History
Scroll down on this page to look at these articles related to our history:
- A Brief History of the Christian Church
- One Branch of Reform (Our church's Christian heritage)
- A Brief History of our Church
- Settled Pastors of this Church
Our church's name - a long one! - reflects the history of our congregation. We are a Protestant church in the New England Congregational tradition, founded in Castine in 1820. Our church building was constructed and dedicated in 1829, and has been active ever since - sometimes in federation with other Castine churches, and sometimes alone. We are rooted in the Reformed tradition, descending directly from the Puritans who brought their faith and practices across the sea from England. Today, as a member of the United Church of Christ, we maintain a relationship with other churches with histories similar to our own.
A Brief History of the Christian Church
It is said that in order to know who one is, one needs to know from where one comes. And so, acknowledging the diversity of our present day membership, it may be important to consider the history of the Christian movement.
Of course, no small booklet can begin to capture the complexities and evolutions of the Christian church universal. And so this small article is in no way complete or comprehensive. It may, however, offer some suggestions for answers to the questions “Where does our church come from? What is our heritage?”
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, NRSV).
Some may trace the roots of the Christian movement to this moment in the ministry of Jesus, where Peter, the disciple, confessed his belief that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah. Others might see the Christian church as beginning at the spiritual awakening of the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2). What we do know, however, is that early Christians were often persecuted by the cultures in which they lived, often because they didn’t participate in some of the customs and traditions (and frankly, the rules) that the surrounding cultures saw as necessary for their survival and affluence. And so, for centuries following the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christian movement was scattered, diverse, and often followed in secret.
Much of that changed, however, in the year 313 (CE) when Roman Emperor Constantine, a convert himself to Christianity, made a decree proclaiming religious tolerance throughout the empire. With the freedom to worship as Christians came significant development in the theology, faith, and order of the church.
There was, however, still conflict. Divisions among the church, particularly between Eastern regions (Greek) and Western regions (Roman) grew. Although the process was a long one, by the year 1064 there was a clear split between what we would come to know as the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern or Orthodox Christian church. This great schism is still recognized today as a major division within the Christian church.
Unfortunately, the East-West schism in the church did not stop controversy over faith and order. In a world where secular power was often intertwined with church authority, corruption and abuse was essentially inevitable. In the west, another great split came with the Protestant Reformation, often said to have begun when Martin Luther nailed his articles of protest to the door of a church in Germany in 1517. The reformation of the church would split Roman Catholics from new, “protestant” denominations, which themselves would split and reform and evolve to the many denominations of Christian religion that we find today.
One Branch of Reform
As we look back along our own heritage, we trace our ancestors back to England and the rule of Henry VIII. Unhappy with the interference of the Roman Catholic Church in his own marriage plans, Henry nationalized the church, making it into the Church of England. This brought church and state together, and for some believers, created insufferable problems. With the power of the state behind it, the church could punish, even execute, those who did not follow church leaders or dictates. And the church often suffered from the church bureaucracy, which, answering to the state, was often filled with incompetent or impenitent leaders.
Over time, a group of believers, mockingly called “puritans” by other believers, pushed for reforms in the Church of England. Some, forced into exile for their beliefs, traveled to Europe and learned from the great reformed theologians, including John Calvin. Returning to England with their reforms, they found a mixture of acceptance, rejection, and even persecution. Eventually, some puritans permanently fled England in search for religious freedom in the American Colonies. One such example is the Pilgrim movement, which came to what is now Massachusetts in 1620.
Eventually, many groups of puritans established communities in America, and particularly in New England. Puritans with strong separatist views (who rejected a church hierarchy controlled by others) formed the Congregationalist movement, and established many churches under a strong polity of self-governance and self-reliance, often with a strong Reformed theology. For assistance with sticky issues associated with church discipline, membership, and ordination, these churches formed “associations.” “Conferences” made up of groups of associations were also formed for educational and mission purposes, and loose national associations of Congregational churches were also formed. Eventually, through some efforts to re-unite some of the distinct Protestant denominations, the United Church of Christ would be formed in 1957. The UCC would consist of four “streams” of reformed churches, including many Congregational churches.
A Brief History of Our Church
Almost two centuries ago, between July 20 and July 26, 1820, a group known as an Ecclesiastical Council met here in the town of Castine. Now in the terms of a congregational church, an Ecclesiastical Council is a group a clergy and delegates from congregational churches in neighboring towns who gather for a particular purpose. They may be gathering to form a new church in a community. They might be examining a person who is a candidate for a pastor position at a church in order to determine if the person is fit for ministry. They may be gathering to hear a complaint about a settled minister, or to work out a conflict between a minister and his or her congregation. This is not a sitting committee or a group of elected officials; the council is formed for one purpose, and when that purpose has been met, the council adjourns.
For the purpose of this meeting in 1820, the council consisted of Jonathan Fisher, pastor of the Blue Hill church, and Joshua Wood, a delegate from Blue Hill; Mighill Blous, the Pastor of the Bucksport church; John Sweezey, a delegate from Bucksport; Deacon William Boyd, a delegate from the Bangor church, and Thomas Williams, pastor at the Brewer church.
The council listened as members of the First Congregational Society of Castine made a case against the pastor of that church, the Rev. William Mason, whom they believe had led the Castine church astray. “We fear the church in this place is not a church of Christ” they said. “We cannot receive the pastor of this church as a Gospel minister. He supports the foregoing causes of our difficulties.” They further stated that “We believe the church countenances erroneous and unscriptural sentiments”… that “discipline is neglected in the church;” and that “our difficulties in regard to the Pastor arise from our apprehensions that he is a stranger to vital piety.” (taken from TCP records.)
Having heard these arguments and other testimony, the council sent a delegation to Rev. Mason on July 26 to explain the situation and “receive any communication which they may think proper to make to them.” When this delegation returned without any comment from Rev. Mason or the church, the council voted to gather and acknowledge the dissenting members as “a Church of Christ in this town, in due form, according to usage” and proceeded to receive members from Castine and Penobscot. The council then “gave unto them the right hand of Fellowship, according to usage, and adjourned without delay.”
This is the beginning of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine, the result of a schism in the church membership differing with the Unitarian leanings of the town’s Congregational church minister, Rev. Mason. The split wasn’t sudden, nor was it isolated to the Castine church. Actually, the Unitarian movement began primarily within the Congregational movement in New England during the 18th Century, and conflict was often present between Unitarian and Trinitarian factions. In 1805, Unitarians gained key faculty positions at Harvard University in Boston, which contributed to the tension. And in 1825 the American Unitarian Association was founded as a separate denomination. Congregations throughout New England would struggle with their identity following the schism, as evidenced in the decision in Castine to form a new church.
The new church, the Trinitarian Congregational Society of Castine had no permanent pastor and no home for eight years. In 1828, John Crosby of Andover Seminary (a seminary formed specifically as a result of the Harvard move toward Unitarianism) accepted an invitation to pastor the church for a salary of $600 a year. Until 1829, the church met in Castine’s courthouse, located on the town common where Witherle Memorial Library now stands. The land for the church building on Main Street was purchased from Joseph Bryant for $146, and the completed building was dedicated on October 6, 1829. The original building, called the Second Congregational or First Trinitarian, was a single story building with a short cupola.
In 1867, the building was rebuilt, raising the structure by nine feet and excavating an additional three feet in the basement and adding a new spire of 120 feet. A “new, finely toned bell, of about one thousand six hundred pounds weight, was presented by N. Wilson Brooks, Esq., of Detroit, Michigan. The cost of rebuilding, including everything else, was about twelve thousand dollars. The building, within and without, has no sign of its former self, and is commended by all for its convenience and comeliness, being an ornament to the village.” (Wheeler’s History of Castine, p. 111.)
On a November Sunday in 1872, the church caught fire. The fire in the furnace burned so fiercely that it ignited the lathing and studding in the cold air duct. A cold windy day made matters worse, but the fire was contained to the building, and damage was repaired at the expense of $1,200.
As an aside note, women were first allowed to take part in church meetings in 1876.
In 1878 the Samuel Adams House (103 Main Street) was given to the church as a parsonage by the Adams family. Samuel Adams was a deacon of the church for decades, and many of the Adams clan contributed much to the business, social, and spiritual life of Castine during the 19th century. The parsonage was sold by the church in 1986.
In 1890 an “Archback” four-face clock was purchased for installation in the steeple base. Sarah Perkins Johnston, who lived on upper Main Street, wanted a town clock with large, easy-to-read faces that would strike the hours and be heard all over town. When she died in 1889, Mrs. Johnston’s will included money for that town clock, and a special town meeting was called where residents gave selectmen authorization to accept the money. The Trinitarian Society agreed to have the clock placed in the church’s steeple.
E. Howard and Co. of Boston shipped a Number One striking clock with four dials (each six feet in diameter) to Castine, where it was duly installed. The machine, an elaborate brass and cast iron pendulum clock, was powered mechanically with hand-wound weights that were drawn up weekly. An outside clapper was installed on the church’s bell to ring the hours. For years the clock was wound by hand, usually by younger residents of the town who laboriously climbed the narrow ladder in the tower once a week. In 1993 the clock was restored with donations solicited from residents and visitors, and an automatic (electrified) winding device was installed. The clock is still maintained by the Town of Castine.
In 1896, Mrs. Arthur A. Devereux and Mrs. E. E. Philbrook began the “Book and Thimble” club at the church. “While this society has taken charge of the fairs held and public suppers given by the Trinitarian Congregational Society, it has also been a social success. As the title implies, the best readers entertain by reading from some interesting book, while those most nimble in the use of the needle, work on articles for the summer sale.” (Wheeler, p. 393). This group, which evolved into a missionary group, was the predecessor of today’s Dr. Mary Cushman Circle, which is still active at the church. (Note: Dr. Mary Cushman, a daughter of TCP pastor John Cushman (serving 1885 – 1901) was a pioneer in medical missionary work for 30 years, establishing a hospital in Angola.)
Also in 1896, the sanctuary of the Main Street church received a substantial redecoration and refurbishment. A popular pressed-tin decoration was installed over the entire ceiling and walls, covering the frescoes. An entirely new set of pews was installed, curved with wood finish instead of the squared, white box style. Additional stained glass windows were also installed.
In 1905-06 the State of Maine incorporated most churches, and the name of the Main Street church changed from “Trinitarian Society” to the “Trinitarian Parish,” then to the “Trinitarian Congregational Parish” church.
In 1844 a Methodist Chapel was constructed on Court Street in Castine facing the Town Common. In 1943, a decision was made to demolish the chapel, and the former Methodist Parish of Castine and the Trinitarian Parish brought their congregations together in federation, initially known as the “Trinitarian Parish Church-Federated of Castine.” All activities were consolidated at the Main Street church.
In 1967, further consolidation was needed in the Castine churches, and clergy representing the four protestant congregations in Castine: Episcopalian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, and Methodist (the federated pair) came together to function as the “Interchurch Parish of Castine.” This ecumenical effort was partially based on the need to account for scarce pastoral resources. Pastor Mervin Deems became its regular minister, performing the respective rites of service in each of the three churches.
The Interfaith Parish, however, was not to remain intact for long. In 1971 the Episcopalian element of the Interchurch Parish withdrew to return to their own services in the Episcopal Chapel on Perkins Street. In 1980, the Unitarian element of the Interchurch Parish returned to its own church services at their church on the Common. Although the Interfaith Parish would continue in name (as the continued federation of Methodist and Congregational members), eventually any distinction in membership was lost, and Methodist recognition of the parish would cease in the late 1990s. At this time the church resumed its historic name, the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine, and took up affiliation with the United Church of Christ.
In 1991 a substantial renovation project was undertaken on the vestry and kitchen, reinforcing the sanctuary floor and installing a new concrete vestry under-floor. This project would continue through 1994. In 1997 a new Rogers organ was installed and dedicated by Gerald Wheeler.
Settled Pastors of this Church
A Brief History of the Christian Church
It is said that in order to know who one is, one needs to know from where one comes. And so, acknowledging the diversity of our present day membership, it may be important to consider the history of the Christian movement.
Of course, no small booklet can begin to capture the complexities and evolutions of the Christian church universal. And so this small article is in no way complete or comprehensive. It may, however, offer some suggestions for answers to the questions “Where does our church come from? What is our heritage?”
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, NRSV).
Some may trace the roots of the Christian movement to this moment in the ministry of Jesus, where Peter, the disciple, confessed his belief that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah. Others might see the Christian church as beginning at the spiritual awakening of the disciples at Pentecost (Acts 2). What we do know, however, is that early Christians were often persecuted by the cultures in which they lived, often because they didn’t participate in some of the customs and traditions (and frankly, the rules) that the surrounding cultures saw as necessary for their survival and affluence. And so, for centuries following the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christian movement was scattered, diverse, and often followed in secret.
Much of that changed, however, in the year 313 (CE) when Roman Emperor Constantine, a convert himself to Christianity, made a decree proclaiming religious tolerance throughout the empire. With the freedom to worship as Christians came significant development in the theology, faith, and order of the church.
There was, however, still conflict. Divisions among the church, particularly between Eastern regions (Greek) and Western regions (Roman) grew. Although the process was a long one, by the year 1064 there was a clear split between what we would come to know as the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern or Orthodox Christian church. This great schism is still recognized today as a major division within the Christian church.
Unfortunately, the East-West schism in the church did not stop controversy over faith and order. In a world where secular power was often intertwined with church authority, corruption and abuse was essentially inevitable. In the west, another great split came with the Protestant Reformation, often said to have begun when Martin Luther nailed his articles of protest to the door of a church in Germany in 1517. The reformation of the church would split Roman Catholics from new, “protestant” denominations, which themselves would split and reform and evolve to the many denominations of Christian religion that we find today.
One Branch of Reform
As we look back along our own heritage, we trace our ancestors back to England and the rule of Henry VIII. Unhappy with the interference of the Roman Catholic Church in his own marriage plans, Henry nationalized the church, making it into the Church of England. This brought church and state together, and for some believers, created insufferable problems. With the power of the state behind it, the church could punish, even execute, those who did not follow church leaders or dictates. And the church often suffered from the church bureaucracy, which, answering to the state, was often filled with incompetent or impenitent leaders.
Over time, a group of believers, mockingly called “puritans” by other believers, pushed for reforms in the Church of England. Some, forced into exile for their beliefs, traveled to Europe and learned from the great reformed theologians, including John Calvin. Returning to England with their reforms, they found a mixture of acceptance, rejection, and even persecution. Eventually, some puritans permanently fled England in search for religious freedom in the American Colonies. One such example is the Pilgrim movement, which came to what is now Massachusetts in 1620.
Eventually, many groups of puritans established communities in America, and particularly in New England. Puritans with strong separatist views (who rejected a church hierarchy controlled by others) formed the Congregationalist movement, and established many churches under a strong polity of self-governance and self-reliance, often with a strong Reformed theology. For assistance with sticky issues associated with church discipline, membership, and ordination, these churches formed “associations.” “Conferences” made up of groups of associations were also formed for educational and mission purposes, and loose national associations of Congregational churches were also formed. Eventually, through some efforts to re-unite some of the distinct Protestant denominations, the United Church of Christ would be formed in 1957. The UCC would consist of four “streams” of reformed churches, including many Congregational churches.
A Brief History of Our Church
Almost two centuries ago, between July 20 and July 26, 1820, a group known as an Ecclesiastical Council met here in the town of Castine. Now in the terms of a congregational church, an Ecclesiastical Council is a group a clergy and delegates from congregational churches in neighboring towns who gather for a particular purpose. They may be gathering to form a new church in a community. They might be examining a person who is a candidate for a pastor position at a church in order to determine if the person is fit for ministry. They may be gathering to hear a complaint about a settled minister, or to work out a conflict between a minister and his or her congregation. This is not a sitting committee or a group of elected officials; the council is formed for one purpose, and when that purpose has been met, the council adjourns.
For the purpose of this meeting in 1820, the council consisted of Jonathan Fisher, pastor of the Blue Hill church, and Joshua Wood, a delegate from Blue Hill; Mighill Blous, the Pastor of the Bucksport church; John Sweezey, a delegate from Bucksport; Deacon William Boyd, a delegate from the Bangor church, and Thomas Williams, pastor at the Brewer church.
The council listened as members of the First Congregational Society of Castine made a case against the pastor of that church, the Rev. William Mason, whom they believe had led the Castine church astray. “We fear the church in this place is not a church of Christ” they said. “We cannot receive the pastor of this church as a Gospel minister. He supports the foregoing causes of our difficulties.” They further stated that “We believe the church countenances erroneous and unscriptural sentiments”… that “discipline is neglected in the church;” and that “our difficulties in regard to the Pastor arise from our apprehensions that he is a stranger to vital piety.” (taken from TCP records.)
Having heard these arguments and other testimony, the council sent a delegation to Rev. Mason on July 26 to explain the situation and “receive any communication which they may think proper to make to them.” When this delegation returned without any comment from Rev. Mason or the church, the council voted to gather and acknowledge the dissenting members as “a Church of Christ in this town, in due form, according to usage” and proceeded to receive members from Castine and Penobscot. The council then “gave unto them the right hand of Fellowship, according to usage, and adjourned without delay.”
This is the beginning of the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine, the result of a schism in the church membership differing with the Unitarian leanings of the town’s Congregational church minister, Rev. Mason. The split wasn’t sudden, nor was it isolated to the Castine church. Actually, the Unitarian movement began primarily within the Congregational movement in New England during the 18th Century, and conflict was often present between Unitarian and Trinitarian factions. In 1805, Unitarians gained key faculty positions at Harvard University in Boston, which contributed to the tension. And in 1825 the American Unitarian Association was founded as a separate denomination. Congregations throughout New England would struggle with their identity following the schism, as evidenced in the decision in Castine to form a new church.
The new church, the Trinitarian Congregational Society of Castine had no permanent pastor and no home for eight years. In 1828, John Crosby of Andover Seminary (a seminary formed specifically as a result of the Harvard move toward Unitarianism) accepted an invitation to pastor the church for a salary of $600 a year. Until 1829, the church met in Castine’s courthouse, located on the town common where Witherle Memorial Library now stands. The land for the church building on Main Street was purchased from Joseph Bryant for $146, and the completed building was dedicated on October 6, 1829. The original building, called the Second Congregational or First Trinitarian, was a single story building with a short cupola.
In 1867, the building was rebuilt, raising the structure by nine feet and excavating an additional three feet in the basement and adding a new spire of 120 feet. A “new, finely toned bell, of about one thousand six hundred pounds weight, was presented by N. Wilson Brooks, Esq., of Detroit, Michigan. The cost of rebuilding, including everything else, was about twelve thousand dollars. The building, within and without, has no sign of its former self, and is commended by all for its convenience and comeliness, being an ornament to the village.” (Wheeler’s History of Castine, p. 111.)
On a November Sunday in 1872, the church caught fire. The fire in the furnace burned so fiercely that it ignited the lathing and studding in the cold air duct. A cold windy day made matters worse, but the fire was contained to the building, and damage was repaired at the expense of $1,200.
As an aside note, women were first allowed to take part in church meetings in 1876.
In 1878 the Samuel Adams House (103 Main Street) was given to the church as a parsonage by the Adams family. Samuel Adams was a deacon of the church for decades, and many of the Adams clan contributed much to the business, social, and spiritual life of Castine during the 19th century. The parsonage was sold by the church in 1986.
In 1890 an “Archback” four-face clock was purchased for installation in the steeple base. Sarah Perkins Johnston, who lived on upper Main Street, wanted a town clock with large, easy-to-read faces that would strike the hours and be heard all over town. When she died in 1889, Mrs. Johnston’s will included money for that town clock, and a special town meeting was called where residents gave selectmen authorization to accept the money. The Trinitarian Society agreed to have the clock placed in the church’s steeple.
E. Howard and Co. of Boston shipped a Number One striking clock with four dials (each six feet in diameter) to Castine, where it was duly installed. The machine, an elaborate brass and cast iron pendulum clock, was powered mechanically with hand-wound weights that were drawn up weekly. An outside clapper was installed on the church’s bell to ring the hours. For years the clock was wound by hand, usually by younger residents of the town who laboriously climbed the narrow ladder in the tower once a week. In 1993 the clock was restored with donations solicited from residents and visitors, and an automatic (electrified) winding device was installed. The clock is still maintained by the Town of Castine.
In 1896, Mrs. Arthur A. Devereux and Mrs. E. E. Philbrook began the “Book and Thimble” club at the church. “While this society has taken charge of the fairs held and public suppers given by the Trinitarian Congregational Society, it has also been a social success. As the title implies, the best readers entertain by reading from some interesting book, while those most nimble in the use of the needle, work on articles for the summer sale.” (Wheeler, p. 393). This group, which evolved into a missionary group, was the predecessor of today’s Dr. Mary Cushman Circle, which is still active at the church. (Note: Dr. Mary Cushman, a daughter of TCP pastor John Cushman (serving 1885 – 1901) was a pioneer in medical missionary work for 30 years, establishing a hospital in Angola.)
Also in 1896, the sanctuary of the Main Street church received a substantial redecoration and refurbishment. A popular pressed-tin decoration was installed over the entire ceiling and walls, covering the frescoes. An entirely new set of pews was installed, curved with wood finish instead of the squared, white box style. Additional stained glass windows were also installed.
In 1905-06 the State of Maine incorporated most churches, and the name of the Main Street church changed from “Trinitarian Society” to the “Trinitarian Parish,” then to the “Trinitarian Congregational Parish” church.
In 1844 a Methodist Chapel was constructed on Court Street in Castine facing the Town Common. In 1943, a decision was made to demolish the chapel, and the former Methodist Parish of Castine and the Trinitarian Parish brought their congregations together in federation, initially known as the “Trinitarian Parish Church-Federated of Castine.” All activities were consolidated at the Main Street church.
In 1967, further consolidation was needed in the Castine churches, and clergy representing the four protestant congregations in Castine: Episcopalian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, and Methodist (the federated pair) came together to function as the “Interchurch Parish of Castine.” This ecumenical effort was partially based on the need to account for scarce pastoral resources. Pastor Mervin Deems became its regular minister, performing the respective rites of service in each of the three churches.
The Interfaith Parish, however, was not to remain intact for long. In 1971 the Episcopalian element of the Interchurch Parish withdrew to return to their own services in the Episcopal Chapel on Perkins Street. In 1980, the Unitarian element of the Interchurch Parish returned to its own church services at their church on the Common. Although the Interfaith Parish would continue in name (as the continued federation of Methodist and Congregational members), eventually any distinction in membership was lost, and Methodist recognition of the parish would cease in the late 1990s. At this time the church resumed its historic name, the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine, and took up affiliation with the United Church of Christ.
In 1991 a substantial renovation project was undertaken on the vestry and kitchen, reinforcing the sanctuary floor and installing a new concrete vestry under-floor. This project would continue through 1994. In 1997 a new Rogers organ was installed and dedicated by Gerald Wheeler.
Settled Pastors of this Church
|
Pastor
John Crosby Wooster Parker Baruch Beckwith Daniel Sewall Alfred Ives Lewis Thomas W. W. Fay John Cushman George Lockwood Robert G. Harbutt George W. Patterson (Vacant) Richard Beyer Alfred Donnell John Britton Clark Lawrence Phelps (Vacant) Oscar Olsen Nelson Canfield Frank Pitman Ray True* Robert Simonton Alexander Loudon Mervin Deems* Marshall Eck* Denis Noonan* Wesley Woodman Sandra Reed William Freiderich Timothy Hall |
Year Called
1828 1832 1836 1845 1855 1878 1883 1885 1901 1904 1907 1915 1919 1919 1921 1922 1925 1928 1939 1942 1944 1946 1950 1966 1971 1976 1986 1988 2001 2011 |
Ended Ministry Here
1832 1836 1845 1854 1878 1882 1883 1901 1903 1907 1915 1919 1919 1920 1921 1925 1927 1939 1942 1944 1946 1950 1966 1971 1976 1986 1987 2000 2010 2021 |
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