The Colton Community Church sits sedately on a hill as a silent witness to the times that it has seen. Witness to trials and tribulations, deaths and births, baptisms, and weddings; it holds in hushed silence the secrets of all who have passed through its doors. With its long and interesting history, the church neither judges nor condemns those who enter, but rejoices in the journey it has sustained and values each step that has led to where the church is today.
The church building was first organized and built as the First Methodist-Episcopal Church of Colton, NY in 1852 at the cost of $2,000. Many changes to the original structure have been completed over the years, but the original sanctuary holds true to its original form.
The bell which for over a century rang its sharp, melodious sound in the still morning air, was made in Troy, NY in 1859. For years in the late 20th century, the bell was silent, the many years of ringing had broken the brace. Then in the early 21st century, members of the congregation rallied, and it was modified to ring once again to herald the time of worship and celebration. In 2017, the bell was again repaired and is ringing on Sunday mornings.
Structurally, a donation of $100 started the fund to lay the hardwood floor. The original kerosene lamps were lowered and raised by a pulley system. Done with care, the cleaning and filling of the lamps were a weekly chore. The once kerosene-fueled chandelier which has lit the church from its completion is now electrified by another gift in the 1960’s.
The pews, where the current patrons of the church settle to hear the sermons on Sunday mornings, are the original ones built for the church.
The pump pipe organ came as another gift that was once played every Sunday and is now a piece of history in the church with someone occasionally pumping away to hear the pipes.
Records of the church members date back to its inception, but a full documentation started in 1888. As with most congregations, membership was interrupted by war as well as other local and global tragedies, but the church stayed its course, offering comfort in times of need.
The Church purchased the site of the old Colton School on November 1, 1968, from the Board of Education of Colton-Pierrepont Central School. The original school was destroyed by fire in the 1940’s.
The youth of the Church, under the direction of Claude Bates raised money to buy the electric organ, seat cushions and carpet.
In 1968, The United Methodist Church, in the United States, a major Protestant church formed in Dallas, Texas, by the union of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. It developed from the British Methodist revival movement led by John Wesley that was taken to the American colonies in the 1760s. The Church was part of the United Methodist Church since 1968 belonging to the Northern New York Conference, Northern Flow District.
In 1991, with active fundraising, an addition was put on the church for Sunday school. Today, it is our fellowship hall where we gather for meetings, sewing, knitting, and meals.
In 2022, the members of Colton UMC began the process to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church. The UMC is split over an ideological divide centered around human sexuality. In March 2023, the Upper New York Conference voted to allow Colton UMC to leave the UMC and become Colton Community Church.