Faith and Fellowship

Batavia has come a long way since the early years when members of different religious sects met in small group gatherings in homes to share a common faith. Today, over a dozen churches of different denominations offer faith, support, education and more to the residents of Batavia. Many of these churches are included in the town’s historic tours, reflecting the deep history of religion in Batavia and the variety of architectural styles.

The very first church was constructed in 1841 shortly after the arrival of the area’s first settlers. In 1852, First United Methodist Church constructed a building on the corner of First and Lincoln Streets, after years of congregating in the home of William Van Nortwick on the corner of First and Water Streets. A new building was later constructed in 1887 at the corner of Batavia Avenue and Wilson Street. The façade of the church was constructed of field boulders from area farms and interior woodwork from Georgia Pine. The building was a gift to the congregation from Captain Don Carlos Newton— Civil War Veteran and a wealthy Batavia Industrialist—and the Reverend E.H. Gammon. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and the building is still used for the sanctuary and nursery today.

Other churches, like Immanual Lutheran began in the later 1800s, built a congregation and then relocated to more modern sites. These strong churches continue to offer faith, fellowship and education in more modern facilities with the same strong principles that helped start the church.