A History of Worship
Religious Freedom
The First Church. Preaching the Gospel of Jesus.
29 Howard St., P.O. Box 361, West Bridgewater, MA 02379
Sunday worship, 10:00 a.m. Established 1651
Bible study on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. (508) 587-3118
We respect everyone's personal religious beliefs, and do not impose any creed or doctrinal test.
We hold a number of meals, events, a Farmer's Market, and a Fall Fair to foster fellowship and to maintain connection with the community.
Our congregation was formed in 1651, formed by Pilgrims who had left Duxbury, MA. The church was Congregationalist, and our first long-time minister was James Keith, who preached his inaugural sermon at Pulpit Rock, Memorial Park, in 1652. He served until 1719. The next minister, Daniel Perkins, served all the way to 1782.
In the 1820s there was considerable theological dispute within Congregationlist circles, with much debate surrounding Calvin's doctrines. Our church voted to identify as Unitarian, and a number of Trinitarians departed to join other churches. But the separation proved to be temporary (though lasting over a century). Something extraordinary happened in 1954: the merger of a Unitarian and a Congregational church. We changed our name to The First Congregational-Unitarian Church, subsequently changed to The First Church. We maintain links to both the UCC and the UUA.