Meet our Pastoral Team
The Reverend James A. Gardner
Jim was born and raised in Batavia NY, the son of a farmer and lay-preacher John Gardner and mother Pricillia, who was a teacher, drama coach and public speaking instructor. Jim is the younger brother of the 70’s author, John C Gardner Jr.
Jim has held several jobs from Deputy Sheriff, to Fish Monger, to truck driver. Jim received his Associate degree at GCC and Bachelor of Science Degree at SUNY Brockport.
At age 17 he started following in his father’s footsteps as a Lay-Preacher, filling in as a guest preacher in about two dozen churches in western NY. He was later ordained as a Minister in 2005 by the American Evangelical Christian Churches. Jim has been active with the Gaines church ever since as a guest preacher, an interim preacher and as a Pastoral Associate. Jim was promoted to be one of the three pastors in 2015 of the Gaines church along with Don and Sheryl.
SEE PHOTOS OF JIM'S AUGUST MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO DENVER. CLICK HERE
Jim was born and raised in Batavia NY, the son of a farmer and lay-preacher John Gardner and mother Pricillia, who was a teacher, drama coach and public speaking instructor. Jim is the younger brother of the 70’s author, John C Gardner Jr.
Jim has held several jobs from Deputy Sheriff, to Fish Monger, to truck driver. Jim received his Associate degree at GCC and Bachelor of Science Degree at SUNY Brockport.
At age 17 he started following in his father’s footsteps as a Lay-Preacher, filling in as a guest preacher in about two dozen churches in western NY. He was later ordained as a Minister in 2005 by the American Evangelical Christian Churches. Jim has been active with the Gaines church ever since as a guest preacher, an interim preacher and as a Pastoral Associate. Jim was promoted to be one of the three pastors in 2015 of the Gaines church along with Don and Sheryl.
SEE PHOTOS OF JIM'S AUGUST MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO DENVER. CLICK HERE
IN MEMORIUM --The Reverend Sheryl Stewart (M Div)
Sheryl was born in Saint John, NB, Canada in 1949 and is a naturalized citizen of the USA. She is a retired RN who
has served as a ward nurse at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center for 3 years, in the medical department in Attica
Correctional Services (12 years) and the psychiatric department in Albion Correctional Services (5 years).
Ordained in the United Church of Christ, she also has partnership status with the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ). She served parishes in Maine, Vermont, and New York as sole pastor over a period of 16 years of active
ministry which preceded her work as an RN. She was also Protestant Chaplain at the Woodbridge Developmental Center (NJ) for about 2 years.
We shall all miss Sheryl.
Sheryl was born in Saint John, NB, Canada in 1949 and is a naturalized citizen of the USA. She is a retired RN who
has served as a ward nurse at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center for 3 years, in the medical department in Attica
Correctional Services (12 years) and the psychiatric department in Albion Correctional Services (5 years).
Ordained in the United Church of Christ, she also has partnership status with the Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ). She served parishes in Maine, Vermont, and New York as sole pastor over a period of 16 years of active
ministry which preceded her work as an RN. She was also Protestant Chaplain at the Woodbridge Developmental Center (NJ) for about 2 years.
We shall all miss Sheryl.
The Rev. Dr. Donald Algeo
Before receiving his ordination from the Christian Universalist Association, Don had a variety of careers. He has
taught philosophy and theology at several colleges and universities, traveled around the United States selling
used and rare books, owned and operated a retail store in a major urban shopping center, and worked for the US Postal Service. He has been involved for many years with Hospice of Orleans, and is currently tutoring the
Spanish-language migrant community in learning English. His outside interests include archaeology, writing,
language study, archery and weightlifting.
FOLLOW REV. ALGEO'S BLOG at www.donalgeo.wordpress.com
Before receiving his ordination from the Christian Universalist Association, Don had a variety of careers. He has
taught philosophy and theology at several colleges and universities, traveled around the United States selling
used and rare books, owned and operated a retail store in a major urban shopping center, and worked for the US Postal Service. He has been involved for many years with Hospice of Orleans, and is currently tutoring the
Spanish-language migrant community in learning English. His outside interests include archaeology, writing,
language study, archery and weightlifting.
FOLLOW REV. ALGEO'S BLOG at www.donalgeo.wordpress.com
ABOUT OUR COMMUNION
At Gaines Congregational Church, UCC, we offer an open Communion. Anyone who is comfortable taking the bread and juice which represent Christ’s sacrifice of His body and blood may join us in this memorial regardless of denominational ties. Children are also welcome to participate, subject to parental discretion.
ABOUT OUR BAPTISM
Baptism, dedication, confirmation and reaffirmation of baptism are open to all who want to join themselves to Jesus Christ or dedicate their infant child to Jesus and his loving care.
Baptism and dedication both fall under the sacrament of Baptism, while confirmation is usually associated with joining the church. Reaffirmation is a way that a person can reaffirm his or her desire to proclaim their relationship with Christ after having been baptized as an infant or having developed a closer and more intense relationship with Jesus Christ.
Any of the three methods of Baptism; Immersion (completely submerged), affusion (pouring of water), or aspersion (sprinkling) are acceptable and are the choice of the person being baptized. In the case of infant baptism aspersion would be encouraged.
At Gaines Congregational Church, UCC, we offer an open Communion. Anyone who is comfortable taking the bread and juice which represent Christ’s sacrifice of His body and blood may join us in this memorial regardless of denominational ties. Children are also welcome to participate, subject to parental discretion.
ABOUT OUR BAPTISM
Baptism, dedication, confirmation and reaffirmation of baptism are open to all who want to join themselves to Jesus Christ or dedicate their infant child to Jesus and his loving care.
Baptism and dedication both fall under the sacrament of Baptism, while confirmation is usually associated with joining the church. Reaffirmation is a way that a person can reaffirm his or her desire to proclaim their relationship with Christ after having been baptized as an infant or having developed a closer and more intense relationship with Jesus Christ.
Any of the three methods of Baptism; Immersion (completely submerged), affusion (pouring of water), or aspersion (sprinkling) are acceptable and are the choice of the person being baptized. In the case of infant baptism aspersion would be encouraged.