WHO WE ARE

Sharon Congregational Church is an historic, independent church dating back to our founding in 1739. We have always been Congregational in our leadership style and in 1961 joined other Congregational church in becoming a new denomination, made up of churches from four different historic traditions. In 2018 the Lord led us to leave that denomination over several issues related to how God’s Word teaches and directs us to believe and live. Since then, we have been pastored by a minister from the Evangelical Association, a Baptist pastor and our current minister is ordained in the conservative Presbyterian Church. We still operate as a congregational church, we have an Executive Council that oversees day to day operations, but our direction and decisions are done by a congregational vote. We are rediscovering our early Creedal and Confessional roots; our focus is to be Christ honoring and caring to our community.

While we are certainly an historic church, our mission is continually refined by the call of Jesus to be His light in the world today. We don’t rest on our laurels; rather we stand on a firm foundation that allows us to proclaim, in action and in words, a new vitality of faith and adventure as we live the life that Jesus gives us. Every day we seek to listen to those who are suffering, those who struggle and those who want to find a new direction and power for their lives. This is not your typical congregational church and it certainly isn’t conventional. Through fresh inspiration, we are discovering dynamic worship and service that allow every man, woman and child to draw nearer to Jesus. We may not be a large church, but we are surely a living church looking to the future with resolve, hopefulness and joy.

Highlights

1739 Organization of the town and church

1742 Erection of the first meeting house

1755 Ordination of Cotton Mather Smith: 52 year pastorate

1768 Erection of the second meeting house

1770 Visit of the great evangelist, Reverend George Whitfield

1823 Great religious revival: 199 persons joined the church

1824 Present meeting house built

1863 Renovation of the sanctuary: church closed for nine months

1939 Tracker organ relocated to the gallery

1955 Erection of the church house at a cost of $90,000

1961 Vote to join the United Church of Christ

1989 250th anniversary celebration

2007 Name changed from First Church of Christ Congregational to Sharon Congregational Church

2016 Vote to become an independent church