Who We Are

Who We Are

We are a congregation founded in 1799 in the heart of Woodstock, New York. Our historic downtown building has been called the "most painted church in America," for all the artists who've been inspired by our iconic structure and steeple. We come together from all over Ulster County and beyond, and joyfully welcome people of different ages and abilities, ethnicities and cultures, races and sexual orientations. We come from a number of faith traditions and some from no tradition. Whether you're passing through on vacation or looking for a church home, we'd love to meet you.

Our worship services take place on Sundays at 10am in person and on Zoom. (Email woodstockchurch@gmail.com to request the invite). We are a congregation of The Reformed Church in America, a Protestant denomination with roots in the Netherlands (which is why it says "Dutch Reformed Church" above our front door). 

Ways We Connect

During the school year, we have a Sunday School for children 3 & up during worship, as well as a year-round Nursery during worship for children 2 & under, staffed with dedicated professionals. We are pleased to say that as of 2011, our facilities are also fully accessible- with ramp, elevator, and special wheelchair-accessible restroom. 

In addition to worship, we connect with one another in Bible studies, concerts, yard sales, food delivery, 12-step groups, prayer chain, and more. If you'd like a church member or the pastor to reach out to you, please email us at woodstockchurch@gmail.com or call us at 845-679-6610. We would be honored to answer your questions and/or pray for you.

Photo credit: Whitney Welshimer

Minister

The Reverend Cari Pattison began serving as pastor of The Woodstock Reformed Church in October of 2020. Her first previous ministry position was at The Reformed Church of Bronxville (NY)

A native of Overland Park, KS, Cari attended Kalamazoo College (MI) where she earned her B.A. in English and Art, and later earned a teaching certificate in secondary education. She taught 8th grade English in Grandview, Missouri, before heading to Princeton Theological Seminary, where she earned her Masters of Divinity. 

Her prayer is to help each person experience the saving and renewing love of God known to us in Christ. She seeks to cultivate community in the way of Jesus that heals, connects, and transforms lives- uniting people across race, class, background, and belief. 

Cari embraces an open and affirming stance of all LGBTQ+ persons, and works alongside those pursuing racial justice and anti-racism.

Her greatest joy in ministry is connecting with people of all ages, fostering places of belonging, bringing the scriptures to life, and honoring one another's stories. 

She took a sabbatical during the summer of 2023, and the report of that can be found here: Sabbatical Reflections 

Cari can be reached at pastorcariWRC@gmail.com, or 914-319-8700.

Administrator


Ms. Irene DeGraff is a lifelong resident of Woodstock, and recently moved from Bearsville Hill to Ohayo Mountain. She was married for 56 years to Peter, a fellow native Woodstockian, and together they raised 3 children: Daniel, Ricthie, Lorayne- all of whom still live locally. She has 5 grandchildren: Savannah, Daniel Jr., Natalia, Ritchie Evan, and Skilar, and 5 great-grandchildren. She formerly worked for Landmark Preservation and a number of other businesses in the area. An avid drag racer, Irene serves as Secretary of the Saugerties Antique Auto Club, as well as Secretary of the Woodstock Cemetery Committee. She is the past President of the New York State of Rebekah Organization, and you can find her in the Church office on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Email Irene at woodstockchurch@gmail.com or call the office at 845-679-6610.

Music Director


Born near Syracuse, NY, Krista Cayea moved to Mt. Tremper in 1984 to start her career as choir director at Onteora Middle School & High School. In addition to her teaching duties at Onteora, she served for 25 years as Music Department Head. She retired in 2017 after 33 years in the district. Outside of teaching, Krista has worked in various professional music venues, including weddings and musical theater. Her interests include hiking, biking, reading a large back-log of books, gardening, and genealogy. She and her husband Ken have two sons- Nate and Danny, and a dog named Tiger. Krista took over as Music Director at WRC in 2019. Music has always provided a strong connection to her faith in God and community in church. Working with Pastor Cari is a true delight! 

 

Our Governing Body - 2024 Consistory

Our church is governed by a board called the Consistory. Our Consistory consists of the Minister, along with 12 Deacons and Elders- each elected by the congregation for a two-year term, with an option of renewing for a second term.

Minister:   Cari Pattison 

Deacons:        Ken Bailer, Gail Bonestell, Ed Jabs, Lisa Krause, Larry Todd, Jessica Wisneski


Elders:         Jen Reilly Bluma, Shannon Godfrey, Montine Jordan, Bill Rhoads, Mike Terner, Sue                                                          Ulrich

Thinking about becoming a member?

Joining the church marks the next step of commitment to this congregation and community. We regularly offer New Member classes, which meet for two consecutive Sundays after worship. Talk to Pastor Cari (pastorcariWRC@gmail.com) if you're interested in finding out more.