Geneva church's rededication service to collect donations for food pantry

Closed since Jan. 3 for remodeling, United Methodist Church of Geneva will reopen Sunday, Feb. 6, with a rededication service at 9 a.m.

The community is invited to the church at 211 Hamilton St. Due to the pandemic, services were held online and the sanctuary and offices were closed to in-person use during the remodel.

Carolyn Burnham, church director of communications, said the church underwent professional cleaning the week before for the reopening.

Church trustees asked for volunteers to help on Wednesday, Feb. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon to move boxes and other items back to the office and other rooms impacted by the project.

On rededication Sunday, Pastor Lisa Telomen will celebrate communion and continue her "Perfectly Imperfect" sermon series at the rededication service. Sunday school classes will resume during the service.

Regular office hours and building use will resume Monday, Feb. 7. Because COVID numbers remain high, coffee hour fellowship will resume in March.

Facial masks are required at indoor services to protect children and those that cannot be vaccinated. The church's livestream service is also posted to genevaumc.org, YouTube and on Facebook.

Congregants are asked to bring food and household items on Sunday for a Salvation Army food pantry. Requested are nonperishable items such as canned soups, vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, boxed macaroni and cheese plus "Helper" meals, diapers and cleaning supplies. The drive is sponsored by the church's missions committee and Church in Society unit.

Burnham said, "As UMC of Geneva began reopening in spring of 2021 members of the church felt that a beautification project was necessary for the church. Carpeting and flooring was worn and needed replacing and most of the church building hadn't been painted in over 20 years.

"In preparation for the updates, church members spent months going through the church purging and donating items we no longer needed and organizing the rest. Painting began at the end of 2021. The church building has been closed since Jan. 3 as we repaint, recarpet and replace flooring," Burnham said.

Pastor Rob Hamilton reflected on the church's 185-year history in a blog post for Friday, Feb. 4. He said, "In 1872, when the ground was broken and foundations were laid for the United Methodist Church that sits at the corner of Second and Hamilton, Methodists had slowly been growing for 30 years in Geneva. Previously occupying a 30- by 40-foot building on First and James Street, a revival took hold and pressed the membership toward 90 persons. The need for a new building was required. It took over two years to complete the building project and the new building was dedicated on Sept. 27, 1874."

The bell tower addition followed in 1893, and almost four decades later the church underwent another remodeling project in 1932.

"In 1982, another significant addition and remodeling project was completed that added an elevator and classrooms," Rev. Hamilton continued. The church grew so much that by 1999, the 1982 addition was torn down and the current building was built in place of that addition and the parsonage.

"However, I also think that when the gifts of a refreshed building, complete with new paint and flooring, along with open hearts willing to be renewed and used by God for God's purposes, as an offering to God, then paint and carpet can be so much more," Rev. Hamilton said. "In reading the history of our church there are patterns of growth, struggle, revivals, and renovations. We stand on a legacy of faithful people who offered God their hearts as well as their tools for ministry and God accepted the offering and multiplied it all for the glory of God."

According to Rev. Hamilton's post, the church has seen a growth in membership and raised a million dollars for missions and building two churches at the same time - one on Second Street and another in Lithuania.

"I believe God is ready and eager to use the offering of our paint, carpet and hearts for something we cannot fully imagine," Rev. Hamilton continued. "In 2024, Methodists will have been officially on the corner of Second and Hamilton Street for 150 years and for 185 years in Geneva."