A Wynantskill Congregation Since 1793
Wynantskill, a hamlet in the Town of North Greenbush just east of Troy, has been home to the First Reformed Church of Wynantskill since 1793. Members of the First Church in Albany crossed the Hudson by rowboat or on horseback to gather for worship, meeting in a simple structure whose hand-crafted timber framework still stands today. More than two centuries later, the congregation continues that same habit of welcome and neighbor-care, feeding hundreds each week, knitting prayer shawls for strangers, and supporting ministries that reach from West Sand Lake to rural India.
The early years were not without struggle. By 1824 the body had become the "Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Wynantskill," a name that reflected both the theology and the Dutch heritage of its founders. A schism that same year tested the congregation, and the financial strains of the Civil War era pressed its members further. They persevered, adding a parsonage, central heating, and stained glass windows over the decades.
In the twentieth century the church expanded its programs and facilities. Vacation Bible School and partnerships with neighboring congregations became fixtures, and in 1946 the church began hosting the "Released Time" program that brought religious education to local youth. A Church School building, a new Chancel, and accessibility upgrades rounded out the campus. In 1993, on the occasion of its 200th anniversary, the congregation celebrated with the publication of History of the First Reformed Church of Wynantskill by Lee M. Bowman and John C. Hintermaier, and welcomed Rev. Sophie Mathonnet-VanderWell as its first female pastor. The congregation's motto, drawn from the wider Reformed tradition, is a line the church takes as its own: "reformed and always reforming."
Sunday Morning at 10
Worship gathers each Sunday at 10 a.m. The service is described as vibrant and music-filled, weaving together traditional hymns and contemporary songs. Sermons are kept concise - about twelve minutes - and are designed to connect Scripture to daily life with practical and spiritual insight. In the Reformed tradition to which the church belongs, worship is understood as a "holy conversation," a time for God to speak through Scripture, prayer, and song, and for the congregation to respond in praise, gratitude, and faith.
Children are warmly welcomed and remain in the service for its opening. Partway through, they are invited to step out for a special Children's Time, where the Scripture reading is explored in a developmentally appropriate way. Visitors are encouraged to come as they are.
Those who cannot attend in person can join the service online; worship is livestreamed on Facebook Live through the church's Facebook presence.
Wednesday Evenings Around the Table
From October through May, the church kitchen becomes a small take-out restaurant each Wednesday evening. Volunteers prepare spaghetti, green beans, and dessert, and hand the meals out at no cost to anyone who comes by. The Community Dinner ministry was created to address food insecurity in the area, offering a consistent, reliable meal to neighbors who need it. It is one of the most visible ways the congregation steps outside its own walls.
God's Handiwork
The crafting ministry called God's Handiwork turns knitting needles and crochet hooks into instruments of comfort. The Prayer Shawl ministry begins each shawl with prayers and blessings for the recipient; when the work is finished, the shawl receives a final blessing during worship before being sent on its way. To date, the group has shared more than 800 shawls with friends, family, and strangers alike.
The group also creates chemo hats and lap blankets for the cancer treatment center at St. Mary's Hospital, providing warmth and a reminder that someone cares during treatment. Smaller "pocket prayer shawls" are always available in the back of the sanctuary - little hugs from God that fit in a pocket, purse, or backpack. Visitors are invited to take as many as they would like to share with others.
Growing in Faith Together
Adults who want to dig deeper into Scripture have two regular options. Adult Sunday School meets every Sunday morning at 9 a.m. from September through June in a welcoming, discussion-based setting where members and newcomers explore the biblical text and its relevance to everyday life. A Women's Bible Study gathers every Thursday morning at 10 a.m. - also September through June - and offers a supportive space for women to share insights and encouragement. Both groups welcome beginners and seasoned Bible readers alike.
Ministry Partners Near and Far
Beyond its own walls, First Reformed partners with three named ministries. Doors of Hope, an ecumenical food pantry and thrift shop in West Sand Lake, receives monthly donations of non-perishable food, baby supplies, and personal care items collected by the congregation. The thrift store is run entirely by community volunteers, and sales help fund the food pantry.
Each summer the church sends youth to Camp Fowler on Lake Pleasant in the Adirondacks. Camp Fowler is a ministry of the Albany Synod of the Reformed Church in America and welcomes churches and organizations from all backgrounds. Its week of intentional Christian community, simplicity, and care for creation has become a formative tradition for the church's young people.
The congregation also supports Mission Partners India, the legacy of Missionary Mary Geegh, who founded her namesake school in 1957. Mission Partners India continues to build on that foundation through education and empowerment programs, especially for women and children. The specific missionary partner known to the church is referred to only by the initials L. G. for security reasons.
A Mission a Month
Each month of the year, the congregation turns its attention to a different organization making a difference in the community and beyond. January highlights Doors of Hope. March brings Joseph's House in Troy, which provides shelter and medical care for people experiencing homelessness. May focuses on Capital Roots, which runs community gardens, a youth job-training program called the Produce Project, and a Healthy Stores initiative in the Capital District. July supports Hope 7 Community Center on Pawling Avenue in Troy, which runs childcare programs, a food pantry, and community outreach. September features the Albany Ronald McDonald House, and November highlights Troy Area United Ministries, an ecumenical body serving homeless persons, women fleeing domestic violence, and others in need.
In February the church supports RCA Disaster Relief. April is given over to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières), and June to Barefoot College in rural India. August's mission is Church World Service, founded in 1946 by seventeen denominations working in partnership. In October the church collects offerings to purchase animals through Heifer International - flocks of geese, chicks, or ducks for $20, honey bees for $30, rabbits for $60, sheep or goats for $120 - with a chart in Fellowship Hall tracking the congregation's progress. December closes the year with The Community Hospice, part of St. Peter's Health Partners.
Strawberry-Rhubarb in Summer
One of the church's most anticipated fundraisers is its summer and fall Pie Sale. The baking group crafts strawberry-rhubarb, blueberry, and apple pies, sells them for $15 each, and freezes them so customers can bake them fresh at home. Pies can be picked up during office hours on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, with payment by cash or check.
The Reformed Tradition
First Reformed Church of Wynantskill is part of the Reformed Church in America, the oldest continuous Protestant denomination in North America. Its roots reach to the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s and to Dutch settlers who arrived with Henry Hudson's 1609 trading post near Albany. The RCA centers worship and community life on God's Word, holding that the church is "reformed and always reforming" - adapting to new ideas while honoring a rich history. The church participates in the Albany Synod, the regional body that oversees Camp Fowler and other shared ministries.
Pastoral Leadership and Office
The congregation is served by Rev. Bethany Popkes, an ordained RCA minister who holds an M.Div. from Western Theological Seminary. A Northwest Iowa native who grew up in an RCA church, Pastor Bethany spent five years in ministry in the Pacific Northwest and four in New Jersey before arriving in Wynantskill. She is known for thinking outside the box, inviting imaginative play and reflection, and committing to encountering the image of God in others. She is a photographer and house-plant hobbyist who enjoys road trips, the outdoors, and occasionally strumming a mandolin in a bluegrass band.
Jim Slingerland has served as Minister of Music at First Reformed since 2000. An active member of the American Guild of Organists and a board member of its Eastern New York Chapter, he and his wife also operate the historic Slingerland family farm near Delmar. Office work is joyfully handled by a team of congregation members; the office is staffed on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon. Gifts to support the church's ministry can be made through the online giving page.