Welcome!

Thank you for considering a visit. We would love to meet you.

Worship Time: 10am, in person in the sanctuary, and also on zoom. Email pastorcariWRC@gmail.com for the zoom link invite.

Parking: Parking is available in the lot behind the church, as you turn onto Tinker Street from Mill Hill or Rock City Roads. There is also limited street parking on Tinker, as well as in the lot behind H.Houst & Son Hardware Store, or in the Village Lot on Rock City Road.

Dress code: Dress however you like! Most people come casual. Church is not air-conditioned.

Children: Children are always welcome! You may have them stay with you for the whole service, or children 5-12 may leave for Sunday school after the Children's Message, around 10:20am. 

Youth: This spring, April - June, 2024, we're offering a Sunday afternoon confirmation class program for youth ages 11-14. Reach out to Pastor Cari if you're interested.

Music: Our music style alternates between choral singing one week, and a praise band the next. Music director Krista Cayea beautifully blends traditional hymns and modern praise songs. We also have an active and beloved handbell choir!

Communion: We take the sacrament of Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month, and our table is open to all. Historically the Reformed tradition invites baptized Christians to participate in the sacrament, but we understand that people's spiritual journeys don't always follow that order! We do offer periodic baptism classes for those wishing to be baptized. 

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Believing that "church" is not a building but a community of faith, you will find this congregation committed to living in authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and strong relationships with one another, serving the community of Woodstock and beyond.  

Everything we do as a community is simply our way of saying “thank you” to a God who showed his unconditional love for us through Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that you experience God’s love among us.

We look forward to meeting you!

History

The roots of our historic church are in the soil of the 16th century Reformation in Europe. Our church is part of the denomination of the Reformed Church in America (RCA), once known as the “Dutch Reformed Church.” The RCA originated with the Dutch colonists who settled in New York and New Jersey around 1614. It is the oldest Protestant denomination in this country with a continuous ministry. 

In the Village of Woodstock in 1799, the Dutch settlers began meeting in homes. On January 3, 1805 they petitioned the denomination for an organized church and purchased land, now known as the Village Green. In the heart of Woodstock, they built the first church structure. In 1844, that building was torn down and moved to its present location. The church has gone to great lengths to maintain the original structure. The decorated tin walls and ceiling are classic to the mid-nineteenth century interior design style. The Life & Work Center was added to the sanctuary in 1968 to house the library, office, general meeting room and classrooms. 

Today, the church opens its building to a variety of community needs. Meals on Wheels, Children's Music Together, Topic of Cancer, Meditation Circles, and a variety of 12-Step Support Groups use the facilities on a regular basis. We also offer occasional concerts and movie nights in the building.

Summary of our Basic Beliefs

We believe in the sovereignty of the triune God, the authority of the scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers.

Our knowledge of God and God's purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, culminating in what is revealed through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By studying the scriptures, we can begin to know of God's faithfulness, constant love, and eternal goodness.

Our salvation (justification) through Christ is God's generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments. And in response — ministers and lay people alike — are to share this Good News with the whole world throughout our lives.

A summary of our denomination’s beliefs (which do vary church to church, and person to person) can be found on its website: www.rca.org

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The core values around which we build our life and faith as a community include:

1.  FRIENDSHIP  -  We build lasting relationships of love and support. 

We believe that in a community of love and support, we find strength to live lives that glorify God. We pray for one another in our challenges and celebrate with one another in our successes. Without judgment and with open arms, we welcome everyone who enters our doors into the community of faith.

2.   LEARNING -  We teach the Scriptures and empower people in their spiritual gifts.

We seek to help people discover the power of God’s Word in their lives, and to help individuals grow in a relationship with God. In addition, we believe that the Holy Spirit inspires individuals and gives every believer spiritual gifts, talents and resources. We seek to help people identify and use these gifts and talents as God’s stewards on earth. 

3.   WORSHIP -  We exalt God in a powerful worship experience.

We seek to offer worship experiences that are empowered by the Holy Spirit, centered in Christ, and open to the unlimited freedom God desires for us- praising God in worship that engages our personality, intellect, and spirit. 

4.  SERVICE -  We reach out in love and compassion to the world.

We are called to reflect the unchanging love, compassion, and character of Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we seek to reach the world by living and sharing in relevant ways the message of freedom, forgiveness and healing that is offered through Jesus Christ alone. 

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Mission

We understand our church as a "mission station" in its local community; and we therefore open our doors to a wide variety of community programs including Meals on Wheels, meditation circles, and a variety of 12-step and other support groups. We also open our sanctuary to the community on Wednesday afternoons 2-4pm.

A number of our members volunteer through the Kingston Emergency Food Collaborative, and a number of others assist with the Circle of Friends Hospice House in Kingston. We are also forming new partnerships to help support local refugees: an Afghani family and a Ukrainian family. When a natural disaster occurs, the RCA denomination- which we contribute to annually- sends support to those in need.

Care Ministry

The community at Woodstock Reformed Church seeks to provide Christian care to those who are facing a crisis or life challenge, including those who are bereaved, hospitalized, lonely, or terminally ill. On a regular basis, people who are home-bound or in nursing care facilities are visited by the pastor, visitor volunteers, and others. We have an active prayer chain as well, which you can reach out to via Karen Jabs, at karenjabs@icloud.com. Additionally, the pastor is available for visits and short-term counseling, or to lend a listening ear by phone, and pray for you: 914-319-8700 (call, don't text). Let us know how we can serve you and your family.

Programs for Children & Youth

For children ages 5-12 years old, we offer a Sunday school program (Sept-June) called “Children in Worship." This curriculum (currently led by the parents) teaches children to worship and is based on the reality that all children are innately spiritual and helps them enter into a world of wonderment and awe of God. We also have host special events like scavenger hunts, Palm Sunday petting zoo, Easter egg hunts, collaborative music videos, and a Christmas pageant.

Our church is committed to providing your children with an always-loving and safe environment in which they can learn about God, God’s love for them, and how they can love others. The children’s leaders and greeters (children always have two adults at a time as supervisors) are trained and committed to helping build a spiritual foundation that hopefully will lead, in God’s timing, to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. 

Our Kids' Zoom Group, 2021: