USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Chester > The First Congregational Church of Chester, Skyline Trail, Chester, Massachusetts > Part 3
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In 1958 the church lost the use of the former school room when the town suddenly decided to use the room as a garage for the district fire truck; up to that time it had been used regularly for Sunday School classes although suppers had been transferred to
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Church Kitchen in Basement of Church
Interior of Social Rooms
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the modern social room and kitchen. Winter church services, which also were held in the school room, thus had to be relocated. Most of the time they have been held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Oppenheimer -- the old Ingell homestead, another of the oldest houses in town. This is on Skyline Trail, about two miles north of the meeting house.
On December 16, 1958, The First Congregational Church of Chester, Massachusetts, was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Earlier, on November 14, the First Religious Society turned over all its assets to the First Congregational Church. New By-Laws for the church were un- animously adopted. At the annual town meeting on February 14, 1959, the town of Chester voted to relinquish all rights to the land and building occupied by the First Congregational Church, so the meeting house with surrounding land, about four acres on the westerly side of Skyline Trail and the southerly side of Ly- man Road, passed into complete control of the church. Thus was consummated the "separation of church and state" as far as this church is concerned.
One of the biggest boosts in membership in this church in recent years occurred on August 23, 1959 when Senior Deacon Joseph M. Sherwood received into regular church membership Alfred Leroy Jones, and into associate membership the follow- ing persons: Harold Albert Bardsley, Vida Valentine Bardsley, Alva John Rhines, Ada Elizabeth Rhines, William John Call, Margaret Brown Call, John Edward Irwin, Marjorie Mott Ir- win, Ann Elizabeth Irwin, Margaret Lucinda Mensel, John Hyde Mensel, and Anita Mensel. Margaret Mensel passed away in December, 1961.
On January 8, 1961, Rev. William J. Call resigned his position as pastor of this church to enter the missionary field in North Africa. Mr. John R. Shears was appointed minister in Mr. Call's place. After extensive study in this country, Mr. and Mrs. Call and their two-year-old son Billy sailed from New York on the U.S.S. "Independence" on October 18; a delegation from this and surrounding churches, totalling about 65 in number, attended a devotional service on board ship just before it sailed. Their first tour of duty in North Africa will last four years.
As the 200th anniversary year drew nearer, the church began laying plans for a suitable observance of the occasion. The town was invited to participate in the activities, and the work of "sprucing up" the meeting house was begun. Flagstones for a walk from the parking area to the front doors were donated, and Alfred Jones undertook the task of laying them -- in a snow- storm -- but the job was acomplished in time for Palm Sunday, 1962.
A new Conn electronic organ was offered to the church for less than half the retail value; after lengthy discussion it was voted to purchase it, although the money was badly needed for other projects; the organ was installed in the meeting house on May 29, 1962. Included with the organ are chimes and an amplifier so music may be played from the steeple. The majority had
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Women of the church including summer residents who help on church work. Front, l. to r .: Mrs. Joseph Sherwood, Ann Irwin, Mrs. Gertrude Bowen, Mrs. Robert Oppenheimer, Mrs. Leon Kelso, Mrs. Clarence Avery. Back: Miss Mar- garet Mencel (deceased), Mrs. Eva Howard, Mrs. John Irwin.
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Trustees and Church Deacons - Left to right: Trustee Harris Blanchard (deceased), Deacon Joseph Sherwood, Trustee Mrs. Frederick Ferry, Deacon Clarence Avery, and Trustee Leon Kelso (deceased).
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faith that a way would be found to enable the other work to be done also. Letters and cards were sent out to every person who had even been connected with or interested in the church, and the response was gratifying.
It was voted to paint the meeting house, both outside and inside -- the outside white, the inside light green. Later on it was de- cided to change the inside color to a light stone gray -- one advantage being that when cracks would again appear in the paint they would not be so noticeable as with the green. And cracks are bound to appear, with the movement of the building when wintry winds howl, and when there is no heat in the building.
To enable the social room to be used during the winter months, and with the idea of holding winter church services there, it was voted to install a Janitrol gas heater. This was installed in September, 1962, before cold weather arrived. If this proves satisfactory in the social room, the same type of heating will be considered for the sanctuary.
In their zeal for the material welfare of their church, however, members have not been remiss toward the spiritual needs of those who visit it. Roger Bacon, noted statistician, has written an entire book, "Before Making Important Decisions," on the advantage to people of a community of having a church whose doors are always open, where one may come at any time to med- itate, to pray, to seek retreat.
Evidently members of this church have sensed this need, for a small note on the meeting house door informs all comers, "Welcome to this House of God. Our doors are never locked." For fear there may be those who do not know the small trick of opening those broad white front doors, a few words have been added: "To open, turn knob to the right, pull on left door handle. Please sign our guest register."
A glance at the register proves that many have accepted that cordial invitation, doubtless to find in its quiet, tinted interior the help, the comfort, the sense of balance so much needed in these harried days. How good that there are those today who carry on the traditions of the men who built the FIRST Meeting House on Chester Hill!
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Left to right: Rev. William Call, Mrs. Call and Joseph Sherwood. Our Missionaries in North Africa saying good-bye to Mr. Sherwood.
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Ministers of the First Congregational Church of Chester
Years
Simeon Miller
1768
Asahel Hart
1769
Aaron Bascom
Dec. 20, 1769 - Aug., 1814 45
Samuel M. Emmerson
Feb. 1, 1815 - Dec. 10, 1817 2
Supply Pastors
1817-1819
Rufus Pomeroy
Nov. 20, 1819 - June 27, 1827
8
Saul Clark
Nov. 11, 1829 - Apr. 20, 1834
5
S. W. Edson
1838-1841
3
Francis E. Warriner
Sept. 29, 1841 - June 22, 1847 6
2
H. Bingham
May 8, 1849 - 1850
1
Mr. Norton
Mar. 20, 1851 - 1852
1
David S. Breed
Jan. 1, 1853 - Dec. 1, 1855
3
Hugh Gibson
Apr. 28, 1856 - June 11, 1860
4
Francis E. Warriner
Nov. 6, 1860 - May 7, 1866 1866
6
F. Avery
Mr. Walker
1866-1867
1
Henry A. Dickinson
Mar. 17, 1867 - Apr. 8, 1877
10
Loring B. Marsh
Dec. 1, 1877 - Apr. 1, 1883
6
Charles Morgan
Aug. 5, 1883 - Oct. 1, 1888 5
1
Hiram L. Howard
June 16, 1889 - Dec. 29, 1889
W. C. Hawthorne
Aug. 23, 1891 - Aug. 28, 1892
1
Edward Chalmers Haynes Calvin Chase
July 1, 1893 - July 2, 1899
6
Thomas W. Davison
Jan. 20, 1900 - Apr. 3, 1901
1
William M. Weeks
May 26, 1901 - 1904
3
Arthur C. Hodges
1904 - June 18, 1905
1
G. A. Curtis Mr. Ball
Jan. 7, 1906 - Sept. 25, 1906 1907
G. L. Dickinson
May 12, 1907 - Oct. 1, 1908 1
E. P. Seymour Edward A. M. Briggs
June 9, 1912 - Oct. 1, 1917
5
William Snape
Dec., 1918 - July 6, 1919
Oct. 1, 1920 - Oct. 1, 1921 1
Oct. 1, 1921 - July 28, 1929 8
(No services from July 28, 1929,
to July 5, 1931)
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1931 - Mar. 1, 1936 5
Jan. 1, 1937 - Apr. 13, 1940 3
Sept. 1, 1940 - Oct. 31, 1942 2
Aug. 1, 1943 - Nov. 16, 1947 4
Mar. 21, 1948 - Dec. 31, 1952 4
Jan. 1, 1953 - May 31, 1953
June 1, 1953 - Sept. 1, 1955 2
Oct. 1, 1955 - Sept. 30, 1958 3
July 13, 1959 - Jan. 8, 1961 2
Jan. 29, 1961 -
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Mr. Fletcher (Blind) C. Francis Anderson Albert V. House, DD James H. Burckes A. Rawson Holgate P. Yesu Rathnam Harold A. Bardsley Ralph J. Capolungo Wilfred J. LaPoint William J. Call John R. Shears
Oct. 18, 1908 - Apr. 28, 1912 4
Mr. Rockwood Alva J. Rhines
Sept., 1899 - Dec., 1899
Albert Bisbee
1888-1889
Nov. 18, 1834 - Feb. 7, 1838 4
Alanson Alvord
Mr. Starkweather
Oct. 1847 - 1849
The First Congregational Church of Chester
MEMBERS
*Avery, Clarence V.
*Avery, Minnie T. Avery, Glenn M. Berger, Esther S.
*Blanchard, Corabel J.
Blanchard, W. Edwin Blanchard, Dorothy L. Broga, Gertrude S. Donovan, Pauline A.
Dyer, Barbara H.
Ellis, Elsie DeWolf Ferry, Frederick L.
*Jones, Alfred L.
*Kelso, Elizabeth M.
*Lang, Charles F.
*Meacham, Sadie G.
*Meacham, Welcome L.
*Oppenheimer, Grace B.
*Oppenheimer, Robert H.
*Oppenheimer, Susan G.
*Oppenheimer, Wayne R. *Schenna, Geneive S.
*Schenna, George A.
*Sherwood, Grace K.
*Sherwood, Joseph M.
*Warren, Phyllis G. Scott, Emity D.
*Active Members
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Bardsley, Rev. Harold A.
Bardsley, Vida V.
Call, Margaret B.
Call, Rev. William
Irwin, John E.
Irwin, Marjorie M.
Irwin, Ann E.
Mensel, Anita
Mensel, John H.
Rhines, Ada E.
Rhines, Alva J.
Shears, Rev. John R.
Shears, Carolyn J.
IN MEMORY
Kelso, Leon J.
Mensel, Margaret L.
Blanchard, Harris P.
MISSIONARIES
Call, Margaret B. Call, Rev. William
CHURCH OFFICERS
PASTOR CLERK
TREASURER
TRUSTEES
DEACON
AUDITOR ORGANIST ASST. ORGANIST
Rev. John R. Shears Joseph M. Sherwood Joseph M. Sherwood George A. Schenna John E. Irwin Grace B. Oppenheimer Joseph M. Sherwood Clarence V. Avery Robert H. Oppenheimer Ida B. Eames
Amy Scott
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*
Church and Cemetery
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We wish particularly to remember the labour of love rendered by the late Harris P. Blanchard in compiling this excellent history of our church. His faithful dedica- tion to the promotion and welfare of this church will live long in the hearts of all who knew him. To him, and all who with him have made this church a living reality through their sacrificial gifts and dedica- ted service, we say, "Well done thou good and faithful servants."
We are indebted to Miss Inez May Elder of Hartford, Conn., and to Mrs. Irene Merrill Mason of Blandford, Mass., for their valued assistance in writing this history and checking it for historical ac- curacy.
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