From the Pastor
I write this on the anniversary of the formation of the Barre Congregational Church. I have the date, November 14, 1799, posted in my office. It's a reminder of where this church has been, as we live into where we are going.
Rev. Leonard Tenney, the seventh pastor of the church, wrote: The Congregational church was organized Nov. 14, 1799, consisting of 12 members. The council called for the organization of the church was made up of Revs. Richard Ransom, of Woodstock, John Ransom, of Rochester, Jonathan Kinney, of Plainfield, and James Hobart, of Berlin, and Deacon William Wood, delegate from Woodstock. During the first 7 years the church had no settled pastor.
Don Allen reports that "over the four years construction was in progress the members were hard pressed to raise the four thousand dollars required - a sum over a fourth of all their combined resources. Only self-sacrifice made the building possible. Israel Wood offered one-third of all he possessed, and another member contributed funds saved for building his own home."
Four years - It sure puts this project into perspective. We are now sufficiently resourced that we were able to borrow the money for this present renovation, with a clear plan for repayment, without a fundraising campaign. Our forebears would have been amazed! Since Barre had only a couple of thousand residents in the early 1800's, the growth of this church was truly notable. By the end of Rev. Tenney's pastorate in 1881, there were 171 church members and 256 enrolled in the Sabbath School. The Sunday School, as most of us know it, was not even held in the church building, but in a former schoolhouse.
I know that many of you want to "get back to" the days when the Sanctuary was full and the congregation included lots of families with kids. Believe me, nothing would please me more. But unlike the days when "everyone" went to church (historians would remind us that did not include many poor people, who worked seven days a week), there is no magic formula for filling pews. A careful reading of Don Allen's treatise "Barre's Quest for Faith" makes clear that after every disaster; wars, plagues and economic depressions, the church had to re-tool and re-build. Even Mr. Allen's history was occasioned by the "100th anniversary of re-building the church". Now that we can start to envision the building in a finished state, we need to start rebuilding the relationships that create growth. Let me be clear - nothing I say or do in the pulpit is going to magically grow the church. There is no substitute for you talking to friends and neighbors and family about our church and why it is important to you, and inviting people to come to activities with you.
Our forebears made herculean sacrifices to ensure that there would be a Congregational church in Barre. Those six men and women believed in this church, even before there was a building. Two hundred years later, Don Allen loved this church enough to write its history, and ensure its survival with his gifts. Now it's up to us to re-build it after this pandemic, for those who are to come. May we write a faithful new chapter of this very old story.
Gratefully,
Pastor Leigh
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