From the Minister - July 2008

This past month I have been spending most of my time working on writing a history of First Church, and have begun sending my first draft to readers for comment and critique. Depending on their feedback, I hope to have a final draft by the end of this month and will make final decisions about how to have it published. If it’s done by the end of August, I’d love to arrange a little book-signing party at the church, and will let everyone know. In any case, it seems like a worthwhile task to bring our history a little more up to date. Most of the books written about First Church end with the 1800's.

It has been a fascinating task. Often I have read about our predecessors struggling with the same kinds of problems we have today - care of the building, how to attract new members, and finding sources of support. But then I marvel at how they have persevered through very difficult times. Not only the church, but also the homes of most parishioners were burned after the Battle of Bunker Hill; and the whole congregation had to find other places to live. Yet they came back, rebuilt their homes and built a marvelous new meeting house - the one that is depicted on our note cards.

Many of you remember the terrible fire of 1957. Our 325th Anniversary had to be celebrated at St. John’s Episcopal Church, because our building was still in ruins. Yet you rebuilt again, and faithfully went about the work of the church. If there are any words of comfort and encouragement I could leave you with, they would be these: Trust in God, and be faithful. The rest will take care of itself.