MASSENA -- Northside Community Church will celebrate its 150th anniversary with events to be held July 6 and 7, a momentous occasion town officials recognized during the June 26 board meeting.

According to Town Supervisor Sue Bellor, the local church will also host an evening welcoming event on July 5 at the church.

“We want to acknowledge the Northside Community Church on the celebration of their 150th anniversary. The history of your building along with the building of the parsonage, the first bell, the addition of your school rooms, and the addition of the stained glass windows that survived the 1944 earthquake which measured 5.8, although the ceiling and plaster on the walls came down, was worthy of reading and education. We will share this with our town historian for their records," she said.

Bellor said the church was founded in 1840, the first church to be settled in Massena Center.

Pastor John Hall, the 32nd pastor to lead the congregation, was in attendance at the meeting.

Bellor awarded Hall a certificate to mark the occasion as Bellor praised the church for their contributions to the Massena community.

“Thank you for your charitable contributions for the Massena Neighborhood Center, Massena Meals on Wheels, Hospice, the Salvation Army, Renewal House, and several other local charities. We all wish you a happy 150th anniversary and thank you for your commitment to Massena," she said.

The Northside Community Church is now located at 41 N. Main Street and will play host to many visitors for the events.

In attendance will be former pastors, the Eastern Regional Association superintendent and board of directors, Advent Christian General Conference leaders and other regional officials, Bellor said.

For those unable to attend, Bellor said they would be able to submit a note to offer their congratulations.

“If anybody else here would like to write letters to them, they would like to share them with their friends,” Bellor said.