History of the Church

Bethany has played a vital role in times of crisis, such as hosting disaster relief during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Its active Women’s League and Men’s Club continue to fundraise and support church initiatives. For over a century, Bethany Congregational Church has been a welcoming and resilient presence, serving as both an anchor of strength and a beacon of hope for all people.

Bethany Congregational Church is the outgrowth of a Sunday School organized by Lorenzo D. Simons in 1867. In the beginning, the Sunday School sessions were held in the Woods Avenue School located in Memorial Park. With increased interest and financial backing, a chapel was built in 1878 on the present site of the church. While services were held by local or visiting clergymen, the Sunday School was the primary institution.

Several community members realized the value of an organized church and met on May 12, 1885 to decide on its constructs and affiliation with a denomination. Those in attendance were Methodist, Reformed and Presbyterian, yet decided unanimously the church should be Congregational. On May 26, 1885, an Ecclesiastical Council was convened at Union Chapel at East Rockaway for the purpose of organizing the Bethany Congregational Church. Eleven people were presented for membership in the new church. During the first year six new members were added to the roll. In 1894 the Church and Sunday School were consolidated.

Our current Sanctuary was formally dedicated and open for public worship on Sunday, October 29, 1928. The twelve windows of the Sanctuary are symbolic of the twelve disciples. The margin of white is symbolic of the purity of the Divine and is followed by a margin of green representing hope. The background is in three shades of amber suggestive of harvest and attainment. In each window there is a shield alternating in form and color; the shield symbolizes faith, the colors typifying qualities of apostolic characters- red for love and blue for loyalty. In all these insignia there is found either a form of the cross or multiples of three.

In the leaded glass panel over the front doors is a replica of the seal of the church. It was designed by the Rev. George Wilson. The name of our church, Bethany, means a place of date palms and the village of Bethany was a holy retreat for Jesus. Bethany of East Rockaway would stand as a “Holy Retreat” for the people of the village, demonstrating the characteristics of Faith, Love, and Service in the name of Jesus Christ. Illuminated at night in the bell tower is a large, stained-glass adaption of Hoffman’s “Christ in Gethesemane.” It is dedicated to the Glory of God and in loving memory of Robert Fowler Garrison who lost his life in WWI.

In the early years, Bethany had many pastors serving various lengths of time. Rev. George Wilson was our first long term pastor providing 25 years of service to the church and community from 1927-1952. Most recently, Rev. Mark Lukens retired in 2023 after 25 years with the church. Rev. Prabhu Sigamani, our 28th pastor, began his service to Bethany in March 2025.

As church membership grew, so did the Sunday School. A Parish Hall was erected in 1959 to create much needed classroom space, a kitchen and a recreation center for youth activities. Presently, the space is used for church functions as well as providing meeting areas for the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc. Our lower level houses our Thriftique, which offers affordable clothing and housewares to the wider community. In times of disaster, Bethany has been a haven for members and neighbors. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed hundreds of homes in the immediate area. The Red Cross established a disaster relief center in the Parish Hall and was able to support the residents through this extraordinary period.

The Women’s League of Bethany Church was formed in 1925 from the early Ladies Society (1894) and Ladies Auxiliary (1921). It is open to all women and continues to support the church through fund raising ventures such as the annual Christmas Fair, indoor flea markets and garage sales.

The Men’s Club of Bethany participates in the annual Christmas Fair, hosts Spaghetti Night Dinners and assists with facility upgrades when needed. Membership is open to all men of the church.

Since 1885, Bethany Congregational Church has been both an anchor of strength and a beacon of light through the Depression, wars, disasters, and Covid. It remains an open and affirming congregation for all of God’s people.

through challenging times. We stand on the promises of Jesus Christ and on the shoulders of our pioneers continuing to serve Christ and Community with love of Jesus Christ.