1696 - Mather's Magnolia mentions an indian meeting house on the island.
1725 - About the time when our Old North Vestry was built on a hill overlooking the harbor, which is now Capaum Pond.
1765 - Vestry is dismantled and moved to approximately its current site
on
1795 - Tower built. About 75 members.
1800 - A 1000 pound bell is put in the steeple; the first such bell on the island.
1820 - Around 250 members. Very few males, most being off whaling.
1834 - The tower removed, and the Vestry moved to back of property to make room for the new church. The "big" church was built at a cost of $8000. It had 3 windows along each side.
1850 - The big church building was lengthened, the 4th window added to each side, and the ceiling and walls originally decorated (subsequently restored) as you see it today.
1880 - Major restoration and redecorating of the Vestry.
c. 1850 - Church tower removed.
1904 - The Steere organ of about 5 tons is installed. Cost = $2500. 1,914 pipes installed in 16 stops.
1968 - New tower (steeple) installed by helicopter into its present location.
1970 - Major restoration, including redecorating of the interior in the fashion of the tromp l'oeil originally put there
2004 - Major TLC, retuning and a few extra stops added to the Steere organ.
Since the coming of Timothy White, the first minister, in 1725, there have been 41 ministers. The longest term was that of Bezaleel Shaw - 28 years. The first woman minister was Miss Louise Baker who served from 1880 to 1888.
Our mission is to be a Christian community, inspired by our heritage and bound by our covenant, dedicated to caring for and welcoming all who are seeking a relationship with God, and to nurture Christians in their journey of faith.
We covenant, one with another, to seek and respond to the Word and the will off God. We will walk together in the way of the Lord,
made known and to be made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the church to witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the
world, while worshiping and striving for truth, justice and peace. As did our ancestors, we depend on the Holy Spirit to lead and
empower us. We pray for the coming of the
The above describes well who we are as a church, and this Covenant is recited upon the occasion of welcoming new members to our congregation.
It is our vision to build upon the church's proud history and traditions as a Christian faith community. As a loving family, we will find innovative and significant ways to worship and fellowship together. We will seek God's will in order to grow our congregation and promote the involvement of our church and its members in God's work, service, and ministry, both inwardly to our member families, and outwardly to our community and the world.
Adopted May 22, 2005