the same side of Union Street. My uncle, Barclay B. Fishburn, was the Minister there at one time. I'm guessing perhaps in the early 1970's. He passed away on July 17, 2007.
David (if you happen to come back and see this) - yes, Barclay Fishburn served at First Reformed in the early 70s. My father, Russell Johnson (who passed away in December of 2021), pastored 2nd Reformed from 1969-79, and we had the chance to get to know your uncle and his family.
The offer from the canning factory to sell 2nd Reformed two buildings (connected - one with two floors, ideal to convert to classrooms, the other a vaulted ceiling building that would be converted to a gymnasium) was an incredible godsend. That all happened in the mid-70s, when my dad (Russell Johnson) was pastor, and I was finishing high school and entering college, so I had a ringside seat to the first stages of taking possession, converting the first building to classrooms. Just before that, ANOTHER old building, adjacent to these, was converted to be Seneca Food regional office building. SF also sold turned part of the property with access to Main Street to a parking area - and including THAT in the sale to the church, thus significantly adding to the old church's original, smallish parking area. With all this they made a deal that SF could use the parking lot during weekday office hours, and rented back the larger ("gymnasium"-shaped) building from the church for a few years. Again, an incredible, wonderful deal! (Catching a 3% interest rate at the time, and the donation by a large area business one of our elders worked for, of almost new materials they were about to discard when undergoing renovations [I mainly remember carpeting] didn't hurt!)
I've never had the chance to see the insides of the COMPLETED educations building(s), but am hoping maybe to come to town for my Marion High 50th this Fall, and stop by at the church....
New since these pictures, the wheelchair ramp has been replaced with a vestibule with chair lift. Enter in front on the left to reach the lift. Accessible entrance to the lower level is on the back corner of the building. (Foibles of an old building.)
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