St. Nicodemus: 150 years of faithfulness and mission
In 1856, eighteen people in the rural farming town of Marilla, NY founded St. Nicodemus.
The Rev. H. Schwankowsky would arrive each week by train from Buffalo
to pastor the church's first services. Members took turns fetching the pastor from the
station via horse and carriage and deliver him for the weekend to one of their homes.
Since there was no church building at the time, member's families also took turns hosting the
pastor and Sunday services in their homes.
The church building was soon built on slightly less than one acre of land, donated to
the congregation sometime in 1856. With funds acquired by 1857, farmers and several other
members of the congregation and community built the church just as they would have raised
barns for one another.
And so it began for the people of St. Nicodemus. The traditions of generosity and
working together, as well as a great loyalty to the community of this church-even without a
physical building, are long-steeped and numerous.
The small-town history of this church may be what bonds us to one another, not just
as a congregation but also as a church. “We are the church” should be the motto, as we have
always operated on the theory that the people are what make up the church, not the
building. Even when there was no building, we were still St. Nicodemus.
As times change, so does the church. We will continue to be true to our history:
reaching out to families in need right here in our community. We will continue to preach,
teach and reach with the Good News of Jesus' love for us. We will continue to create and
provide an extended family where all are welcome. We are St Nicodemus; God is still
working in us!
St. Nicodemus is a Lutheran Church located in Marilla New York for over 150 years. We offer Sunday services, Communion, Sunday School, and Bible Study. We have an active youth group as well.
Check out our Church Profile.
Check out our news section to see what's happening at St. Nicodemus.
Check the calendar for scheduled events.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. You shall have no other gods.
2. You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God.
3. Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy.
4. Honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not murder.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal
8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
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