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Special historic service at the the First Church of
Christ Congregational
Sunday, May 27th 2007
10:00AM
Bethany First Church of Christ Congregational
511 Amity Road
On Sunday, May 27th,
the Bethany First Church of Christ Congregational will hold
a special historic service at their regular worship time of
10:00 AM
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Please click on thumbnails to see
full sized images
Order of Worship
First Church of Christ Congregational
United Church of Christ
Bethany, CT
PENTECOST SUNDAY
MAY 27, 2007
A CHURCH SERVICE AFTER THE MANNER OF THE EARLY NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES
Sunday May 27, 2007
At 10:00 AM
THE FIRST CHURCH
On June 11th the Town of Bethany will celebrate its' one hundred and
seventy fifth birthday. Today,, we come to this place to do homage to the God
who through these many years has guided the destinies of our people. With some
modifications, the order of worship is essentially the same as the New England
Congregational Churches of the early 1700's would have followed.
ORDER OF PUBLICK WORSHIP
PENTECOST SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2007 -- 10:00 O'CLOCK
AFTER THE MANNER OF THE NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES IN THE EARLY
1700's
Sentry on Duty
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Kerry Meier |
Drumming to Worship
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Curtis Hayes |
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The original meetinghouse had neither bell nor belfry. Instead, as was
customary in Colonial days, a drummer from the local company summoned the
congregation to worship.
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Opening of Worship and Procession
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Richard Ives |
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The tithingman was an important functionary in the Colonial worship
service, opening and closing worship and maintaining discipline. At the rap of
his stick, the congregation will stand for the entrance of the deacons and
minister, and remain standing for the following prayer. The deacons will be
seated in the "Amen Corner."
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Opening Prayer
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It was the overwhelming conviction of the early Congregationalists that
"free prayers" and not "stilted forms" constituted the most acceptable mode of
worship to God. So steadfast was this conviction that they would not even
allow the Lord's Prayer too be used in worship.
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The Singing of a Hymn -- On Pentecost They
Gathered
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NCH272 |
(People turn and face choir)
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The Rev, Stephen J. Wasko |
Scripture Reading
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John 14:8-17. Our New England forefathers objected to reading the Bible in
publick without full explanation, calling it "dumb reading."
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The Long Prayer
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This was regarded as the point in the service where access unto God in free
worship was most fully enjoyed by the congregation.
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Announcement of the Text
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Acts 2:1-21 |
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As a mark of respect for the Scriptures, the congregation stood as the
minister "gave out" the text for the sermon.
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The Sermon
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"Birthdays" by the Rev. Stephen J. Wasko
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The Singing of a Psalm - O Be Joyful in the Lord
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UCC 371 Psalm 100 |
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Kweku Donkoh, Singing Master/Chorister. In the absence of books, the
Singing Master would "line out" the psalm by reading a line at a time. The
Chorister would then "set the tune." The congregation would follow line by
line. (People turn and face the choir)
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Bringing of the Offering
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Although the Church was established and therefore tax-supported, the
offering was part of the worship, symbolizing each person's thanksgiving and
re-dedication.
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Choir Anthem - Ave Vernum Corpus
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W.A. Mozart |
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The Doxology - Sung by the Congregation
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To Him who sits upon the Throne. The God whomm we adore,
And to the Lamb that once was slain, Be glory evermore,.
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The Singing of a Hymn - On God the Spirit We Rely
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UCC 149 |
(People turn and face choir)
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The Blessing
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According to early custom, the people would stand until the minister's
exit. The men, led by the deacons, would leave next, to protect the women and
children from the dangers of the wilderness.
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The Closing of Worship
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The Tithingman |
MINISTERS OF THE FIRST CHURCH
BETHANY, CT
1763-1804 |
Stephen Hawley |
1899 |
Philip J. Phelps |
1804-1806 |
Isaac Jones |
1901-1903 |
Shirley J. Case |
1809-1823 |
Nathanial G. Huntington |
1903-1904 |
John F. Johnstone |
1823-1827 |
Abraham Alling |
1904-1905 |
Fredrick L.H. Von Lubken |
1827-1828 |
Tillotson Babitt |
1905-1906 |
Otto W. Burtner |
1828-1830 |
Ephram G. Swift |
1906-1908 |
G. Douglas Milbury |
1830 |
B.C. Baldwin |
1908-1909 |
Elmer E. Burtner |
1830-1831 |
George Goodyear |
1909-1910 |
Herman H. Lindeman |
1831-1832 |
Nathanial W. Taylor, D.D. |
1910 |
Howard G. Parsons |
1832-1834 |
Jairus B. Kendall |
1911 |
Paul L. Kirby |
1834-1836 |
John B. Kendall |
1911-1912 |
Everett E. Bachelder |
1836 |
Erastus Colton |
1912-1913 |
James W. Newton |
1838 |
William H. Adams |
1913-1914 |
John W. Wright |
1839 |
John Churchill |
1914-1915 |
Ira Lemmon |
1840-1842 |
Saul Clark |
1915-1916 |
Arthur W. Barwick |
1842 |
Cyrus Brewsetr |
1916-1917 |
Fay E. Livengood |
1842-1843 |
George Thatcher |
1917-1918 |
Wallace Humiston |
1843-1848 |
Daniel B. Butts |
1919-1921 |
Oswald Goulter |
1849-1851 |
Fosdick Harrison |
1921-1922 |
Charles I. Stephanson |
1851-1854 |
Alexander Leadbetter |
1922-1925 |
J. Perry Prather |
1855-1860 |
Ebenezer W. Robinson |
1925-1927 |
G. Kelly Robinson |
1861-1864 |
Seth C. Brace |
1927-1929 |
James C. McLeod |
1864-1867 |
D.M.C. Elwood |
1929-1931 |
Henry Z. Bare |
1869-1870 |
S.W. Barnum |
1931-1933 |
Edgar L. Bell |
1871-1872 |
Cyrus B. Whitcomb |
1933-1935 |
Forrest C. Weir |
1875-1876 |
William L. Woodruff |
1935-1944 |
Alexander Duff Gordon |
1876-1877 |
Melvin C. Wood |
1944-1946 |
George K. Dreher |
1878 |
Charles H. Rickets |
1946-1948 |
Richard L. Heaton |
1880-1881 |
George Boothwell |
1948-1951 |
Iverson Graham |
1882-1884 |
J.C. Mitchell |
1951-1953 |
John H. Taylor |
1884-1885 |
George E. Paddock |
1953-1957 |
Malcom E. Gillespie |
1887-1888 |
John F. Nichols |
1958-1969 |
Raymond G. Putnam |
1892-1893 |
R.J. Thompson |
1970-1973 |
Charles Wildman |
1893-1894 |
John O. Jones |
1973-1990 |
William M. Reger |
1894-1895 |
John P. Deane |
1992-2000 |
Leigh G. McCaffrey |
1895-1896 |
Harry W. Johnson |
2002- |
Stephen J. Wasko |
1896-1899 |
Charles S. Macfarland |
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1899 |
Philip J. Phelps |
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Note from the Webmaster: Due
to camera problems, some of the photos are poor quality. If you would like
to contribute some photos, or would like to provide photo annotations,
please contact Ann Klatskin, Webmaster 
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