Saving Hudson's Most Beloved Church

In November, Gossips shared the sad news that the First Presbyterian Church had been found to have serious structural issues. A report by Ryan Briggs and Clark Davis, engineers and recognized experts in assessing historic structures, warned that the roofing framework had deteriorated significantly. Some roof rafters and beams had become detached from exterior load bearing walls. Others were no longer solid--having suffered from 180 years of stress, settling, and moisture. The news was a particularly hard blow for those who only a year before had celebrated the restoration of the church's major stained glass window.

Photo: Dan Region

The First Presbyterian Church is an integral part of Hudson's history. The first church to be established in Hudson, it was once the largest congregation in the Hudson Valley. It is also an integral element of the architecture of Hudson's main street. Nearly every photo of Warren Street includes the church and its iconic steeple. Hudson would not be Hudson without this majestic church building.

Photo: Tony Cenicola|New York Times

"Because our membership assembles in this beautiful building, the public assumes there is funding for overhead and maintenance," explained Kathryn Beilke, pastor of the church. "The truth is that we are a very small congregation, and one of our core principles is that we welcome everyone. That often includes people without the means to support such a massive undertaking. We realize we have a duty to the city of Hudson to ensure that this historic treasure doesn't deteriorate. But we can't do it alone."

To enable everyone who values this church to assist in the effort to preserve it, the Friends of the First Presbyterian Church have created a donation page to raise the money needed to correct the structural issues and open the church to its congregation and the public once more. Click here to go that page and make a contribution. Questions about the preservation efforts can be directed to the president of the Friends of the First Presbyterian Church, Philip Forman.
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