Our History

Loudonville Community Church began as a Sunday School in February 1952. Arnol and Leah Bryan were concerned about the lack of religious training for children in the Loudonville area and offered the use of a building on the corner of Bacon Lane and Loudon Road. This outreach was sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady where the Bryans were members. The Sunday School began with just 23 adults and children but growth was rapid. Rev. Thomas Teply was approved by the Presbytery of Albany to lead this mission endeavor. In August of 1952 the work expanded to include Sunday morning and evening services.

The church was incorporated in July of 1953. The decision was made to become a "community church" rather than belong to any one particular denomination. In stating their purpose the first trustees wrote: "The Loudonville Community Church aims at uniting Christians of all denominations living in this neighborhood in brotherly love to worship and praise." The church is independent of any denominational affiliation.

In the summer of 1953 Mrs. Frank Hughson, a former medical missionary to China, gave the church the property at 374 Loudon Road. In August 1954, Rev. Dennis Kinlaw accepted a call to become pastor.

In 1955 Loudonville Christian School began as a nursery school in the Sunday School rooms. Kindergarten through fourth grade were added in 1960. Since 1968 the school has included fifth through the eighth grade. In 1995 the decision was made to establish a regional Christian High School.

Those who have served as senior pastor at LCC have been men of spiritual stature and influence: Dennis Kinlaw (1954-1963), Gilbert Bilezikian (1963-1966), Peter Letchford (1967-1980), Tom Egbert (1981-1987) and Bernie Powell (1988-1992). Our current pastoral team includes: Stan Key (Senior Pastor), Ron Mackey (Pastor of Ministry Development). Wallace Hills joined the team as our Church Business Administrator in July 2000 and Bill Womer came on as Director of Worship Ministries in January of 2001.

While we have been blessed with exceptional senior pastors since the beginning of LCC, the real power of the church lies in the vision-driven people who put the cause of Christ before their own comfort and agendas. Each Christian in the LCC family is a minister of Jesus, called, gifted, and empowered to do the work of His ministry. Thus, the strength of the church rests not in the ministry staff as much as in the serving hands and feet of the church family.

Both the church and the school continue to grow and are in great need of facility expansion. Thus in 1999 a building committee was formed and charged with carrying out a facility expansion plan to maximize the ministry use of the 374 Loudon Rd. property. In November of 1999, the LCC congregation pledged a miracle amount of 3.3 million dollars for facility expansion! Additional pledges since then bring the capital campaign pledge base to 3.7 million. Progress continues to expand the facility for worship and ministries of various kinds.

These are days of rapid change and growth at LCC and LCS! We're praising the Lord for our rich heritage, and dreaming together about the future. The facility growth mirrors the ministry and spiritual growth that is underway by God's blessing will continue for the growth of His Kingdom.