Endwell United Methodist Church sits on Watson Boulevard in the hamlet of Endwell, just east of Binghamton in New York's Southern Tier. The congregation traces its identity to a single, focused mission: "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." Around that calling, Endwell UMC has built a blended worship experience, a Monday-evening community meal that has run for more than 25 years, a preschool program begun in 1967, and a year-round rhythm of missions that stretches from the parking lot to southeastern Kentucky.
A Blended Sanctuary on Watson Boulevard
Sunday worship at Endwell UMC is intentionally blended, weaving traditional hymns and liturgy with contemporary songs and instrumentation. The congregation sees this variety as a strength, reflecting the diversity of ages, backgrounds, and theological perspectives gathered in the pews. Senior Pastor Rev. Nancy Adams and Associate Pastor Rev. Sean Chanthasone, both ordained or licensed in the United Methodist tradition with seminary degrees and decades of ministry experience, share the work of preaching and leading worship. The pastoral team treats leading worship as a holy honor and a sacred responsibility.
A weekly highlight, especially for families with young children, is the Children's Sermon. The senior pastor speaks directly to the children before they move to Children's Church, where object lessons, stories, play-acting, and simple props carry the message further. After the service, coffee and light snacks are available in the Fellowship Hall, and everyone is welcome to linger.
Music for Every Voice
Music is central to Endwell's worship life. The Adult and Youth Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:15 to 8:30 p.m. in the sanctuary from September through June, and new members are always welcome. The Adult and Youth Bell Choir rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m., with a similar season that runs September through December and resumes in February through June. Beginners and experienced ringers are equally welcomed. Carolyn Corse serves as Organist, and Morgan Sturdevant directs the choir. Throughout the year, children, youth, and adults are invited to share vocal or instrumental gifts during worship.
Worship services are streamed live on the church's YouTube channel each week and on special occasions, and adults and youth are invited to help with media production.
A Whole-Life Faith: Prayer, Study, and New Friends
Faith formation at Endwell is a multi-generational project. A prayer group meets every Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m., sharing, caring, and praying for one another and for those in need. Adult studies are offered throughout the year, both in person and via Zoom; recent subjects have included works by Adam Hamilton, Wayne Muller, Maxie Dunnam, Henri Nouwen, Robin Meyers, Sharon Garlough Brown, and John Ortberg. Copies of The Upper Room daily devotional guide are available at the Welcome Center and church office, with donations accepted but not required.
A quarterly New Comer's Class, led by Pastor Nancy, is a relaxed setting to meet others, ask questions about the mission and ministry of the church, and explore where God might be calling. Baptism preparation is coordinated through the church office (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to noon). Wedding arrangements are made the same way.
The Lord's Table: Monday Dinners for the Neighborhood
The Lord's Table is Endwell UMC's longest-running mission. Every Monday from 3:45 to 5:15 p.m., the church serves a hot dinner to anyone in the community who has a need. More than 30 dedicated workers serve as cooks, hosts, and cleanup crews. At present, the kitchen produces more than 100 take-out meals each week and delivers additional meals to those who are unable to pick them up themselves. The Monday evening meal has been offered by the church for over 25 years.
A Monthly Food Pantry and a Network of Outreach
On the first Monday of each month, the Food Bank of the Southern Tier trucks arrive from Elmira, and volunteers in the Fellowship Hall begin assembling boxes of fresh, healthy food. As many as 200 families have been served at a single distribution, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Registration typically opens one business day before each distribution and is coordinated through the Food Bank of the Southern Tier.
Beyond the pantry, Endwell UMC sponsors and supports a wide slate of community outreach events, including Breakfast with Santa, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Endwell Community National Night Out, the United Way Day of Caring, Halloween Trunk or Treat, and Salvation Army bell ringing. The church also supports Faith in Action through the Broome County Council of Churches' Ramp-It-Up program, which builds wheelchair ramps with volunteer youth groups under the direction of skilled mentors, typically during the spring or summer months. A College Ministry Team collects and ships care packages to college students several times during the school year, particularly around exam time.
Red Bird Mission: Shoeboxes for Kentucky Coal Country
Each fall, Endwell UMC coordinates a regional shoebox ministry for Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky. Once a thriving coal mining region, the area today ranks among the poorest in Kentucky. The church gathers donations from across upstate New York and northern Pennsylvania, then fills shoeboxes with supplies for families served by the mission. The project has been a long-standing commitment, and partner churches and groups are invited to participate each year.
Fifty-Five Years of Preschoolers
Endwell Preschool has been a mission of the church since 1967, when the Education Commission recommended that the congregation sponsor a weekday nursery school. By 1990, a separate school board reported to the Church Council and still reports monthly to the Administrative Council. In 2008, the preschool launched a Universal Pre-Kindergarten program through a grant with Maine-Endwell Central School District and New York State.
Today, the preschool offers a Caregiver and Me class for two-year-olds, a Smart Play class for three-year-olds, and a Universal Pre-K class for children who reside in the Maine-Endwell school district. More than 1,000 children have graduated from the program. Preschool families are invited to church activities such as Trunk or Treat, Breakfast with the Bunny, and Vacation Bible School.
Director Beth Strong oversees the program, and endwellpreschool.org carries the full details.
Welcome from the Door Inward
Hospitality at Endwell begins at the Welcome Center just inside the main entrance to the sanctuary. Information packets, guest cards, and a clear explanation of United Methodist beliefs are available there, along with large-print hymnals and bulletins and listening-assisted devices. Welcome pads in each pew help the congregation stay connected with members who have been absent and identify specific needs.
A Nursery facility is open in the upstairs of the education building. It is normally unstaffed so that parents and caregivers can watch the worship service live from the Nursery, and fully staffed nursery care with trained, background-checked, Safe Sanctuaries-trained caregivers is offered when possible. The Children's Center, located in the Narthex near the steps up to the Children's Church rooms, stocks children's books, activity bags, and an events bulletin board.
The parking lot has many handicapped-accessible spaces, and the sanctuary, fellowship hall, and restrooms are all wheelchair accessible.
Pastoral Leadership
Senior Pastor Nancy Adams came to ministry after six years as a special education teacher. Since graduating from seminary in 1990, she has served as a full-time pastor and as District Superintendent of the Mountain View District (2014-2020) and the Binghamton/Oneonta District (2020-2022) in the Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church. She has directed or counseled at Sky Lake Camp for adults with special needs nearly every summer since 1985. She plays piano and guitar and is a diehard NY Mets fan. Associate Pastor Sean Chanthasone shares the preaching and pastoral duties.
Children's Ministries are co-directed by Jenn Potter and Lois Blight, and Aaron Bennett directs Youth Ministries. Karen Beebe serves as Church Secretary, RoseMarie Schlock as Accounting Manager, Carolyn Corse as Organist, and Morgan Sturdevant as Choir Director.
The Administrative Council is chaired by Howard Champlain, with Kristina Harrington as Treasurer and Jim Short as Finance Chair. Anita VanWinkle chairs Staff/Parish Relations, Dave Alexander chairs Trustees, and Colleen Borne leads Missions. The Endwell Preschool representative is Nancy Green.
A Network Across the Region
Endwell UMC is part of the Upper New York Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the church's connection to that wider body shapes its camping ministries (a long-standing partnership with Sky Lake Camp for adults with special needs), its Safe Sanctuaries policy adopted by the Upper New York Annual Conference, and its support of regional ministries like Ramp-It-Up.
Worship is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, monthly newsletters are published throughout the year, and giving is supported through the Realm platform and PayPal, including a dedicated Red Bird Mission donation button.
Steady Rhythms Through the Week
For first-time visitors, Endwell UMC offers a clear welcome. The blended service draws on both traditional and contemporary expressions of worship, large-print materials and listening assistance are available, the building is wheelchair accessible, and the Children's Sermon invites even the youngest worshipers into the heart of the service. Programs are in place for preschoolers, children, youth, adults, seniors, and college students. The Monday Lord's Table dinners and the monthly Mobile Food Pantry feed the body, while Bible study, prayer, choir, and bell choir feed the spirit. The rhythms of the week - Tuesday morning prayers, Wednesday rehearsals, Sunday coffee - give the church its steady heartbeat.