Crossroads Community Church
Churches | Crossroads Community Church
1188 Jackson Rd. | (585) 872-2660 | crossroads-community-church.org
A Short History of Crossroads Community Church by Pastor Peter Mills
Crossroads Community Church origins go back nearly 150 years. In 1866, a year after the Civil War ended and six years after B. T. Roberts founded Free Methodism, 13 people met at the home of Horace Moore on the corner of Berg and County Line roads to form the First Free Methodist Church of Ontario. In 1870, William Gould organized the First Free Methodist Church of West Webster with 10 initial members.
These churches shared a pastor for many years, but from the 1890’s to the 1940’s, each church had its own pastor and provided each family its own parsonage. In the 1940’s the churches again shared a single pastor. Arthur Prouty became pastor in 1958 and realized that a merger would benefit both congregations. While the churches had active Sunday Schools, dedicated missionary societies and an active youth program through Christian Youth Crusaders [a group akin to the Boy or Girl Scouts], their buildings were small and lacked indoor plumbing. The congregations blended well together so in 1959 the churches combined and began planning a new building.
After scouting a number of locations, including on State Rd. opposite the present church, the present site was selected. The parsonage was built in 1961 [member Ray Kerr wired the electricity], and in 1962 the church building was completed and the first service held. Over the years, trustees and other members have expanded and improved the building, adding a steeple and narthex, making the sanctuary more flexible by replacing pews with chairs, and most recently building a playground and undertaking extensive renovations to the sanctuary to welcome more people.
Prayer has sustained these efforts, for the church has always been a praying church. From weekly prayer meetings to email prayer chains, fervent and active prayer has characterized the church. Sharing food and fellowship have too! Picnics, carnivals, small groups, and other gatherings have built friendships and sustained relationships.
Over the years, the church has reached out to the community. From youth groups and Vacation Bible Schools, to services at Webster drive-in movie theater [and movies at the church] and soccer camps, pastors and members have found creative ways to share the good news of Jesus Christ. The church even plowed up the lawn and invited the community to take part in a community garden! More recently, members have
started used gaming, free meal concerts, the Living Nativity, and other new ways to open their doors and share the gospel message to those around them.
Ever since its beginnings, the church has supported missionaries, raised money for them, prayed for their work, and spread the word about their efforts. The church helped plant the Ganada Free Methodist Church [which in turn planted Cross Creek Church], and in recent years, the church has sent people on short term missions to Peru and Haiti.
For almost 150 years, and more than 50 years in this building at the corner of State and Jackson Roads, the pastors and members of Crossroads Community Church have worshipped, prayed, served and shared the Gospel. We can build on this foundation by serving the Lord and spreading the Good News of His salvation. May it be said of us, as it may be said of those who have built and sustained this church, “Well done, good and faithful servant.
Pastor Peter Mills
On June 20, 1971 the congregation of Free Methodist Church of Webster celebrate the dedication of a new Kohler and Campbell piano and a Baldwin church model organ with Leslie speaker. The instruments were donated in memory of Mr. Ezra Hockenberger by his mother, Mrs Frances Hockenberger and his brother, Mr Paul Hockenberger, both of Webster. David Anderson of Gates and former music director at the church performed on the piano. Mrs Elton O. Smith, organist at the church, performed on the organ during the dedication. Special vocal arrangements were also presented.
The church celebrated its final mortgage payment on October 10, 1980 with a mortgage burning ceremony. Former pastors Rev Elton O. Smith Jr. and Rev Arthur C. Prouty attended along with Mayor Robert R. Johnville.
The Webster, West Webster and Union Hill United Methodist Churches and the Webster Free Methodist Church joined together to celebrate 200 years of Methodism in America on August 5, 1984 at Spry School Bandshell. The evening of singing, prayer and reflection ended with an ice cream social.
The Free Methodist Church of Webster became known as Crossroads Free Methodist Church in 1999. In 2002, it became known as Crossroads Community Church, a Free Methodist Congregation.
Pastor’s List
Rev. J. A. Odell | 1870 | |
Rev. J. B. Stacey | 1871-1872 | |
Rev. T. Whiffen | 1872-1874 | |
Rev. J. A. Odell | 1874-1875 | |
Rev. O.W. Young | 1875-1877 | |
Rev. R. M. Snyder | 1877-1878 | |
Rev. O. M. Owen | 1878-1880 | |
Rev. T. Whiffen | 1880-1882 | |
Rev. B. Winget | 1882-1884 | |
Rev. D. Dempsey | 1884-1885 | |
Rev. W. H. Clark | 1885-1887 | |
Rev. H. W. Fish | 1887-1889 | |
Rev. W. E. Sitzer | 1889-1891 | |
Rev. D. W. Clark | 1891-1893 | |
Rev. William Jewel | 1893-1894 | |
Rev. J. E. Tiffany | 1894-1895 | |
Rev. W. J. Whiffen | 1895-1896 | |
Rev. C. A. Balch | 1896-1897 | |
Rev. A. F. Curry | 1897-1898 | |
Rev. B. J. Austin | 1898-1899 | |
Rev. M. T. Marriot | 1899-1902 | |
Rev. F. A. Perkins | 1902-1903 | |
Rev. Florence Deyle | 1903-1905 | |
Rev. J. D. Jenkins | 1905-1906 | |
Rev. C. C. Watson | 1906-1909 | |
Rev. M. S. Babcock | 1909-1913 | |
Rev. F. J. Hessler | 1913-1916 | |
Rev. W. J. Parmeter | 1916-1918 | |
Rev. J. S. Bradbrook | 1918-1921 | |
Rev. H. D. Ackerman | 1921-1924 | |
Rev. P. S. Culver | 1924-1926 | |
Rev. M. S. Babcock | 1926-1931 | |
Rev. J. C. Hessler | 1931-1934 | |
Rev. M. R. Billington | 1934-1935 | |
Rev. H. L. Crockett | 1935-1937 | |
Rev. F. S. Shaw | 1938-1939 | |
Rev. Gordon Markey | 1939-1940 | |
Rev. Wesley C. Smeal | 1940-1942 | |
Rev. John Roberts | 1942-1943 | |
Rev. Elmer J. Hood | 1943-1945 | |
Rev. Ernest S. Kratzer | 1945-1947 | |
Rev. Benjamin Kaselian | 1947-1952 | |
Rev. Herbert Seaman | 1952-1956 | |
Rev. Daniel Stevens | 1956-1958 | |
Rev. Arthur C Prouty | 1958-1967 | |
Rev. Wilton Sharp | 1967 | |
Rev. Elton O. Smith | 1967-1973 | |
Rev. Robert E. Witherow | 1973-1978? | |
Rev. Douglas E. Rabe | 1981-1986 | |
Rev. David E. Banks Jr | 1986-? | |
Rev. Mike Erickson | 1992?-1995 | |
Rev. Martin R. Kiggins | 1995-1997 | |
Rev. Lynlon Perry | 1997-2006 | |
Rev. Peter Mills | 2006- |
Sources
- Crossroads Community Church, A Short History of Crossroads Community Church, 2018
- Dunn, Esther, Webster Through the Years, Webster Town Board, Webster NY, 1971, p311-313.
- Webster Methodist Church Box, Free Methodist file, Webster Town Historian Office, Webster Museum, Webster, NY, 2017.
- “Organ, Piano to be Dedicated”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, June 16, 1971, p 12.
- “New Minister at Free Methodist”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, July 25, 1973, p 13.
- “Methodist Church Reports on Year”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, January 30, 1974.
- “Church to Burn Mortgage”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, October 15, 1980.
- “Methodist Church installs new pastor”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, November 4, 1981, p12A.
- “Methodists celebrate 200 year”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, August 15, 1984.
- “New Pastor Appointed”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, June 25, 1986, p 5B.
- Crossroads Community Church, April 2018, http://crossroads-community-church.org/