South Berne Congregational Christian Church
South Berne Congregational Christian Church started out as the Third Christian Church, Town of Berne. It was organized in South Berne at the Friends Meeting House, a little east of the village, on February 16, 1854. There were twenty-four members, under the ministry of Elder Calvin Southwick. Shortly after his resignation, Elder David P. Warner was chosen pastor, and was ordained and installed on August 24, 1856. Under his ministry seventy persons were added to its communion. After leaving in 1869 for other pastorates, he returned, ten years later, to spend the last years of his life until his death in 1904 at age 80, serving the same church where his ministry had begun. There have been numerous ministers since then. Since 1915 there have been supplies that filled the pulpit, some were laymen and retired ministers. In 1886 there were 82 members in this church; by 1977 the number had dwindled to 33.
In the year 1855 an old store north of the present building, owned by James Cornell, was purchased by four members of the church to provide a regular meeting place. On February 21, 1864, a committee was elected to serve for the construction of a new meeting house. This church was to be built in South Berne, and to be called a Christian Meeting House. The present structure was built about 1880 on land given by Stephen Smith.
Sources:
- History of Albany County, Howell and Tenney, 1886
- Our Heritage, Hazel Carl and Patricia Rapp, 1977
