At 1 Gilligan Road in East Greenbush, New York, First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush is a long-established United Methodist congregation known for its 9:30 a.m. traditional worship service and a broad church life extending well beyond Sunday morning. Sunday school, youth service, choirs, adult learning, family assistance, meals for people experiencing homelessness, mission partnerships and earth-care projects all have a place here. The church traces its story to meetings in 1836 and its establishment as a congregation to 1874.
Traditional Sunday Worship at Gilligan Road
Sunday worship begins at 9:30 a.m. at 1 Gilligan Road and lasts about one hour. People can attend in person or join the service live on YouTube. On the first Sunday of each month, the church celebrates the Sacrament of Communion. Its tradition is open communion, meaning that everyone present, and those watching live, is invited to receive the Lord's Supper.
During the summer months, early worship is held at 8:30 a.m. at the Chapel in the Woods, weather permitting. Inclement weather moves the service inside the church.
- Childcare: A parent-supervised space gives young children a place to move around during the service.
- Children's learning: Sunday school classes for preschool through grade 12 meet from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. while adults worship.
- Parking: A large parking lot provides off-street parking.
- Attire: Some worshippers dress up, while others wear jeans; both are common at the 9:30 service.
From Meeting Houses to Gilligan Road
The church's first meeting was held in 1836. Homes, schools and even a local hotel ballroom served as meeting places until 1873, when a Methodist Society was organized, trustees were elected and plans were made to construct a church. The building was completed on Columbia Turnpike, along Routes 9 and 20, in 1874. On October 15 of that year, 29 men and women transferred their membership from Greenbush Methodist Church in Rensselaer to the newly established East Greenbush Methodist Episcopal Church.
By 1953, the congregation had outgrown its Columbia Turnpike facilities. Land was purchased at Gilligan and Hays Roads, and the first service in the new church took place on Christmas Eve 1961. A Fellowship Hall and additional classrooms were dedicated in 1969, followed by the pipe organ on June 1, 1970. Music had been a vital part of worship from the beginning, growing from a hand-pumped reed organ to the instrument now at the center of the sanctuary. The church grounds also include a Memorial Courtyard, a nature walk and meditation sites.
Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors
The church expresses its identity through three commitments. Open Hearts means finding meaning and purpose, connecting with others and working together to heal the earth, feed the hungry and pursue justice. Open Minds means that doubt is welcome and faith can grow through questioning, searching, worship, prayer and positive relationships. Open Doors means that people are welcomed as they are and that every part of their life and spiritual journey matters.
Called to the ministry of reconciliation, the congregation accepts diversity as a gift. It celebrates differences in faith history, physical and mental ability, race, ethnic background, sexual orientation, marital status, gender, gender identity, age, economic status and education. The church recognizes that people may not think alike while still loving one another, and it embraces a journey toward greater understanding, mutual respect and full inclusion. People who have experienced exclusion or discrimination are explicitly welcomed into the life and ministries of the congregation.
Learning God's Love from Preschool Through Youth
Sunday school and youth programs seek to help children and young people develop Christian values, practice faith and share the good news of Jesus Christ through activities and outreach. Each child is encouraged to feel welcomed and loved, learn about God at an individual pace and celebrate a unique identity.
- Preschool, ages 3 to 5, including kindergarten: Lessons use songs, storytelling, hands-on activities and a short Bible lesson. Children gather for a story on the rug, move to the tables for a craft, enjoy free play and biblical songs, and end with prayer before going to Fellowship Hall for a treat.
- Younger elementary, grades 1 to 3: This class begins with “chocolate time” in the sanctuary before moving to its classroom. Teachers introduce the people and books of the Bible through stories, song, praise and hands-on activities.
- Older elementary, grades 4 to 8: The more advanced lessons use an age-appropriate, Methodist-based curriculum. Children discuss the lesson with their peers, bring their Bibles, find and read verses, and mark passages for use at home.
- Youth Sunday school, grades 9 to 12: Students are encouraged to attend the sanctuary service and help in younger classrooms, building relationships across age groups.
A separate youth group for children in grades 5 through 12 meets twice a month. Curriculum gatherings feature in-person Bible study focused on one verse, with opportunities for questions and feedback. Community gatherings take the group into local ministry, with projects such as raking leaves, helping at a home for older adults during the holidays, taking part in a Red Cross blood drive or assisting at a community event. Confirmation classes, held from October through May, are available for children entering eighth grade.
Music as a Central Part of Methodist Heritage
Music is central to the congregation's Christian heritage and spirituality. The Sanctuary Choir serves the 9:30 service and welcomes singers from ninth grade through age 95. Rehearsals are held on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. The repertoire includes both classical and contemporary Christian music, presented as an offering of talent rather than a concert. Robert Thomsen has directed the choir since 2021, and Martha Deyo serves as organist.
The Bell Choir rehearses on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., plays several times each year and also performs outside the church. The CHIMEttes, a children's handbell group for third grade and above, meet on Thursdays from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. from late October through May. These groups offer places for children and adults to develop musical skills and participate in worship. Past worship services can also be viewed online.
The Coffee House ministry adds a different musical rhythm to church life. Five gatherings each year bring local performers to Fellowship Hall for singing, dancing, instrumental music, poetry and storytelling. The third Friday of the selected month is used for each event. Admission is free, with a basket at the entrance collecting contributions for local charities. In 15 years, the Coffee House ministry raised about $15,000 to help feed, clothe and house local families in crisis.
Learning and Fellowship for Adults
Adult education follows the church's wider rhythm of learning and relationship. A Tuesday morning book club meets throughout the year. Evening book studies and Advent and Lenten studies are scheduled periodically, typically in six weekly sessions of about 90 minutes. The Mahjong community group meets every Tuesday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and beginners are welcome to learn the game.
Storytelling Nights are held on the first Wednesday of each month and feature speakers on a variety of subjects. An art show for all ages is held on the first Saturday in March, while a spring Food Truck Festival combines music, crafts, educational displays and food, with proceeds supporting ongoing ministries.
United Women in Faith usually meets on the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. The women support local and global missions, hold a thrift sale twice a year and fundraise through a chicken dinner. Their ministry includes summer camp scholarships, flood relief, kitchen supplies, funeral receptions and support for local charities. They also participate in Blanket Sunday, an international response to disaster needs.
Caring Ministries for Food, Health and Neighbors
Caring Ministries extend practical support to church families and the wider community. The work is organized through several teams rather than a single program.
- Family Assistance: When a crisis brings loss of income or challenges to health and faith, this ministry helps restore pride by paying for necessities such as food, gas and heat.
- Mental Health Matters: Monthly meetings promote awareness, faith-based support and referrals to mental health services while addressing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
- Made By Hand With Love: Volunteers use their time and talents to make items that comfort people, including hats for children with cancer, afghans for veterans and hospice families, and care shawls for people with ALS.
- Good News Group: Two volunteers lead a weekly study group for seniors at Hawthorne Ridge, with Communion available once a month.
- Blood Drives: The church hosts blood drives several times each year to support patients including accident and burn victims, transplant recipients and people battling cancer.
- Membership care: The Membership Committee reaches out to seniors and others who may need a helping hand and serves lunch several times each year.
A Hospitality Ministry adds another layer to this care, while the Coffee House and United Women in Faith raise funds and provide fellowship for people throughout the area.
Change the World: Mission Work Close to Home and Farther Away
The Missions and Social Responsibility team supports projects that provide direct service, education on social justice and financial help for local, national and international charities. Its connections include the Capital Area Council of Churches, Capital Area Habitat for Humanity, Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless, Joseph's House Shelter, Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County, the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York, Troy Area United Ministries, UMCOR and Van Rensselaer Heights.
On Mondays throughout the year, church families prepare 17 lunches and deliver them to the Joseph's House outreach van. Around 10 families participate, each selecting a Monday, buying the food and preparing the lunches at home, with reimbursement available. Lunches typically include a sandwich, cut-up vegetables or chips, and cookies or fruit, while Joseph's House provides drinks. The ministry serves people experiencing homelessness through emergency shelter, street outreach and other support services.
Each February, youth and adults fill child-decorated love kits with hygiene and health-care products for the Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless. Youth also visit with residents and share games and conversation. Collaboration with Jajja's Kids collects clothing, books and money for an organization providing a home, meals, beds, education and hope for 14 boys in Uganda. Weekly donations also support a food pantry serving Rensselaer, East Greenbush, Schodack and Nassau.
The annual Castleton Crop Hunger Walk takes place on the third Sunday of October. Participants walk 3.2 miles through Castleton-on-Hudson, with 25 percent of the money raised going to The Anchor Food Pantry and the remainder funding Church World Service development projects for food security, clean water and greater income for women. The Missions team also supports Seeking the Lost-Pakistani Relief, Jajja's Kids and other international connections through the annual Change the World effort, which is designed to move people out of the pews and into active service in the community.
Creation Care on the Church Grounds and Beyond
The EcoTeam meets every other month to advance a mission of reduced fossil-fuel use, recycling, reuse and responsible living. It organizes educational discussions, advocates for environmental policies and works with Christian education to teach good stewardship of the earth's resources. The church and parsonage have joined community solar, completed an energy audit, upgraded lighting to LEDs, improved weatherstripping and installed heat pumps.
Regular highway cleanups along Route 9 and 20 support the church's Adopt-a-Highway participation. The EcoTeam also collects batteries, glass and Styrofoam, maintains a directory of places to reuse or recycle items, and joins St. Paul's UMC in Castleton-on-Hudson for a repair event. Tree planting, environmentally friendly cleaning products, ceramic tableware in the kitchen, glass communion cups and reduced plastic use extend the same commitment into the church's daily operations.
Baptisms, Weddings and Memorial Services
Baptisms are generally held on the second or fourth Sunday of a month. The pastor and church office arrange the date and discuss preparation with the family.
The sanctuary seats 250 people and is equipped with the church's pipe organ. For weddings, the regular organist ordinarily plays and can consult with couples about a traditional program; a soloist may also be arranged. Bridal parties customarily pay modest fees to those who participate, and a small sanctuary fee applies to people who are not church members.
Funeral and memorial services can draw on the organist, choir director, sexton and pastoral leadership. No fee is charged by the pastor, although an honorarium is customary. The sanctuary use fee is waived for church members and their immediate families. The church's long history of music continues to shape these worshipful occasions.
Giving and Endowed Ministry
Online giving supports one-time gifts and recurring contributions from checking accounts, savings accounts or credit cards. The church also accepts appreciated stock through a secure DonateStock process. Give online through the church's giving options.
Its Endowment Fund provides a way for gifts to continue supporting ministry in the future. Contributions can be directed to general, music and worship, or education funds, while undesignated gifts go to the General Endowment Fund. Investments follow the church's social principles, and endowment income can expand existing ministries or begin new ones.
At First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush, the Sunday morning gathering remains the center of a church life that stretches from children's classes and choir rehearsals to meals, mission work, spiritual care and responsible stewardship of creation.