Buffalo Rising Online

Dec 2nd 2007, 10:58am By Eli George

In 1847, a Protestant church was founded in Black Rock, a village adjacent to the city of Buffalo. The church is still there 160 years later, celebrating its anniversary with its few remaining parishioners. A church built to seat 600 people now has only 25 scattered amongst its pews. Like the many churches around it, it faces the threat of closure. Instead of giving in, the parishioners of St. John’s United Church of Christ, located at 85 Amherst Street, are led by Reverend Fred Jensen. They stand defiant against the changing times in the hopes that their church will one day strive again.

Reverend Fred makes his announcements in the beginning of the service, addressing his diminished audience. Sticking to traditions, especially with so few members, is important to this small church community. “I know that the style of worship people are comfortable with has changed. I’m keeping a very traditional service, but I have made some subtle changes. I do think the church will eventually have to re-envision itself to more widely appeal to a contemporary audience,” said the pastor.

Reverend Fred might be new to this parish (he was appointed in May), but he retains the church's traditions. His main focus is to gain more members through community action. Reverend Fred was a pastor at a church in Cheektowaga for three years and was heavily involved with the community before beginning to preach at this church.

One of the first things the Reverend accomplished was getting the church into the public eye. Gordy Dysinger, director of classic rock radio station 97 Rock, wanted to do a public service announcement through the church about how Erie County should be FFF40 – fossil fuel free by 2040. The Reverend was tentative at first about asking his new congregation to partake in such a venture, but they were delighted with the proposal. Both he and his parishioners were happy to have the name of his church on such a message. One of the first things Reverend Fred wanted to do was make the church building as energy efficient as possible.

He also has become active with local organizations and regularly places ads in the Riverside Review. By joining organizations like The Businessman’s Association, The Deerborn Block Club, and The Good Neighbors Planning Alliance, Reverend Fred hopes to attract new members by connecting parishoners and community action endeavors through the church. “I had a strong sense that doing work here would be social action work,” says Reverend Fred.

Reverend Fred has a busy life. His wife, Sherry Chemler, is a chemistry professor, currently up for tenure, at the University at Buffalo. They also have a newborn child, Jordan, not even a month old. Though his energies are scattered, “It really hasn’t reduced my community involvement one bit,” Reverend Fred said.

With such a low membership, the church makes most of its money by holding monthly spaghetti dinners. They also hold a strawberry festival during the summer. The dinners attract around 125 people, while the festival is attended by at least 250 people each year. The church saves money by not having a full-time pastor, and by renting out its spacious basement that comes with a large kitchen for use by other organizations.

The reason the membership has dropped so drastically over time remains an issue that no single answer seems to account for. The members all have theories, though.

“The I-190 killed this area,” said David Hoock, secretary of the church council. Hoock said that when the thruway came through, bypassing many businesses on Niagara Street and directing much of their customer base away, those businesses were forced to shut down. Hoock also notes the closing of the Erie Canal, and the fact that the railroad bridge cut right through many of the houses.

Carol Wagner, treasurer of the church council, says that many of the houses are now filled with tenants in lieu of homeowners. “Three quarters of the people from the congregation aren’t even from the area,” said Wagner.

Reverend Fred sees the value of Wagner's opinion. “If we can’t get people from the neighborhood in our congregation, we’re sunk.”

Though Sunday football is sometimes blamed, Sharon Anderson, an active member of the church community, also notes the changing times. “When we were kids, the blue laws still existed. Everything was closed on Sundays. We have more on our sick list than we have in church some Sundays.”

Though the church may be down, it certainly isn't out. Cathy Reitz, a church council member said, “We’ve been in this boat for a long time. I think for all of us, this church has history, and we’re a part of that history.”

“It’s the only church we’ve ever belonged to, all our lives. I don’t think I’d go anywhere else,” said Gladys Voughan, a member of the church council.

Hoock, who also serves as the local historian for the church, said they have been abandoned by their denomination. He said that in 1997 the church had a fire that caused $300,000 in damages. The denomination would not help pay an overdue phone bill, let alone help with repairs, yet they give millions to bigger churches in other areas. “They feel because we’re a smaller church, we don’t count,” says Hoock.

Even though they haven't had any communication with denomination leaders for two years, Hoock refuses to attend any other church. For him, for the church council members, for the church parishioners, and for the newly appointed Reverend Fred, Hoock summed it up best when he said, “It’s home.”