UntitledNew Church Plans
96
Formal Organization
The Presbytery of Hudson The congregation of the New
River has approved the or- Church Development in Fish-
ganization of the Rombout kill recommends the name
Presbyterian Church as a con- Rombout Presbyterian Church
gregation of the United Pres- as being appropriate for a
byterian Church in the United church in Southern Dutchess
States. To prepare for the County, and particularly since
Service of Organization on in a sense, it is re -establish -
April 21, congregational ing the Presbyterian Church
meeting will be held on Palm in the Town of Fishkill. The
Sunday, April 7. at 7 p.m. for original Rombout Patent of
the purpose of hearing a re- 1685 covered an area of 85,
port from the Organization 000 acres and included the
Committee. Among the items present Towns of Fishkill,
to be considered are the pro- East Fishkill, Wappingers,
posed by-laws, articles of in- western LaGrange and south -
corporation, a report of nom- ern Town of Poughkeepsie.
inating committee and final Several streets and a school
nominations for church of- in southern Dutchess County
ficers, the order of. the bear the Rombout name, In
Service of Organization, and 1747, a Presbyterian church
such other business as may was organized, a frame build -
be necessary. Babysitting ingwas built near the junction
service will be provided dur- ofRts. 52 and 82 in the Town
ing the meeting at the Wic- of Fishkill, and the Rombout
copee Grange Hall, Rt. 52. Church became a member of
Town of Fishkill, the 0-..itchess County Presby -
Historically, the Mid -Hud- tery which was organized in
son Area Strategy Committee 1762, The bu?],ding Was used
of Presbytery'.; ^urc$ F - a .ospi%al duin-ate,ev-
tension_ .,�m
for the development of
bmittee felt the
olutionary War and badly dam -
need , aged. It was rebuilt in 1830,
? new church in SouthernDut- but the new building was des -
chess County. A survey of the troyed by fire in 1866. Al -
area was made in October though monthly meetings were
1962, and in the spring of held in a local schoolhouse
1963, the Dutchess County for some time following, the
Council of Churches granted congregation was formally
Presbytery the comity assign- disolved by Presbytery in
ment for the area. A site com- 1895.
mittee was appointed and after • .
investigation, recommended
13.6 acres on Rt. 82 in the
Town of Fishkill which was
purchased by Presbytery in
March 1965. In the fall of
1965, the Church Extension .
Committee appointed a Fish -
kill New Church Development
Committee. On July 1, 1966,
the Committee called the Rev.
Rossiter Seward as organiz-
ing pastor of the new church
development. The three neigh-
boring Presbyterian Churches
in Wappingers Falls, Pough-
keepsie, and Beacon gave Rev.
Seward lists of their members
in the area of the new church
to facilitate his initial work,
and thanks to their donations
of pulpit, chairs, hymnals, and
other help, the first worship
service of the new fellowship
was held on Sept. 11, 1966
in the Wiccopee .Grange Hall
about three miles from the
church site.
The congregation joins each
Sunday in family worship with