The Sodus United Third Methodist Church stands on West Main Street in the Wayne County village of Sodus, a brick sanctuary that has been part of the community since 1889 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its stated mission - to love, nurture, teach, and stir into action all people by God's love through Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit - reaches well past the sanctuary walls. The congregation runs one of the area's busiest summer farmers' markets, sponsors an agronomy student in Haiti, and opens a basement shop for treasure hunters every Wednesday afternoon.
A Cobblestone Heritage on West Main
Methodism came to the Sodus area in 1810, when Bishops Ashbury and McKendree presided at a conference in nearby Lyonstown. By 1828 the circuit was holding regular quarterly meetings, and on June 26, 1838, the Third Methodist Episcopal Church of Sodus was officially incorporated. Members first gathered for worship in a roofed-over basement at Christmas 1841 and soon built a stone church described in the congregation's own history as "mainly of Cobblestone and very beautiful." That building, finished in 1846, received its first bell in 1850. Growing membership led to the brick sanctuary that still stands today, erected on the same site in 1889. A windstorm the following year destroyed the steeple and the bell; the present bell was hung in 1893. A Moller pipe organ was proudly installed in 1910 and repositioned in the chancel during renovations in 1950. The 1950s and early 1960s brought added Sunday School rooms and the major renovations that shaped the interior in use today.
Sundays in the Sanctuary
Two clergy share Sunday preaching. Rev. David B. Herrmann leads worship on the first Sunday of each month; Lay Pastor Charlie Valentine preaches on the second, third, and fourth Sundays. A small media team - Robert Harvey, Katie Hall, and Facebook page administrator Lynn Polochock - handles the audio, video, and online feed. Worship begins at 10:00 a.m. and is open to all. Services are livestreamed on the church's Facebook page each Sunday morning at the same hour, and a printable weekly bulletin is posted online so that those following at home can see the order of service, announcements, and hymns. The Moller pipe organ and chancel-centered arrangement give the hour a traditional feel.
Wednesdays at the Farmers' Market
Since 2009 the church parking lot has hosted the Sodus Farmers' Market, an idea brought to the congregation by member Nancy Ransley in 2007. From a modest first season with a handful of vendors, the market has grown to roughly twenty-one vendors a week across an eighteen-week run. Wednesdays from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m., visitors can buy produce from farms such as Bonnie Castle Farms, GMB Beckens Farms, Ridge Chapel Tiny Farm, Stephens Bros., and Young Farm, along with Clover Meadows Creamery dairy, baked goods, honey, plants, cheeses, crafts, freshly brewed coffee, and prepared foods from vendors such as Pop's House and El Rincon. The market accepts FMNP checks and EBT/SNAP benefits, and a partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension brings nutritional education, samplings, and Healthy Eating FVRx classes. A Kids Tent runs children's activities during the summer weeks, with live music and special events rounding out the afternoons.
The Second Best Shop
Tucked into the church basement, the Second Best Shop is open on market Wednesdays from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. and by appointment. The volunteer-run shop offers antiques, trinkets, and bargain merchandise. It was founded by Connie Ferguson and is currently tended by Donna Hontz and a small crew of helpers.
Missions from Haiti to the Southern Tier
Outreach at the church is rooted in Deuteronomy 15, and the list of projects runs long. Since 2008 the congregation has sponsored Samuel Dorrelus, a Haitian student who completed agronomy studies at S.E.E.D. in Les Cayes and now works with farmers in Verrettes through Faith in Action International. The church supports the Sodus Point UMC Food Pantry, contributes to the Council of Churches Christmas Sharing Program, fills flood buckets for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission and Church World Service, and volunteers at the Foodlink warehouse in Rochester. Members take part in CROP Walk and UNICEF drives, and an annual women's luncheon, started in February 2016, gathers local women for a meal and an uplifting program. The building is regularly used by the Girl Scouts, the Bone Builders exercise class, and 55 Alive driver safety courses. Mission teams trained as UMVIM leaders have traveled to Mississippi for Katrina recovery, the Southern Tier and Utica for flood relief, New Windsor, Maryland to work at the SERRV International warehouse, and Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania for Mission Central.
Finding Your Way
From the west, Route 104 east to Route 88 leads south into the village; a left on Belden Avenue and a right into the lot puts you at the door. From the east, Route 88 becomes East Main Street; a right on Belden Avenue reaches the parking lot. From the south, Route 88 north ends at West Main, with Belden Avenue just left of the sanctuary. The church office can be reached at 315-483-9718 or utmc.sodus@yahoo.com, and weekly bulletins are posted under the Worship tab. Services stream live on the Sodus Methodist Facebook page each Sunday at 10:00 a.m.