NORWICH – The First Baptist Church at 10 W. Park Place in the City of Norwich has long been a staple in the local community, providing residents with traditions rooted in Biblical beliefs in addition to a variety of invaluable community services.
This year, as the City of Norwich celebrates its centennial, the First Baptist Church is honoring a milestone of its own – 200 years as an organization in the heart of the city.
Founded in 1814, the First Baptist Church of Norwich precedes many original founders of the surrounding community. And while the organization has seen a considerable amount of change over the last 200 years, today’s church members say their mission is the one thing that remains the same.
“We chose to make this a year-long celebration as we not only look at all the church has accomplished in the past, but also look forward to the future and the next 200, 300 or 400 years we’re here,” said David Spiegel, Pastor at the First Baptist Church.
To commemorate the 200-year benchmark, church members have established a bicentennial committee to lead a number of celebratory events throughout the year, including a formal celebration on July 26 and 27, and special Sunday services with keynote speakers, many of whom are past leaders of the church, leading up to the event.
“We have accomplished a lot over the last 200 years,” said Bicentennial Committee Co-Chairman Gilbert Harrington, noting the First Baptist Church has been a part of downtown Norwich since James Madison was President. “Just think of all the history this church has seen.”
Although the stone church building on West Park Place was not constructed until 1845, the church itself began as a group of 15 Norwich residents gathered in the house of Jebadiah Randall on the corner of Hickok Avenue and South Broad Street to sign the Articles of Faith and the church covenant in August, 1814. “That house is still there today,” Harrington pointed out.
Three years later, church members constructed a wooden church building on East Main Street near the town square, currently the location of East Park. Decades later, members took up an effort to construct the stone building that currently stands on West Park Place at the cost of $9,000. During construction, the wooden church on the east side of the village burned, and church members met at the Chenango County Courthouse until construction of the stone building was completed.
Since then, the stone church building, comprised of stone from the nearby quarry and from Canasawacta Creek in Norwich, has undergone a number of physical alterations. A bell was installed in the belfry in 1849 (which served as a call to worship and a fire alarm for the city); a second story was added to the east side of the building to accommodate the organ and choir in 1868; a steeple was constructed in 1886; and stained glass windows were installed in 1924.
But according to Bicentennial Committee Co-Chair Robert Handy, who has been a member of the church for more than 50 years, some of the most noticeable changes to the building occurred in the later half of the 20th century.
“The steeple of the church was taken down in 1940,” Handy said, citing heavy winds that damaged the structure over the years, making it unsafe to stay atop the building. Likewise, the belfry was removed due to structural damage in 1966.
By September, 1965, the organization had grown significantly and saw a need to expand. Members agreed to build an addition to the building that would include a new kitchen, pastor and secretary’s office, and a fellowship hall. But plans were disrupted in 1966, when the ceiling of the building collapsed over the church nave, destroying pews, the communion table and the church pulpit.
“The day before the ceiling collapsed, we were holding a fundraiser for the addition,” Handy said, recalling the event. “We were ringing the bell to celebrate and we always wondered if ringing the bell added to the damage of the structure.”
In spite of the setback, members pulled together to repair the ceiling and follow through with plans to add the proposed addition. The new rooms were open and the restored nave was dedicated the following year.
While the church has had its share of physical changes over the years, the late 1980’s brought a new kind of change. In an effort to reach out to youth in the community, the church established a program center that invited youth into the building for games, mentorship and other activities that provided a safe place where youth could meet. The program took the name “The Place,” and quickly earned national praise in 1988, when it was bestowed an award of recognition and a feature article in Guidepost Magazine.
Today, The Place continues to serve the area with a mission to help youth reach their full potential as they become responsible, contributing members of society.
The First Baptist Church bicentennial coincides with a number of milestones in the City of Norwich in 2014, including the City of Norwich centennial, as well as the 100th anniversary for the Colonia Theater and the Jewish Center on South Broad Street.
The First Baptist Church is currently selling medallions for $15 each plus shipping to commemorate its 200th anniversary. Anyone interested in purchasing one should call 334-2509.
Said Spiegel, “Not a lot of organizations in the area can say they have been around for 200 years. We have come to the realization that it took some faithful people taking some pretty bold steps to get this far.”