First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford - 1st Presbyterian's 200th Anniversary

First Presbyterian Church's 200th Anniversary is in 2009 !

In May 1809, as 3 month old Abe Lincoln played (with Lincoln Logs, no doubt) in Kentucky, pioneers in western New York started First Presbyterian of Pittsford. 200 years later, the ideals of Lincoln and our church founders are still changing lives in Christ's name.

We had a weekend with Dr. Rodger Nishioka, a warm and engaging speaker who challenged all of us to embrace our Christian heritage and expand our vision for the 21st Century

A Bicentennial dinner was held Friday May 8, at Mario's Italian Steakhouse, celebrating our rich church history in word, song and fellowship.

Below are Links to the First Presbyterian Centennial Program from May 1909. You can click on a link to display, or right click to download to your computer. The larger the file, the higher the resolution, but longer to download.
    - Screen Display Version for quick loading (3 Mb)
     - Printable Version (7 Mb)
     - Pintable Version - Highest Resolution (24 Mb)

Bicentennial Celebration Planning Taking Shape
Members of the Bicentennial Planning Committee are immersing themselves in the details of church's 200th anniversary celebration, focusing on the theme "Embracing Our Heritage, Expanding Our Vision." Some are pouring over historical records and photos, others are planning special events for the summer and fall, all are excited about the prospect of sharing the church's incredible faith journey with fellow members and the community.

"Our hope for the Bicentennial celebration is for the congregation and the community to learn more about the wonderful heritage of this church, spanning 200 years," said Dave and Anne Ferris, who are co-chairing the committee. "We are developing a series of celebrations that hopefully will appeal to all."

Also on the committee are Anne B. Francis; Bruce Boak; Faye Casey; Beth A. Collins; Richard R. Crawford; David Irwin; Dorothy Meusburger; Alan Roberts; Alison Valenti; Cynthia VanHoute-Purpura; and Nathan Zampella.

The celebrations begin May 1, with a weekend lecture series with Rodger Nishioka, associate professor of Christian Education at the Columbia Theological Seminary. Following that will be a Bicentennial dinner May 8 and a Sunday Bicentennial worship service.

The celebrations will include sharing historical documents and photos with the community and hosting special events during the year. An old-style family picnic is in the works for September. Oral histories of many of our senior members will be created by our senior high students and preserved for present and future generations. The committee also is working on establishing a special Bicentennial Fund for members wishing to participate with their own celebratory gifts and remembrances.

Watch and listen for more information on this very special time in the life of our church, and embrace the hand of God in celebrating our history and future.