ABOUT US
BIBLICALLY
ROOTED
We hold to the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture and to it as the foundation for all our doctrine and practices. Careful exposition of Scripture is the center of our worship.
CHURCH Family
We believe that the Biblical church is a family that acts like one! We strive to maintain a close knit congregation that supports and holds one another accountable. We aim to grow together through the teaching of scripture and the Holy Spirit's activity in our lives.
Our Staff
James Cook – Elder
James and Claire Cook serve at Freedom Baptist Church attending with their six children. James was installed as an elder on May 17, 2026 and serves as the lead pastor. In addition to pastoring at Freedom, James also runs Behold the Glory Ministries evangelizing at giving a voice to the unborn at colleges and clinics in the Western New York area.
Tom Meyers - Elder
Tom has served faithfully in our church since early on in the church "reboot." A careful and wise advisor from his deep and intimate knowledge of scripture, Tom is a blessing to the Body of Christ. On top of his biblical knowledge, Tom spends considerable amounts of time utilizing his handyman skills in the maintenance and improvement of our church building.
Ryan Bechdel - Elder
Ryan and his wife Kristen serve at Freedom Baptist church attending with their two boys. Ryan is currently studying at Reformed Baptist Seminary.
Kyle Frost - Deacon
Kyle and his wife Amy serve at Freedom Baptist attending with their three children. In addition, Kyle is preaches and ministers at the Wyoming County jail.
Church History
After 1841, when the Welsh began settling in this area, they established a church where they could worship in their own language. They gathered in a home for about a year and then the first building was erected in 1843 at the corner of Freedom Rd and Osmun Rd. Richard Morris was ordained at this time and became their first pastor.
In 1896 they incorporated as Ebeneezer Baptist Church, instead of The First Welsh Baptist Church of Freedom. As the younger people were mostly English speaking, they wanted to have the church service in English. In November 1895 a new church was organized and was called Bethel Baptist Church. A new building was erected in 1896 at a cost of about $2,200. This church was east of the older church and on the opposite side of the road.
For several years, both churches were served by the same pastor alternating between the two buildings. Once a month the service was all in Welsh in the Ebenezer Church. In 1919, both churches agreed to a special meeting to merge the two churches into one, called The Freedom Baptist Church. After alternating between the two buildings for a while, it was decided to hold the services in the Ebenezer Church in the summer, as it had no heat, and use the Bethel Church in the colder months. In 1954 it was decided to stop using the Ebenezer Church, except for one day of the year when there would be an all day gathering with Welsh services in the morning and English in the afternoon.
The Bethel Church received much remodeling in the 1950’s. Among other renovations, a second floor was added over the old prayer room to accommodate more classrooms. Land adjacent to the Bethel Church was purchased in 1977 for parking. The sanctuary was enlarged and a new baptistry installed. A new entryway was also constructed with wheelchair access.
In January 2001 the Ebenezer Church collapsed. Labor was donated to take down the building by hand. In the Fall of 2019, the pastor of Freedom Baptist resigned and regular meetings ceased through the beginning months of the Covid pandemic. On June 13, 2021, the church reopened with new leadership, reforming as Freedom Baptist Church: A Reformed Fellowship. Since then, many renovations have been done outside and inside the church. As of May 2022, Freedom Baptist Church has a regular attendance of about 35 individuals. This new body of believers passionately pursues evangelism and ministry to those in need. We are blessed to see God's hand in the spiritual growth of our members and community.