Our Story
A new church in a historic building proclaiming a timeless truth.
- “Canalside” tells people that we are located next to the Erie Canal, an important piece of American history and the reason why Albion came into being.
- “Community” tells people who is welcome to worship God with us. Whether you practice another religion (or no religion), come from a different church background, or are curious about what we are doing, we welcome you.
- “Church” tells people what we are. That word describes a group of people who are different because they follow Jesus, and that makes us different from a civic organization or club.
Our building has a story.
Our culture has a story.
We are a group of ordinary people trying to live for an extraordinary God.
What you should expect when you visit with us is regular people from the community trying their best to love each other, serve God, and understand the Bible. We want you to be a part of our church family even if you don’t have things figured out, because we don’t have everything figured out.
Common Questions
When should I arrive?
Most people show up around 10:15 AM before worship begins at 10:30 AM. We have a cafe area in the Sanctuary where coffee and snacks are available, along with seating for those who want to get to know each other.
Where should I enter the building?
Our Platt Street entrance is handicap accessible and has an elevator to the Sanctuary for those who need it.
How long is the service?
Our service usually goes from 10:30AM until 12:00 PM each Sunday.
What is the teaching like?
Our pastor teaches verse-by-verse through books of the Bible in a style called Expositional Preaching. The goal is to “expose” the meaning of the Bible as it was meant to be understood and to apply it to our lives today. We don’t skip difficult Bible passages or hide from hard questions.
You can learn more about our beliefs by reading our full Statement of Faith.
What is the music like?
As a small, new church plant we keep our music simple. We sing hymns as a congregation together.
What about my kids?
We currently keep all ages in the Sanctuary with their parents or guardians for the entirety of our worship service. We have a special time each week during the service where children are taught a Bible lesson and given an activity to participate in.
Our leadership
Ben Curfman, Pastor
Pastor Ben, his wife Rebekah, and their six children moved to Albion in 2022 from their home state of North Carolina to serve at North Point Chapel, which has become Canalside Community Church.
Ben is a graduate of Fruitland Baptist Bible College and Spurgeon College at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Ben's interests and hobbies include Horology (clocks and watches), Godzilla, Church History, Anthropology, and watching movies alone at the Cinemark Theater.
Rich Truesdell, Elder
Rich and his wife, Lynne, are Western New York natives. Together, they run a business doing rock and concrete work. Rich became an elder at North Point Chapel and now serves as an elder for Canalside Community Church.
Rich is a graduate of the Word of Life Bible Institute.
Rich loves learning about creation and modern events, and spending time with his wife and their dogs (labs!).
DEACONS
Rick Bachorski
Rick and his wife, Pauline, are active members of the community and bring a variety of skills along with years of experience to serve God at Canalside.
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