Sunday Worship 10am (livestream)
Do you know what was going on 100 years ago? You may remember that women received the right to vote when the 19th Amendment was approved in 1920. The following year, President Harding signed a Congressional resolution declaring peace with Germany, Austria and Hungary following World War I. In…
Our archive display in the sanctuary highlights pew ownership from the 1840’s and includes the original 1846 pew seating chart among other artifacts cataloged within our church archives by our amazing Mildred Jones who spent 25 years organizing our historical documents and artifacts. Our archives include two large…
Where do you sit in the sanctuary? Are you someone who moves around sitting in one pew on a Sunday and another Sunday trying out a different pew? Or are you someone who sits in the same area of the sanctuary or in the same pew each Sunday?…
Our focus for July and August has been on Joshua Chamberlain’s personal connections with First Parish Church that started in 1848 when he entered Bowdoin College as a freshman and was required as a Bowdoin student to attend our Sunday services. Unlike many of his fellow schoolmates, Joshua…
Born Lawrence Joshua Chamberlain on September 8, 1828, in Brewer, Maine, “our” famous General Chamberlain was influenced by our church and two other beloved places near our church that captured Joshua’s heart forever, Bowdoin College where he graduated in 1852 and his house which is now a museum…
This month we continue to recognize the Amazing Women of First Parish between 1930’s – 1970’s, although we all are aware that the women before and after those years also contributed significantly to our church. There are photos and other information that are more easily enjoyed in our…
What would we do without women in our lives? Although their voices were stifled for years in church and public meetings, the women of First Parish Church, similar to other churches around the country, developed a robust women’s group. As we celebrate not only Mother’s Day this month,…
In what ways does our sanctuary enrich your worship experience? Its stunning and awe-inspiring wooden architectural designs combined with the gorgeous stained glass windows combine to remind me of God’s overwhelming love and beauty that abounds within us and around us. Feeling small, but safe, within its warm…
Can you imagine 1000-1200 people gathered in our church? From the 1846 reports, on the 18th of March, it was estimated that these were the numbers of church and parish members gathered to dedicate our third Meeting House (sanctuary). Our present church sits on the same site as…
Continuing our focus on the history of our prayer shawl ministry, little did Jackie Wild imagine what she started when she brought this significant ministry to First Parish Church in 2004. As she and Jane Primmer inspired other knitters to join them in creating prayer shawls for our…