In April 1868, a fire destroyed the Pompey Hill village district schoolhouse, which was the meeting house for the First Congregation of Disciples of Christ in Pompey, formed on May 9, 1834.
Two months later, the congregation voted to adopt the plan [by Maj. Matthias Berry] for a new meeting house. A suitable lot was purchased for $400 "on the north side of Academy Street" and on Aug. 8, 1868, a frame was erected by a public raising. On Feb. 18, 1869, Pompey Presbyterian Church was completed and dedicated.
From the early 1930s through the mid-1940s, congregations of both the Disciples and Presbyterian Churches had dwindled to the extent a joint committee was formed and on July 14, 1946 it was voted upon and accepted that each church would hold services, alternating for three months at a time. Five days later, a devastating fire completely destroyed the Presbyterian Church. Only the steeple bell remained, charred and partly buried until it was resurrected at the time of the bicentennial in 1976. It was then removed to the left of the entrance of the Academy Street church.
Unfortunate as the fire was, members of both congregations determined the unification should proceed, with the Rev. F. Richard Eaton, Disciples pastor since 1932, officiating and welcomed as the pastor of Pompey United Church. (building image circa 2009)
In the spring of 1948, the Rev. Ellis Cowling became pastor and the congregation grew steadily. A newly completed addition to the rear of the church was dedicated as the "Cowling Friendship Room" following Cowling's departure in 1956.
In 2001, a pastoral search committee was formed when the Pompey United Church found itself without a pastor. Though the committee conducted its search through the Presbytery, a number of interim pastors officiated, one of whom was Wendell Pfohl, who was director of spiritual life at the Rescue Mission in Syracuse.
Though of a non-denominational background, Pfohl was welcomed by the search committee and congregation in the fall of 2002. It was in the summer of 2005 that the congregation broke away from the Presbyterian/Disciple Synods and formed the new, non-denominational Pompey Community Church. The first service as Pompey Community Church was offered on February 12, 2006.
In May 2008 the church members approved funding and pledges for a new 16,000 square foot structure at the corner of Berwyn Road and Rt. 20, on property donated by Roy and Caryl Smith. Surrounded by blown-in insulation, bare beams, and propane heaters (and with support of port a-potties), members braved freezing weather on November 23, 2008 for a service of Thanksgiving in the structure. The new church building provides a 350-person sanctuary, eight Sunday school rooms, an office wing, kitchen, and fellowship hall/gymnasium. Services started at the new building on July 12, 2009 and a Building a Legacy Celebration held on September 13, 2009 marked the final service at the Academy Street building.
The building at 7373 Academy Street is now a private residence.
Pompey Community Church (Located at) 2555 Berwyn Road * LaFayette, New York 13084 (Mailing address) PO Box 27 * Pompey, New York 13138 (315) 677-3068 office@pompeychurch.org * www.pompeychurch.org
