Webster Christian Reformed Church – Webster Through the Years

Churches | Webster Christian Reformed Church
1344 State Rd. | (585) 872-2352 | www.webstercrc.com

In 1961, the Rochester Christian Reformed Church congregation had grown to a large enough number that a new church was needed for the Webster area. Four acres of land was purchased at 1344 State Rd. Rev. Ed Walhout agreed to lead the new church with 13 member families from the Rochester Christian Reformed Church. The members along with their children included Cyrus and Jane Brock, Norman and Christine Bruinsam, Albert and Marion Bult, Dolores Christman, John and Jan De Jager, Peter and Beverly DeVries, Charles and Florence Hackenberry, Robert and Audrey Johnville, Bruce and Alice Klanderman, Robert and Margaret Lamberts, Delwyn and Ruth Machiele, Bernice McGovern, and Alfred and Arlene Polzker. Several other families joined shortly afterwards.

The first service was held in the Webster Grange Hall in 1966 as the construction of the new church did not begin until 1967. Architect Mark Stark designed a church with a wide base and soaring roofline to represent a church built on earth with its goal in the heavens. The first unofficial service in the new church took place on Christmas Eve 1969 in an unheated auditorium. The first official service took place in January of 1970.

In 1976, the church celebrated its 10th anniversary. The church now had about 40 families. At that time the church was looking for a new pastor to replace Rev. Neal Plantinga who was attending Princeton to complete his advanced studies.

In 1988, a new education wing and kitchen was added to the existing building nearly doubling the size. The families of members Ken Offringa and Rich Bierma completed much of the planning and work on the addition. Doug Thiel worked on the design and Jerry Vanderwoude worked on the electrical matters. Jake Guter was the chairman of the project. The new church building was dedicated on November 20, 1988.

In 1991, the church celebrated its 25th anniversary. It also held an organ marathon fundraiser for the church music program in November. Terry Guter played all 640 hymns in the church hymnal taking a five minute break at the end of every hour. Terry Guter was from Dublin, Ireland graduating from Trinity College with a degree in music. She first performed a church hymnal marathon in 1983 in her local parish of the Anglican Church of Ireland.

The Rev. Ed Gerber was installed as pastor in the Webster Christian Reformed Church in October of 2004. The former pastor Rev. Verlan Van Ec accepted a one year pastorate in Australia in July of 2004.

The Webster Christian Reformed Church sent two students on a mission in 2005. Angela Hebma went to Honduras to teach kindergarten and Luke Theule went to Lithuania to teach English to high school students as well as adults interested in learning English. In May of 2007, the Webster Christian Reformed Church combined with the Rochester Christian Reformed Church to celebrate the 150th anniversary of or the Christian Reformed Church. “Grace Through Every Generation” was the theme of the celebration with services, workshops and reception afterwards.

2016 marked the 50-year anniversary of the Webster Christian Reformed Church. A celebration was held on November 6, 2016 with many of the former pastors and church members attending. A reception was held after the service with cake and coffee.

The Webster Christian Reformed Church has many ministries consisting of Bible study groups and youth activities including: scouting groups, GEMS [Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior] and Cadets, and junior high and senior high youth groups. Softball teams and volleyball teams, potluck dinners, picnics, Sunday school, and other fellowship opportunities are popular.. The Webster Christian Reformed Church offers financial and prayer support for several organizations including: Wycliffe Bible Translators in Indonesia, Germany and Canada; United Bible Societies in Wisconsin; and Christian Reformed World Missions in Nicaragua.

Pastor’s List

	Rev. Ed Walhout	1966-1971
	Rev. Cornelius Plantinga	1971-1976
	Rev. James Vander Lann	1976-1984
	Rev. Mark Tidd	1984-1991
	Rev. Verlan Van Ec	1991-2004
	Rev. Ed Gerber	2004-2009
	Rev. Ed Visser	2009-2019
	Rev. Will Barham	2019-

Sources

Dunn, Esther, Webster Through the Years, Webster Town Board, Webster, NY, 1971, p 106, 107.
General Church Box, folder Web Christian Reformed, Webster Historian Office, Webster Museum, 2017.
Webster Church Box, Webster Christian Reformed Church, Webster Historian Office Webster Museum
Smith, Robert E., “Letter to the Editor, One we Missed” Webster Herald, Webster, NY, February 11, 1976, p 25.
“Church gets new pastor”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, October 10, 1984, p 25.
Gray, William, “Webster Town Planning Board Agenda”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, March 9, 1988, p 4.
“Church plans fall services”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, September 28, 1988, p18.
“New pastor enjoys working in Webster”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, October 2, 1991, p13.
“Pipe organ marathon planned”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, November 6, 1991, p 6.
“Church celebrates denomination’s anniversary”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, May 9, 2007, p 3.
“Webster Christian Reformed Church welcomes new Pastor”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, September 29, 2004, p7.
“Webster Christian Reformed Church send two youths on a mission”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, September 14, 2005, p 4.
“Webster Christian Reformed Church celebrates 50 years”, Webster Herald, Webster, NY, November 2, 2016, p 9.
Webster Christian Reformed Church, 2018, http://www.webstercrc.com/