The Federated Church of Willington - Willington, CT
N 41° 52.526 W 072° 15.878
18T E 726987 N 4639564
The 1829 Baptist Meetinghouse became the Federated Church of Willington when the Baptist and Congregational churches merged in Willington, Connecticut, USA.
Waymark Code: WM654K
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 04/04/2009
Views: 8
The following history of the church is from
The Federated Church of Willington website:
The Congregational, or Town Church, has existed from 1727 to 1728, or soon after the incorporation of the town. The Willington Baptist Church was organized on December 18,1828. The Willington Baptist Society proceeded at once to create facilities for public worship and a new meeting house was erected in 1828 which is now known as the Hill Church at the Town Green on Willington Hill.
The Congregational Church, greatly weakened in number but not in spirit, continued its independent existence across the common, while the Baptist Church grew and flourished until approximately 1873 when South Willington began showing prospects of becoming the industrial center of the town.
Baptist services were held on the second floor of the general store in South Willington as well as the Hill Church from 1876 until the completion of the Clara Memorial Church in 1911.
The two churches continued their separate existence of usefulness until 1911. At that time, The Rev. Earl Darrow was pastor of the Baptist Church. There was no pastor at the Congregational Church. It was thought advisable to unite the two churches. A committee was appointed from each church to meet together, and after much careful and prayerful though, Articles of Federation were drawn up and presented to the Churches. These articles which united the two churches in worship and service, but allowed each to retain its own separate organization, were accepted by the two churches on June 12, 1911, the first such union in the History of Connecticut. They are now known as “The Federated Church of Willington”.
On June 5th, 1910, ground was broken in South Willington for the building of a new church. A large gathering assembled for this memorial occasion. Then on October 15th, 1910, the corner stone was laid under auspicious circumstances. Gradually the new edifice rose until it was completed and dedicated October 22nd, 1911. All Willington rejoiced and the people were proud and happy, for at last, a long felt need had been met.
Worship services, however, are still held at the old church from May through mid-September, while worship services are held at the new (1911) church from mid-September through April. Part of the old church now houses the Willington Nursery Cooperative.
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