In 2006 our church celebrated the 150th year of the completion of the original portion of our church building.

For the first 15 years of the church (1820 – 1835), services were held in the homes of members for prayer and testimony during the morning, afternoon and evening of each Sabbath, and occasionally with a Circuit Rider preaching. In 1836, as membership increased, services were moved to the Union Building, a public building that housed two schoolrooms on the first floor and a large meeting room on the second floor. Several Liverpool church groups used this meeting room.

By 1841 the Presbyterians and Episcopalians purchased buildings of their own. The Union Building, which was then located in Johnson Park was purchased by the Methodists. In 1846, when the village cemetery was moved from Johnson Park to its present site on Sixth Street, the Union Building was moved across Second Street to the vacant lot next to the Liverpool Library. Church services were held there until 1856.

On April 29, 1856 trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Society of Liverpool purchased Lot Five of Block 38 from Moses H. Green, a trustee of the church from 1849 through 1855.

In 1855–56, during the pastorate of D.D. Parker, the Society built a new church on Lot Five facing Oswego Street, which is the brick portion of the present church. Hiram Madison of New York City dedicated the new church.

In the spring of 1872 the church’s Board of Trustees voted to raise money for an addition and repairs to the church. A year later the renovation was completed and a dedication ceremony was held on February 14, 1873. The improvements consisted of a new structure added to the rear of building. It contained three rooms adapted to Bible class, infant class and prayer meeting purposes. There was also a fourth room for the library. These were on the same floor as the sanctuary and connected with it by two doors, one on each side of the pulpit.

Major improvements were made to the sanctuary including the addition of eight new stained glass windows to replace the plain windows. The walls and ceiling were frescoed, new cushioned seats were installed and the floor carpeted.

In 1905 electric lights were installed in the Church and parsonage. The front entrance of church was improved in 1928 with the addition of two Ionic columns with scrolls and frieze.

Church renovation and expansion has continued throughout the years. Most recently, in 2002, when the educational wing was enlarged and renovated, bringing classrooms into the twenty-first century.

© Liverpool First United Methodist Church 2007-2008