Winslow Congregational Church - United Church of Christ - History

Winslow Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
History of Our Church and Community

written by Clyde Russell and Ina Stinneford
edited by Tammy Gould

[Editor's Note: In 1978, church member Clyde Russell wrote a history on the first 150 years of our congregation, from its formation in 1828 through our then pastor, Rev. Stephen Ericson. After the first installment, a second history, compiled by former church historian Ian Stinneford in 1965 was presented to me. As we look forward to celebrating our 175th anniversary this August, we revisit Clyde's and Ina's work, now, presented as four chapters.]

Chapter 1: In The Beginning (1794 - 1828)
Chapter 2: Restlessness and Growth (1828 - 1880)
Chapter 3: Building a Solid Foundation (1880 - 1950)
Chapter 4: Flood and Fellowship (1950 - present)

Chapter 3: Building a Solid Foundation (1880 - 1950)

"The meeting house was built so far as to erect a frame and cover it
with boards and clapboards, and shingles in 1797. It was also glazed and
the pews made on the floor. A pulpit was also made. There was neither
plastering, paint, not even latheing."
-- "Talk About Winslow" (circa 1863)

The church is said not to have been painted until 1836. A steeple was put up in 1830 and remained until 1884. Some time before 1876, a chapel was erected, probably east of the parsonage. In the winter it must have been easier to heat than the larger meeting house. The chapel was much used for weddings, funeral, and all sorts of meetings, including Sunday service.

In 1900, the church was remodeled. It was turned 90 degrees to the right, so that it faced Lithgow Street. The gallery was replaced by full second floor and the sanctuary was now on the floor. The box pews were removed and the ground floor was divided into three rooms, a library and a kitchen. Colored windows were installed. Since the church now had a vestry, there was no need for a chapel. In 1903, the church sold the chapel to the Town of Winslow for $500. It was moved to a parcel of town-owned land and town used the building for municipal offices and a library for nearly 60 years.

The first annual meeting at which supper was served was in January 1905. There was singing, prayer, and reports from all departments. The pastor, Mr. Varley, read Scripture, and then tended his resignation which was accepted with great regret. The Rev. A. J. Cameron of Brownfield accepted a call in September that year.

At the annual meeting of 1909, it was voted to have a report of the Sewing Circle and the Christian Endeavor Society at future meetings. "The Ladies Sewing Circle for the Congregational Church and Parish" was organized that year "for sociability and for helping to meet the expenses in repairs and improvements of the Church and Church Property." The initiation fee was 10 cents. The name has since been changed to the Women's Fellowship.

The Christian Endeavor (CE) Society had been founded in Portland as a youth organization. In Winslow, the CE Society eventually replaced the Sunday Evening prayer meeting. As it existed in the 1920's, different members took turns in conducting the meeting. It was a cardinal principle of the Society that every one should take some part in every meeting, aside from singing. Young people got used to hearing their voices in a public meeting, whether they offered a brief prayer, a "testimony," or read a verse of scripture from the back of the hymn book.

In 1909, the present pews were bought. At the front of the church, there was a single pulpit in the middle of the platform. In front of the platform, on the main floor, was a table. Behind the pulpit were three chairs. The organ, purchased in 1893, moved to the choir loft, against the back wall.

For ten years or so after the church was founded, the congregational sang psalms and hymns without any instrumental accompaniment. Church member Cyrus Howard bought the church a violin and learned to play it. (The violin was housed in the historical museum across the street until the building was destroyed by flood.) An organ was used in 1878 when the church was host to the Somerset and Kennebec County Conference, but it was probably borrowed. A Mason and Hamlin organ was purchased and played for the first time on April 2, 1893. We do not know for certain who the first organist was. Clyde Russell believed it might have been Julia Patterson, as Julia was playing the organ 30 years later when Doris Russell began a term of some 40 years as church organist.

In 1928, the Winslow Congregational Church celebrated its 100th anniversary. One hundred fifty-two guests signed the book that day. Two former pastors -- Rev. William McNeil (1907-1912) and Rev. Barnard (1918-1921) -- attended the celebration with the current pastor, Rev. Frank Dolliff. A church history, compiled by Julia Patterson, was read by Clyde Russell.

That same year, the church voted to procure a bell. Finally, in 1935, the church purchased the current bell from the Lubec Methodist Meetinghouse for $15.00. 1935 also saw a call to Rev. John Morrison, which was accepted in March 1935. In January and February of that year, a Colby student, Dean Hodges, supplied the pulpit. There are notes throughout our church records indicating that our congregation relied heavily on Colby College students for pulpit supply. At the second quarterly meeting in the spring, it was voted that Alice McNeil collect old records and see if the town would put them in a safe. At the third quarterly meeting, four women were appointed as ushers for the first time.

The Winslow Congregational Church was not untouched by the record flood of 1936. On March 22, 1936 there was significant flooding of the Kennebec and Somerset Rivers caused by ice jams. Water reached fifteen inches in the vestry and it was reported that great cakes of ice covered the steps. Aside from flood, the church records also note that an earthquake shook up the parsonage in 1940.

In November 1941, Rev. Chauncy Harding was called and accepted with salary of $1,200 and use of the parsonage. In 1943, the church records note several deaths, including that of Frank Smiley who had been a Deacon for 32 years. Neil Matheson was appointed Deacon in Mr. Smiley's place.

At the annual meeting in 1945, the Christian Endeavor Society and the Sewing Circle announced that they had bought 100 folding chairs for the church vestry. Before then, the vestry furniture had been settees, painted a kind of battleship gray, and unpainted table tops and trestles which, when not in use, were stored in the downstairs foyer. The furnace burned wood, which was piled up in the cellar until it was used. At the same meeting, it was voted to buy an oil burning furnace. In 1947, the church raised $2,300 to pay for an electric organ. It was put in the space to the left of the pulpit and the pulpit and much of the woodwork was painted white. In 1951, the whole front of the church was redesigned according to plans supplied by a church architect in Portland and the colored glass, which had been installed 51 years before, was removed.

The merger of the Congregational-Christian denomination with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ caused slight controversy in the Winslow church. In all, the church voted six times on it, always in the affirmative, and usually by a unanimous vote.

Chapter 1: In The Beginning (1794 - 1828)
Chapter 2: Restlessness and Growth (1828 - 1880)
Chapter 3: Building a Solid Foundation (1880 - 1950)
Chapter 4: Flood and Fellowship (1950 - present)

Winslow Congregational Church United Church of Christ History of Our Church and Community

Winslow Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
History of Our Church and Community