Peggy Abdallah likes to say that her church was founded just after George Washington died and grew its roots during Thomas Jefferson's presidency.

In its 200 years, the community comprising what is now The Episcopal Church of SS. Peter and John has been a stalwart in Auburn and can boast a number of the city's early leaders as congregants. Gov. Enos Throop, William Seward and his wife, Frances, her father Judge Elijah Miller, David Munson Osborne, Gen. John Chedell and William Bostwick were all members of the church.

This year, the oldest continuously operating church in Auburn celebrates its bicentennial by recognizing its past and looking forward to its future. A lot has changed in the 200 years since the church first opened its doors, but the church has remained an integral part of the city's faith community.

When Abdallah and her husband moved to Auburn 30 years ago, they had two Episcopal options - St. Peter's at Genesee and James streets, or St. John's at East Genesee and South Fulton streets. They chose St. Peter's because of its proximity to their house.

From the beginning, Abdallah felt at home there.

"It was a very community-oriented church. It's an active church," she said.

Over the years, Abdallah grew to become more and more involved in church life. She helps out with annual rummage sales and bazaars and has lent a hand with other church initiatives such as the soup kitchen, the Hispanic community outreach and a new project called Stoop, where members of the church paint people's front stoops free of charge. For Abdallah, the church is an extension of herself.

"To us, it's another family. We're close to a lot of people here," she said.

That closeness and feeling of community might not exist were it not for the merger of the two parishes in 1986. St. John's had some financial difficulties and St. Peter's had gone a short period without a rector, so the union was mutually beneficial. To preserve the histories of both churches, the name was changed to reflect the merger.

"The church had some lean years," long-time parishioner Joan Wilcynski recalled. "There was a renewal after the merger."

For 18 years, Wilcynski served as the parish secretary for St. Peter's and then SS. Peter and John. She's lived through many of the ups and downs, but her faith in the community never wavered.

"I've seen a lot over the years," she said. "When I first started attending, we almost had a full church. We've since lost most of our young people."

That attrition is common in old line Protestant churches around the country. But both Wilcynski and Abdallah credit the church's new rector, the Rev. Douglas Taylor-Weiss, with helping to reinvigorate the church community for younger generations.

"I've seen different rectors come and go, and the church changes with them and their philosophies," Abdallah said. "It's more community-oriented with the current pastor."

While Abdallah and Wilcynski remain positive about the future of their church under Taylor-Weiss, their current rector is not willing to forget the great history of the church. In his seven years at SS. Peter and John, Taylor-Weiss has made it one of his missions to understand the church's historic underpinnings and the thread that binds it to Auburn at large.

"It's quite logical that an Episcopal church would be found in Auburn. The church building reflects the hope and belief that Auburn would have been a more prominent city," he said. "Back in the era when Auburn was a big industrialist town, St. Peter's had the lion's share of industrialists and businessmen. Many of the old members have streets named after them.

"The Episcopal church was seen as the church of the upper class," he said. "That's not the case today. The church is very much an ordinary, working class congregation," he said.

In its 200 years, SS. Peter and John has been through three church buildings, the current one sitting over an old gravesite. The church boasts all its original records dating back 200 years, from vestry reports to baptism, burial and wedding records, providing a wealth of historical information about Auburn.

While Taylor-Weiss acknowledges the church is young by British standards - where many Anglican cathedrals have marked their 1,000-year anniversary - 200 years in the United States is still a remarkable feat. Abdallah hopes that with this bicentennial comes a renewed understanding and appreciation for her church's role in the community.

"We all need to be very proud that it's lasted this long," Abdallah said. "We hope the bicentennial will bring more of an awareness to the church, to make people realize that we're still working for the community."

Staff writer Lauren Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245

or lauren.ober@lee.net