Location: Oswego, N.Y.

Presbytery: St. Lawrence

Organization: Oct. 7, 1980

Membership: 57 communicant; 15 baptized

Pastor: Gabriel Wingfield

Website: www.oswegorpc.org

Oswego means “outpouring” and refers to the Oswego River, which flows north and empties into Lake Ontario. We are well known for our lake-effect snowstorms, which give us an average snowfall of about 150 inches per year. But because of our proximity to the lake, we also enjoy extra warmth in the winter and natural cooling in the summer compared to inland areas of central New York.

Oswego, N.Y., RPC began to take shape through the Frank Soranno family, longtime residents of Oswego. Having heard the Syracuse, N.Y., RPC pastor, Edward Robson, preaching on a Christian radio station, the Sorannos began commuting to Syracuse RPC for worship each week. Subsequently, George Hueber and his family moved from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Oswego, N.Y., in August 1978, with the expectation that the Lord was opening a door of opportunity for a church plant.

In October of that year, Charles Leach, who was serving as the assistant pastor at Syracuse RPC, began leading a weekly Bible study in the Huebers’ home. At that point, under the supervision of the Syracuse session, evening worship services began at the Oswego Town Hall with Pastor Leach preaching. Peter Howe and his family committed themselves to the work during this time, and in June 1980 the Oswego Fellowship met with the Syracuse session to discuss the formation of the congregation.

A petition from Oswego was eventually forwarded to the St. Lawrence Presbytery requesting a date for the organization of the congregation. On Oct. 7, 1980, Oswego RPC, which consisted of three families as well as adherents, was organized by the St. Lawrence Presbytery. George Hueber was elected to serve as a ruling elder, Syracuse Elder Jack Ramsey was appointed as a provisional elder, and Kit Swartz was elected to be Oswego’s pastor. He was ordained and installed on Dec. 2. Kit and his wife, Karen, relocated from Syracuse to Oswego in January 1981 and arrived as a significant amount of our average 150 inches of snow was being deposited.

For 19 years, the congregation met for formal worship at the YMCA, the Dante Alighieri Lodge, the American Legion, the former First Presbyterian Church, and, for about a year, sharing space with the First United Methodist Church. During this time of leasing space, Oswego RPC was privileged to daughter Fulton RPC (Pastor Nick Iamaio) and, several years later, an RP congregation in New Hartford, N.Y. (Pastor Aaron Goerner). Having been blessed by God during these years with people and resources, Oswego RPC was able to purchase the former Wesleyan Church property and begin establishing our own church home on a spacious piece of land with plenty of trees, berry bushes, and ample room for the children to use up their energy. God is good!

Oswego RPC has always enjoyed morning and evening services on the Lord’s Day, with Bible study and children’s classes on Wednesday evenings. Over the last five years, dinner is served on Wednesday so that more families with children can participate. For many years, Wednesday evenings were set aside for adult Bible study, and both children and adults attended Sabbath school, either before or after morning worship. However, after considering how best to provide for the teaching ministry, it was decided to use the Lord’s Day for worship and fellowship and open up Wednesday evening for all ages. This has proven to be very fruitful on both counts.

In 2020, after 40 years of pastoring the congregation, Pastor Kit Swartz retired, and Gabriel Wingfield succeeded him. As all of this occurred during the middle of the Covid pandemic, the hoped-for gradual transition was not to be the case. Nonetheless, the Lord was gracious to us all, and, after two years, Gabriel and his family are well adjusted in the community and in his work as pastor.

In addition to the church daughtering two congregations, four of our membership graduated from the RP Seminary and entered the pastoral ministry in and outside of the RPCNA. Having enjoyed much good over the last 40 years, we have also experienced the disappointment of covenant children leaving the faith, dismissals of indifferent members, deaths, and the unending trials of this life. However, our faithful Shepherd continues to use His rod and staff to direct and comfort us in the midst of this pilgrimage.

As you think of Oswego RPC, please pray that God would bless us with additional elders and deacons who will faithfully carry on the work of ministry. We are wrapping up final plans for a new addition to the facility, which is much needed to comfortably provide for our growing congregation. We look forward with hope, knowing that we serve the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and that He will perfect everything that concerns us.