United Congregational Church in Norwich, CT
Built in 1857, the home of United Congregational Church has a beautiful classic worship area with seating for 300 on the Broadway street level.
A modern fellowship hall with full kitchen faciliities occupies the lower level of the building. Off the hall are updated Sunday School rooms and the church's offices. The hall has a stage at one end and a formal reception area with a unique oval shape. The hall accomodates up to 150 for dinners and events.
United Congregational Church is located at 87 Broadway in Norwich, CT. The church is just across Broadway from Norwich City Hall, with plenty of parking in an adjacent lot.
For more information, call (860) 889-1363
Rev. Eaton has been the pastor since 1995 and previously served churches in Washington, Wisconsin and Michigan. "I love watching people and churches grow", he has said. Along with his wife Jacquelyn and daughter May, Rev. Eaton is an active member of the Norwich community and publishes the newsletter for Noriwch Renaissance. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Three Rivers Community College where he lectures in Sociology. In addition to serving as the pastor of United, Rev. Eaton is the Editor of The Congregationalist, the magazine of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.
Maggie has directed music at United for more than a decade (with some breaks!). She is a member of the American Guild of Organists and a music teacher at t he Integrated Day Charter School.
Robin has been at the center of administration at United for nine years. She oversees everything from ordering suppliels to designing and printing publications.
Melissa joined us in 2005 as the Interim Director of the Mayflower Montessori School. She became the Director and as her responsibilities increased, the director of all our programs for children. Melissa is easily spotted: she's the one with the big smile and the kids clustered around
Angelique cares for our building and also coordinates the work of the whole Sunday School. Working with Paula and Jen, Aangelique plans how our curriculum will be used and can often be found in the kitchen on Sunday morning getting the snack of the day ready. Angelique works with our Juniors (ages 10-13).
It takes a special person to care for infants and toddlers and Paula has been that person in our church family for some time. Her quiet patience wins overe both babies and parents!
Congregational Churches began as a movement in England during Shakespeare's time as people began to seek a warmer, more personal faith. They began to study the Bible and to pray and meet together. They came to be called Congregationalists because of their emphasis on the completeness of the local congregation. Their churches were organized around a covenant and they elected their own officers, including the minister. Often persecuted by the government, many fled to Holland and later came to America on the Mayflower. Others followed and Congregational Churches took root in New England.
Norwich was settled by Congregationalists in 1659 and they carried the democracy of their church into community life. As more settlements grew up around the port, a new church was organized in 1760 in that area called Second Congregational Church. This Church supported the American Revolution and sponsored ministries with Native Americans. In 1842, it had grown so large that it formed a new downtown congregation called the Broadway Church.
The Broadway Church built our present meeting house and was powerfully involved in helping to educate people and in the anti-slavery movement. Abraham Lincoln visited before his election and the church was the founder of the Norwich Free Academy. Other schools were opened around the city for the children of former slaves.
While the Broadway Church flourished, Second Congregational did not. In 1919 the two were merged into the United Congregational Church. This congregation continued the tradition of involvement in community affairs and education. Many Congregational Churches joined the United Church of Christ in the 1960's but United Church did not and became a part of a continuing Congregational group called the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.
(860) 889-1363 Voice
(860) 887-5715 Fax
87 Broadway
Norwich, CT 06360
We Covenant with the Lord and one with another; and bind ourselves in the presence of God, to walk together in all God’s ways, according as these are revealed to us in God’s Blessed word and through God’s law that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind, all our spirit, and our neighbor as ourselves.
Copyright 2004 United Congregational Church All Rights Reserved
Updated January 5, 2004 12:59 PM
