History of the Church

history of the church

The First Congregational Church (FCC) has a rich history of uniting together with those of similar minds and spirits, which began with the coming together of settlers in a second floor auditorium, travels through many stages of building and growing through the years to end in the beautiful welcoming brick edifice we now occupy. Over the years the changes of time and demographics have caused the membership to grow and change in many ways. Founded on the principals of the New England town meeting, whose precepts follow those of the Magna Carta, FCC allows and encourages each member to participate through informed opinion and devoted action, both during its annual meeting and in its various activities and board functions during the year.

senior ministers

Martha R. Jacobs 2013 - present
Tom Lenhart 2006 - 2013
Elise Higginbotham 2004 - 2006 (Interim)
Timothy Ives 1988 - 2004
Richard E. Ryder 1977 - 1988
Vernon A. Loescher 1965 - 1976
Mark B. Strickland 1962 - 1964 (Interim)
Kenneth E. Nye 1947 -1961
William B. Soper 1943 - 1947
Galen E. Russell 1930 - 1943
William Bennett 1926 - 1929
Dow B. Beene 1920 - 1926
George H. Driver 1916 -1918
Otis Tiffany Barnes 1912 - 1916
John Huber 1911 - 1912

2007 - Present

The FCC of today celebrates our founding and remains a pillar of this community, as we also seek to serve the wider community. With the 2019 pandemic, we entered the technological age and started livestreaming our worship services. So, whether we are worshiping in our Sanctuary or outside or in our air conditioned Centennial Hall, we are staying connected to those both near and far.

Our congregation is diverse, although we welcome even more diversity as we seek to fulfill our Open and Affirming Statement that all are truly welcome. That was made abundantly clear when we called as our first openly gay and female Senior Minister, The Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs. Rev. Jacobs helped us revamp our by-laws and governance structure. She brought to FCC a spirit of welcoming and openness that was intentionally started by her predecessor, The Rev. Tom Lenhart. Rev. Lenhart led the congregation through its Open and Affirming process.

1960 - 2007

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The Rev. Dr. Timothy Ives was called by the Congregation in 1988. He preceded Rev. Lenhart. Rev. Ives followed The Rev. Richard Ryder, who served the congregation subsequent to the Rev. Dr. Vernon Loescher. Rev. Loescher’s tenure saw the revamping of the organizational structure of the church, establishing the Church Council as the main governing body and giving various boards the responsibility of managing various aspects of church life. The change in the area’s demographics marked the end of the population growth at FCC, which prompted the changes in the Church’s structure. Rev. Loescher replaced the beloved Dr. Kenneth Nye, who retired in 1961.

earlier church history

The FCC of today celebrates our founding in 1911 and remains a pillar of this community, as we also seek to serve the wider community. With the 2019 pandemic, we entered the technological age and started livestreaming our worship services. So, whether we are worshiping in our Sanctuary or outside or in our air conditioned Centennial Hall, we are staying connected to those both near and far.

Our congregation is diverse, although we welcome even more diversity as we seek to fulfill our Open and Affirming Statement that all are truly welcome. That was made abundantly clear when we called as our first openly gay and female Senior Minister, The Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs. Dr. Jacobs helped us revamp our by-laws and governance structure. She brought to FCC a spirit of welcoming and openness that was intentionally started by her predecessor, The Rev. Tom Lenhart. Rev. Lenhart led the Congregation through its Open and Affirming process in 2012, unanimously approving it in January of 2013.

The Rev. Dr. Timothy Ives was called by the Congregation in 1988. He preceded Rev. Lenhart. Rev. Ives followed The Rev. Richard Ryder, who served the Congregation subsequent to the Rev. Dr. Vernon Loescher. Rev. Loescher’s tenure saw the revamping of the organizational structure of the church, establishing the Church Council as the main governing body and giving various boards the responsibility of managing various aspects of Church life. Rev. Loescher replaced the beloved Dr. Kenneth Nye, who retired in 1961.

Our Church has had a long history of supporting our youth and children. The children have spurred mission and outreach work that has inspired our adults! They raised funds to donate “a gift ark” for Heifer International; helped rebuild communities from our more local disaster responses to working with Bridges to Communities; led an effort to raise funds for the Nyaka AIDS Orphans project with Author Twesigye Jackson Kaguri visiting FCC and speaking about his work to build schools, etc., for his village; supported local ASPCA needs; raised funds for Hospice of Westchester; and, most recently, are raising funds for The Fresh Air Fund. Each year they pick an organization that they want to support and the adults help them achieve their goal of helping others through supporting lemonade stands, bake sales, car washes, etc.

We continue to grow and change with the times and look forward to being in this community for another hundred plus years! Come join us in our efforts to create a place where, with open hearts and open hands, we care for each other and the wider world through prayer, connections and compassion.

To read our full history, please click here.

1911 - 1914

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The founding father of FCC was Emilie Barnes Turner. She and her husband, Spencer, were members of the Madison Avenue Reformed Church. It was she who, on August 19, 1911, called on Clyde Nisbeth to broach the idea of a Congregational Church in Chappaqua. In less than a month (September 11) a small group – Clyde Nisbeth, Henry Pratt, Samuel Thompson, Dr. W. W. Mills, and William R. Coffee – had met with Mrs. Turner at her home, and agreed on a letter to be sent to residents of the community. They invited people to have an open discussion as to the advisability of starting a Congregational Church in Chappaqua. 30 people attended. Their enthusiasm led them to “gather the congregation” on January 21, 1912. The Rev. John Huber assisted the congregation.

During the next months and years, the new congregation, faced with limited membership and resources, worked to develop a meaningful program for the existing members and new members. They also planned how to finance and build a new structure for the worship and work of the church since they were worshiping on the second floor of a building.

At the first Annual Meeting on April 27, 1912, the following officers were elected: Deacons: Clyde Nisbeth, Henry Pratt, Dr. W. W. Mills, Warren Matthews, E.C. Haviland, Fred Sutton; Treasurer: E. R. Pratt.

The Rev. Tiffany Otis Barnes, a graduate student at Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan, provided ministerial leadership until his death in 1918. The Barnes Memorial organ in the stone church (the first location of FCC) was dedicated to his memory.

In April of 1912, the Constitution was approved and discussions began on construction of a new worship space. Property on the northwest corner of Orchard Ridge and King Street was purchased for $2,700. Sufficient funds were raised by August, 1914, when the ground-breaking took place. The cornerstone containing a Bible, membership and Sunday school lists, pictures, a church calendar, and local newspapers, was laid on October 24, 1914. The stone church (as it came to be called) was literally built by members of the church.

1930 - 1960

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In 1930, the Rev. Galen Russell began a pastorate that focused on the importance of lay leadership. He and his wife were instrumental in sponsoring an interdenominational youth group for 15 to 25 year-olds known as the Hillside Club, the Men’s Club of Chappaqua, Girl Scout Troop #1, and the Quaintance Club (predecessor to the popular Couples’ Club of the 1960’s) and other activities that served to attract many new members. His tenure ended in 1943. Under various ministers, membership increased by 50% and the budget grew to almost $7000. Growth in the ensuing years forced the congregation to start considering finding a larger space. In 1945, a program was launched to fund the building of a new parish center.

The population increase (soon to be called the baby boom) caused the space-strapped church to send church school classes to the Friends Meeting House a block down King Street or the Baptist Church even further down the street. The arrival of The Rev. Dr. Ken Nye provided FCC with the impetus and excitement to embark on a project, which we now appreciate as our current worship space, at the other end of Orchard Ridge Road at Bedford Road.

The chronology for the new property and building was as follows:

February 28, 1948 – Congregation authorized purchase of property – $7,500
February 28, 1949 – Authorization of fundraising campaign – pledges were $79,000 received
May 30, 1950 – Construction of parish center authorized – $218,000
April 29, 1951 – Ground breaking service
September 23, 1951 – Cornerstone service for entire building (corner of Memorial Room)
September 1952 – Parish center completed
June 26, 1955 – Sanctuary completed

Many new classrooms for the church school and a new kitchen for the Women’s Society fostered even more activity and growth at FCC. These spaces and the Parish Hall were well used to house fund-raising dinners, Boy Scout Troop #2, the Christmas Fair and Barn Sale.

By the mid 1950’s, FCC had again outgrown its space and was holding two worship services and seating worshipers in the halls with loudspeakers transmitting the service to those who could not be accommodated in the Parish Hall. A church population of almost 1000 was worshiping in a space intended to accommodate about 250. In June 1955, a new sanctuary with an east-west aspect, a chancel for the organ and choir and link containing offices connecting it to the existing structure was dedicated. FCC became the social and spiritual hub of the Protestant community in the area.

Once the physical worship needs of the congregation were met, Dr. Nye, turned to improvement of its spiritual health. The Rev. Alfred D. Moore was called as Associate Minister of Visitation to assist Dr. Nye in ministering to the ever-increasing flock. In 1959, a much-needed increase in available church school space and the completion of office and choir and music rooms was undertaken. Membership had risen to nearly 1500 and Church School enrollment had swelled to almost 1000. In 1960, The Rev. Ed McLane arrived to sharpen the focus on Christian Education. He is perhaps most famous for his “Commuter Congregation” on the 7:05 train to Grand Central Station.

1960 - 1988

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The change of the area’s demographics marked the end of the population growth at FCC and the retirement of Dr. Nye, who was replaced in 1965 by The Rev. Dr. Vernon Loescher whose tenure saw the revamping of the organizational structure of the church, establishing the Church Council as the main governing body and giving various boards the responsibility of managing various aspects of church life.

Dr. Loescher was replaced in the mid 1970’s by The Rev. Richard Ryder. When Rev. Ryder decided to move to Florida in 1988, The Rev. Timothy Ives became FCC’s spiritual leader, followed, in 2007 by The Rev. Tom Lenhart. Under Rev. Lenhart’s leadership, in 2013, the church passed an Open and Affirming Statement, intentionally welcoming all people into our church. In 2014, the church called its first female Senior Minister and openly gay person, The Rev. Dr. Martha R. Jacobs.