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In 1895 William Parks and members of his family started a Sunday school for children in a one room boat house in Lemon Creek, at the end of Seguine Avenue. In time, adults joined and it became known as the Prince Bay Sabbath School. In 1903 a chapel was built on Wilbur Street.
In 1905 this group decided to form a church, which they named the Prince Bay Union Church. In 1917 the congregation built a church building at our current location on Seguine Avenue. In 1921 it was renamed the Reformed Church of Prince Bay when the congregation became part of the Reformed Church in America, the oldest Protestant denomination in the United States. The building was enlarged in 1963. Throughout these years the congregation grew and the ministry flourished.
Between 1980 and 2007 there was a slow, steady decline in membership. Nonetheless, a small group of leaders remained faithful.
In February 2007 these leaders obeyed when they heard God declare, “This will be The Church That Never Closes.” The doors to the sanctuary were opened and have not been locked since. Since then thousands have entered the sanctuary and found peace, comfort and healing.
In December 2008 a bold new mission and vision statement was adopted by the consistory (leadership board). There are now eight ministries, about 75 members and non-members (adherents) who are actively involved in the church. We even have three men and one woman attending New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
This revitalized congregation is also hard at work updating our building. In the past three years new windows have been installed, the kitchen was enlarged, a children’s worship center was added, comfortable cushions were added to the pews in the sanctuary, a Christian library was developed, an LCD projector and screen were installed in the sanctuary, the entire ground floor was repainted and a new floor was laid. In addition the parking lot was enlarged and exterior lighting has been improved. We are now exploring ways to make the building handicap-accessible.
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