HOULTON, Maine — After more than 200 years, Houlton’s first Christian congregation is closing its doors.
The First Congregational Church of Houlton, United Church of Christ, will hold its final worship, “A Service of Celebration and Leave-Taking,” at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, in the sanctuary of the Houlton Unitarian Universalist Church, 61 Military St.
“The church was the first Christian congregation in Houlton, gathered on Oct. 10, 1811,” explained Rev. Dale Holden, a retired reverend for the church. “At that time Maine was still part of Massachusetts which had a law that no town could be incorporated until it had established a Congregational Church.”
This local church first worshiped in private homes in Houlton, and then in several buildings, including an edifice on Court Street that burned down in the 1950s. Following the fire, the group met with the Unitarians for 15 years; gathered in the chapel of the former Presbyterian building on the corner of High and Military streets, and eventually settled in the rebuilt Fair Street School from 1972 to 2011.
HOULTON, Maine — July 30, 2021 — This undated photograph depicts the former site of the Houlton Congregational Church in Houlton. (Photo courtesy of David Hutchinson)
The Church closed the doors to its sanctuary in 2011 and since then has rented space back in the Unitarian Universalist building, with services led by lay people and other local clergy. However, the group has not gathered as a congregation since March 8, 2020, because of COVID-19.
The final service on Aug. 8 will feature several guest speakers, including former pastors, and a representative from the State Conference.
“Most of our noted members have passed on,” Rev. Holden said. “The few of us left are in our 70s, 80s and one is 90.”
The community is invited to attend the service and the reception that follows, around noon. For information, call Rev. Dale Holden at 207-532-7165.
