MANCHESTER — Off the village green sits a tall white church that has been there since the early 1800s. And to this day, its steeple has been beacon for boats in the harbor, commercial planes flying overhead and people driving or walking through the center of town.
At 115 feet tall it is the town's tallest building and its bell — which rings before and after every service — can be heard from 21âÑ2 miles away.
This Sunday, First Parish Church, Congregational, in Manchester will celebrate the 200th anniversary of its building, which once served as the town's fourth meeting house, in a rededication service at 10 a.m. The building was built in 1809, the year Abraham Lincoln was born, by local shipwrights, furniture makers and townspeople for the total cost $8,500 and was used for religious, social and political gatherings.
Its design was inspired by a pattern book which gave the building its signature Federal style architecture. It is thought to have been designed by Jacob Smith of Ipswich, who also designed the Universalist Meeting House in Gloucester several years earlier, according to the Manchester Historical Society.
The church congregation was founded in 1716 with a membership of nine men and 10 women. The town owned the building up until 1844, when the parish bought it for the assessed value of $3,000.
"It is an icon of the town's history," said John Round, a church member who lives on Greenbrier Road. "It is a centerpiece for the town."
The celebration will include music offered by the churches' junior, senior and church school choirs and a special hymn has been written by the Rev. Llewellyn Smith, a longtime Manchester resident and member of the church who has worked as a pastor at other local churches. The message and meditation will be given by the Rev. John Hughes, with an overview of the history and mission of "the Church on the Village Green," as it was once known.
A coffee reception will follow the service. A cake in the shape of the structure of the church will be served.
The date of the first dedication of the building is unknown but records say it "was dedicated to the worship, the glory, and the praise of God at Thanksgiving time," Hughes said. That is why the church decided to have the rededication ceremony this weekend. This church has held several other events throughout the year to celebrate this landmark anniversary.
During the church's 100th anniversary, William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States who vacationed in nearby Beverly, joined in the celebration. But this time around, the congregation opted to have a more simple celebration and decided not to invite any politicians, although President Obama is a member of the United Church of Christ — the denomination of First Parish as well.
"That is not what we wanted this time around," said Hughes. "It is a different time and the community wanted a more simple, low-key celebration."
In 1983, the steeple, topped by a rooster weathervane, became unsafe and was taken down to be restored. Hughes said that Delta airlines called him shortly after it was taken down to ask what happened to the steeple; the company's pilots use the spire as a landmark to turn east when heading to Europe, Hughes said.
The town owned the clocks on the building up until 1990, when the town sold them to the church for $1.
Hughes, who is going on his 30th year at the church, said the building's outside and inside still looks a lot as it did in 1800s. He mentioned the pews, the restored organ and old cross-beam locks on the doors as efforts to preserve the church history.
"In these old churches, they don't remove anything, they add to them," said Hughes. "That is why this building is a treasure in town."
"I like the history," he said. "The community has worked to keep the building pristine, and to maintain a building like this takes commitment from the community.
Jonathan Phelps may be contacted at 978-283-7000 x3447 or gt_reporter@gloucestertimes.com.
