First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville has stood at 68 Maple Avenue in the Village of Voorheesville, New York, since 1815, more than two centuries of worship, neighborly care, and community service in Albany County. About twenty minutes from Albany in the Capital Region, the congregation gathers each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for a service that fills the sanctuary with music, prayer, and a sermon rooted in grace and love. Around that weekly rhythm the church runs a cooperative preschool, hosts a farmers' market, supports the local food pantry, and tends a quiet Meditation Park along a creek behind the building.
Sunday Worship on Maple Avenue
The Sunday service lasts about an hour and is offered both in person in the sanctuary and online. Music, prayer, and a sermon by Pastor Quincie Yamin carry through the hour. Quincie's preaching takes a conversational tone, grounded in Scripture and enriched with literature, real-life stories, and theological reflection. Services are a blend of tradition and warmth. People arrive in everything from Sunday best to casual jeans, and visitors are invited to come as they are.
At 11:00 a.m., Coffee Hour begins in the community room. Coffee, snacks, and conversation carry the morning into its second hour, a time to meet neighbors and learn names. On the third Sunday of each month, the Coffee Hour also serves as a Fair Trade market, with Equal Exchange coffee, chocolate, and olive oil available for purchase to support farmers in developing nations.
Pastor Quincie Yamin
Quincie Yamin serves as the church's pastor. A provisional elder in the United Methodist Church and a graduate of Duke Divinity School, she brings a passion for storytelling, inclusive ministry, and helping people connect faith to everyday life. Originally from Natchitoches, Louisiana, she now lives in Voorheesville with her husband Mat, also a United Methodist pastor, and their young daughter Charlotte. She believes the church is called to love boldly, serve joyfully, and share God's grace with all people. She welcomes anyone interested in learning more about the congregation to grab coffee or go on a walk together.
Kids Church and Childcare
Children are a vital part of life at First United Methodist. Childcare for infants and toddlers ages 0 to 5 runs from 10:00 a.m. to noon every Sunday in the Childcare Center, directed by Allison Moser, who is completing her bachelor's degree in Childhood Education and Special Education at the College of Saint Rose. Kids Church, for 1st through 5th graders, runs from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m. in the Klohck Room. Children begin in the sanctuary with their families for announcements, worship, and singing, then move with leader Taylor Philippi and a volunteer for games, scripture, videos, music, and snacks. Children of any age are also welcome to remain in the sanctuary with their parents throughout the service.
All volunteers and staff who work with children complete Safe Sanctuaries training in accordance with United Methodist Church guidelines, including background checks and renewal training every five years.
Voorheesville Community Preschool
The church operates Voorheesville Community Preschool, a cooperative, non-profit program that welcomes all people. The preschool's mission is to provide preschool-level education emphasizing the social development of the student, recognizing that preschool marks the first step in a child's educational journey and shapes attitudes toward themselves, others, and school.
The program serves 3- and 4-year-olds in two classes that meet from 9:00 a.m. to noon, following the Voorheesville Central School calendar from September through May. Three-year-olds meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, with up to 14 students. Four-year-olds meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with up to 16 students. Tuition is $170 per month for the 3-year-old class and $240 per month for the 4-year-old class, with a $100 non-refundable registration fee and the first month's tuition due to hold a slot. The curriculum emphasizes cooperative play, motor skill development through movement, hands-on exploration, and enrichment activities such as special events and guest speakers. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the classroom and serve on committees.
Director and Lead Teacher Jennifer Samson, known to her students as Ms. Jen, has led the program since 2015. She holds a Bachelor's in Fine Arts from The College of Saint Rose and a Master's in Education from Sage Graduate School. Assistant Teacher Tara Hepp, on the team since 2019, holds degrees in Early Childhood Education from HVCC, Elementary Education from The College of Saint Rose, and Literacy from The University of New England. Assistant Teacher Ewelina Hensel joined in 2023 after teaching music and art in her native Poland and volunteering as a reading tutor in Los Angeles. All staff have completed Safe Sanctuary Certification.
Adult Bible Studies
Several Bible study groups meet through the week. A Sunday Morning Bible Study led by Gary Bates focuses on a book or topic and walks through the content week by week, with the group meeting over Zoom. The United Methodist Men typically hold their Bible study on Sundays at 7:45 a.m. in the Klohck Room, with coffee and conversation included. The Women's Bible Study gathers on Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Prayers and Squares
Since April 2007, the Prayers and Squares Ministry has tied together prayer and quilting. The group has given away roughly 60 quilts to people in need of prayers and comfort, plus about 10 Baptism quilt squares to families welcoming new babies. Pat Klose-Hammond coordinates the ministry.
Missions: Local, Regional, and Global
The Missions Team supports several ongoing efforts. First United Methodist continually supports the New Scotland Food Pantry with donations of food and volunteer hours; canned goods, dry goods, paper towels, and soap can be dropped at the office basket. Through Direct Distant Aid, the church helps victims of natural disasters rebuild regionally and across other states. A portion of church tithing passes up to the United Methodist Church General Conference for national and international charitable efforts that feed children, cure disease, and defend human rights around the world. Each spring, the church participates in the Albany CROP Hunger Walk, sponsored by Church World Service, to raise funds and awareness to end hunger.
Fair Trade products from Equal Exchange are sold on the third Sunday of each month during Coffee Hour, supporting farmers in developing nations through long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound.
Meditation Park
Behind the church, along a creek surrounded by native flora, sits Voorheesville's Meditation Park. The space is offered as a place to settle in, listen to the water, and let the sounds of nature deepen a sense of relaxation. A guided meditation walks visitors through breath awareness, body awareness, visualization, and affirmation, drawing on the words of Thich Nhat Hanh: "Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality."
Voorheesville Farmers' Market
The Voorheesville Farmers' Market began in spring 2008 as an outreach to the community, encouraging residents to buy local produce and goods from small businesses. Today it has grown to about eighteen vendors and become a popular gathering place for Voorheesville residents. The market runs on Wednesdays, usually mid-June through September, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., offering vegetables, fruits, baked goods, treats, cheeses, and take-out meals. Vendors include Backyard Bouquets, Carr's Creek soaps and lotions, Coll's Cookin', Euro Delicacies, Fresh Starts Family Farm, Ft. Hunter Farm, Hoffman Bread, J & J Farms, and Partridge Run Farm And Apiary, among others. The Mission Team serves beverages, tying the market back to the church's outreach efforts.
Community Support Groups
The church hosts weekly AA and Al-Anon meetings on Wednesday evenings. Al-Anon meets in a hybrid format, both in person and online, in the Klohck Room. Visitors enter at the back of the building, go up the stairs and through the door; the meeting room is the second door on the right. If the room is unoccupied when a visitor arrives, participants can join the meeting via Zoom or attend the simultaneous AA meeting also held in the building.
Online Presence and Community Roots
Sunday worship is livestreamed on Facebook and YouTube Live, and past sermons are archived on the church's YouTube channel. The monthly newsletter, "The Churchmouse," carries news, events, and the weekly calendar. As United Methodists, the congregation belongs to a world-wide Christian ministry with local roots tracing back to 1815 in Voorheesville.
First United Methodist Church of Voorheesville gathers on Maple Avenue as a community in motion: a sanctuary for worship, a preschool classroom, a food pantry supporter, a farmers' market host, and a quiet place beside a creek where visitors can find a moment of peace.