Our History
The Brick Church Fellowship began in 1816 in a little red schoolhouse on South Avenue with Judah Paddock as the moderator. At that time, the church was named the First Presbyterian Congregational Society of Williamson. Rev. Samuel White was the first called pastor of the church.
Many of the early records of the church were lost, but we do know in the 1830’s, the church took a strong stand against slavery and would not admit anyone to their pulpit, membership, or communion table that was a slave holder or who trafficked human lives. Many of the members were involved with helping slaves to freedom in Canada.
In 1859, the current site of the church was traded to the church and monies were raised for a new building. A few years later, the original brick church was built.It was at this time that the church became legally recognized as Presbyterian.
By the 1880’s, the membership of the church rose to the 70’s as the church continued to serve the community and call people into a deeper relationship wtih Christ. By the late 1890’s, the church passed 100 people due to a revival in Williamson.
In 1901, Rev. Matthew Gaffney was called to be the pastor. Rev. Gaffney was said to have a “zeal which allowed no defeat.” The membership of the church reached 150 under his care, but more important than numbers was the influence that the church had in the community through his leadership. He was called the Bishop of Williamson in Presbyterian meetings. He was taken to be with the Lord in 1911 and there was standing room only at his funeral. He was so well known that the Presbytery also held a funeral service for him.
In 1913, under the leadership of Rev. William Hallock, the original building was renovated to include a bell tower, a new sanctuary and balcony, and our beautiful stained glass windows. At the dedication over 800 people came to celebrate at the service.
From this point, the church continued its ministry with Sunday School classes for all ages, even purchasing a bus at one time to grow the Sunday School and pick up children in town.
In the 1950’s, Rev. M. Harmer Patton helped found the Wayne Couty Rural Migrant Ministry that would go out to migrant camps in Wayne County and conduct worship servies and classes for the children.
In the 1960’s, the balcony of the church was converted into Sunday School rooms along with a new study for the pastor, a conference room and a new library.
In 1983, the national structure of the Presbyterian Church changed and we became a First Presbyterian Church U.S.A..
In 1988, along with other churches in town, a cooperative nursery school was housed in the basement of the church. It’s ministry continued for over 30 years.
In 2015, the church yoked together with the First Baptist Church of Williamson when Rev. Francis Gasparri was called as pastor. In his time, the church has joined with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Denomination and changed it’s name to the Brick Church Fellowship. We adopted and committed to living out the core values of God First, Mission, Family, and Anchor of Community, values the church has held since the beginning.
Our church has changed in many ways over the years, but we are still as committed to following Christ and serving him as we were from the beginning.
God First
God’s mission to bring the kingdom to earth or to bring wholeness to the brokenness is our top priority. This means we put worship, study, and prayer as core practices for our members, so that we can hear God’s voice and become like him in every way. Becoming like Christ brings wholeness not only to our lives, but to the lives of those around us.
Mission
The Christian life comes with a “take home final.” We must constantly ask in every situation, “What does love require of me?” The answer to this is different depending on the situation, but our goal as a church is to put our love into action. Doing that has a cost, but it is one we are willing to take, because Jesus did the same for us.
Family
At the last supper, Jesus gave a new command, “Love one another.” That didn’t seem like a life-changing command. The disciples had heard that before, but then Jesus continued. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” This was new. In this second statement, Jesus claimed to be the standard for love. Doing for others what we hope others will do in return is in the past. Jesus rewrote the command to love as he had loved. He raised the bar. At Brick Church Fellowship, we try to love one another like that and create relationships that uphold Jesus’ love for us.
Anchor of the Community
Anchors have stability. They are not easily shaken loose. In the same way, we strive to be a community of people that others can depend on and put their trust in to be there in the midst of the storms of life. As we are anchored to Christ, we reach out to our community with integrity and hope.
Our Team
Rev. Francis Gasparri
Pastor
Kevin Wang
Pianist/Organist
Steve Schreiber
Ruling Elder / Moderator
Amy Schreiber
Ruling Elder / Clerk
Terre’ VanDerMallie
Ruling Elder / Finance
Paul VanDerMallie
Ruling Elder / Collector
Kim Davis
Ruling Elder
“In Essentials: Unity.
In Non-Essentials: Liberty.
In All Things: Charity.”
Our Beliefs
All Scripture is self-attesting, and being Truth requires our unreserved submission in all areas of life. The infallible Word of God—the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments—is a complete and unified witness to God’s redemptive acts culminating in the incarnation of the Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible, uniquely and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, is the supreme and final authority on all matters on which it speaks. On this sure foundation, we affirm these additional essentials of our faith.
We believe in one God, the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. To Him be all honor, glory, and praise forever!
Jesus Christ, the living Word, became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. He who is true God became true man united in one Person forever. He died on the cross a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. On the third day He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of the Majesty on High, He now is our High Priest and Mediator.
The Holy Spirit has come to glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to our hearts. He convicts us of sin and draws us to the Savior, indwelling our hearts. He gives new life to us, empowers and imparts gifts to us for service. He instructs and guides us into all truth, and seals us for the day of
Being estranged from God and condemned by our sinfulness, our salvation is wholly dependent upon the work of God’s free grace. God credits His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight. Only such as are born of the Holy Spirit and receive Jesus Christ become children of God and heirs of eternal
The true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit are united together in the body of Christ. The Church finds her visible yet imperfect expression in local congregations where the Word of God is preached in its purity and the sacraments are administered in their integrity, where scriptural discipline is practiced, and where loving fellowship is maintained. For her perfecting she awaits the return of her
Jesus Christ will come again to the earth personally, visibly, and bodily—to judge the living and the dead, and to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).
The Lord Jesus Christ commands all believers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Obedience to the Great Commission requires total commitment to “Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.” He calls us to a life of self-denying love and service. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
The Essentials are set forth in greater detail in the Westminster Confession of Faith
Location
Brick Church Fellowship
4057 W. Main Street
PO Box 188
Williamson, NY 14589
Contact
Need additional assistance? Please contact us:
office@brickchurchfellowship.org
315-589-8260
Worship Hours
Sunday School – 9:45am
Sunday Worship – 11:00am