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Image provided by: Chappaqua Library
12 • NEW CASTLE ~NEWS, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1945 The First Congregational Church of Chappaqua A humble idea, often fills the unvoiced needs and wishes of many people and bears fruit far beyond the hopes of its originator. Certainly it was a simple enough idea which Mrs. Emille B. Miller took with her that warm 19th of August, 1911 for Clyde Nisbeth to consider. Probably when she thought of establishing a Congregational Church in Chappaqua neither she, nor Clyde Nisbeth, ever envisaged a parish 400 strong. The two merely agreed they would like to try to start a small church. they After due consideration called upon a few of their friends for ideas and assistance. Mr. Henry Pratt, Mr. Samuel Thomp son, Dr. W. W. Mills and Wil liam R. Coffee, together with Clyde Nisbeth, met at Mrs. Mil ler's house on September 11, 1911 and agreed to issue the fol lowing invitation to the com munity at large. As the invita tion shows, they had done a lot of planning, a lot of discussing in a bare four weeks. You are cordially invited to attend a special Church serv ice on Sunday afternoon, September 17th, at 3:30 o'clock. Upon the invitation of several residents of Chap paqua, Rev. Arthur O. Prit- chard, one of the Pastors of the Westchester Congrega tional Church, will speak After the church service, there will follow an opportu nity for free and open dis cussion of the advisability of starting a Congregational Church in Chappaqua. The Pastors of the flourishing Westchester Congregational Church of White Plains and Scarsdale have been consult ed and have expressed their enthusiasm over the outlook and their willingness to co operate. The three Congregations of that Church, known as White Plains, Scarsdale and Chat- terton Hill, have all gro\wn up in the past ten years, showing us what can be done. At this meeting, held in the cordial little Baptist Church, thirty people voted to support the new movement, to continue meeting for six months, and then to organize a formal church if it appeared advisable. W. T. Lee, Warner Matthews and Roy Love- grove were added to the original steering committee at the same meeting. Church Meets in Hyatt's Auditorium Every Sunday thereafter the small group met in Hyatt's Auditorium, that old^ cement building which once stood where the Grand Union now stands and which housed the Town Offices and the United States Post Of fice. The plan of a trial six months just seemed to disappear and on January 21, 1912, under the influence and help of the Reverend John J. Huber, the Congregational Church of Chap paqua was duly organized as such. On January 27th, thirty-seven Charter Members were received into the Church, twenty-four by profession of faith, thirteen by letter. In July of that year the Church was incorporated and in October, under the leadership of Rev. O. T. Barnes, the little church joined the Congregation al Fellowship. On the 24th of that month, at 4 in the after noon, eleven sister churches met in Hyatt's Auditorium to recog nize the Chappaqua Church. The Church members had ac complished many other things by that same October. By the 4th of the month $2700. dollars had been raised to purchase a lot. On October 6th the Sunday School met for the first time. And by that date the Ladies Aid Society founded by Mrs. E. C. Haviland, its first president, had grown into an important body within the Church. Present Charter Members Still Alive Of the Church's first Deacons, Henry Pratt, W. W. Mills, W. D. Matthews, E. C. Haviland and Clyde Nisbeth and Fred Sutton, only the latter two are still mem bers of the Church. Together with Mrs. Clyde Nisbeth, Mrs. Henry Pratt, Mrs. Roy Hilliker, Mrs. Samuel Thompson, Mrs. B. H. Carmer, Mrs. Margaret Bisch- off Hunter, Mrs. Edwin Moran, and Mrs. James Suydam, all Charter Members, are actively engaged in Church activities. The Church is Built Mrs. Emille B. Miller, whose idea had started the Church, turned the first spade of earth at the ground-breaking ceremo ny, almost two years to the day, August 22, 1913, after she had first called on Clyde Nisbeth to tell him of her plans. Two months later, just one year after the church had been welcomed into the Congregational Fellow ship, on Saturday afternoon, October 24th, the corner stone was laid. The following articles were placed within it: a Bible, the church list to date, the Church and Sunday School Roll, pictures of the ground-breaking ceremony and of Hyatt's Audito rium, programs of church serv ices, copies of the weekly town newspaper the \Item\ and of the New York Times for that date. Meetings in Undercroft For many years the Church consisted of the Undercroft alone, covered by a temporary roof. This situation proved so inconvenient and uncomfort able, however, that efforts were put forth to raise sufficient funds for the Church's completion. Un der the Rev. Dow. Bean the upper part of the Church was com pleted, although the present choir stalls and windows over the altar were not added until Rev. Bean had left the church. Under Dr. Bean the Church grew and flourished. The Sunday School was attended by children of many faiths, as it is today. Mrs. J. D. Kenderdine organized a dramatic society and the Church's first dramatic produc tion ran for three nights with music provided by the ManSolin Club. The desire of the original members of the Church that it should serve as a community center has always been consider ed of primary importance by all the ministers who have served the Church. Dr. Bean arranged for the Undercroft to be used for showing movies, when movie theatres were indeed scarce in Westchester. In the past years many other forms of community activity have revolved around the Undercroft. In the early 1930's the Hillside Club, an interdeno minational club for young people between 15 - 25 flourished there. The Men's Club, founded in 1931, also used to hold their meetings there. For many years Girl Scout Troop I held their meetings in the Undercroft, lead by Mrs. Galen Russell, wife of the Min ister. And when Chappaqua be gan to expand rapidly and more and more people seemed -to be strangers to one another the 'Quaintance Club took shape as a meeting ground for young marrieds. The present day Cou ples Club, while somewhat dif ferent in activity and purpose, serves as a similar meeting ground. To the community as a whole, however, the most famous activity to take place in the Church was the annual supper and bazaar. The community flocked to buy homemade goods and to eat home-cooked food prepared by some of Chappa- qua's most accomplished house wives. New Building Addition Planned At present the Congregational Church is starting on a fund- raising project to add to their church. 398 members cannot be conveniently accommodated in a church built to seat 144. Fur thermore, if the Church is to continue to serve the community it needs a new auditorium, class rooms which can serve the Sun day School and local clubs. The goal is $75,000. Judging by the achievements of the past, the Congregational Church bids fair to outstrip its mark. We wish them luck and hope for more and bigger community activities. HELP ASSURE THE PEACE FOR WHICH OCR MEN HAVE FOUGHT! George B. Cain FUNERAL HOME ' Tel. 464 King Street Chappaqua 0m Cfmrdjes; Church of St. John and St. Mary, the Rev. Joseph E. Brady, pastor. Masses Sunday mornings at 8, 9:15, Wednesday, November 27th — 8:30 P.M. The Altar Society will hold a meeting. The First Congregational Church Chappaqua, New York Willard B. Soper, Minister Sunday, December 2 — 9:30 A.M. Church School. 11:00 A.M. Morning Worship: Sermon: \The Flaming Heart.\ Young children will be cared for in the Under croft during the Morning Wor ship. 4:30 P. M. Pilgrim Fellow ship meets in the Sanctuary. Mr. Charles Taylor will speak on Africa. 5:30 P. M. Youth Chorus rehearsal in the Undercroft. Monday, December 3 — 8:15 P. M. Deacons and Deaconesses meet in the Sanctuary. Weekdays — Monday, 2:45 re ligious education classes. Thursday ,8:00 P.M., choir re hearsal under the direction of Mrs F.arley. Saints' days and holy days, 9:30 A.M. Holy Communion. Other services as announced on Sunday. Friends Hicksite Friends Meeting, Quaker Road. 11 A.M. First Day (Sunday). Visitors welcome. Religious Society of Friends (Orthodox). King Street, Meet ing House. Meeting for Worship 11 A. M. First Day School, 10 A.M.' Episcopal Church of Saint Mary the Virgin The Rev. Howard D. Perkins, Rector. Sunday, 9 A. M. — Holy Com munion. 10:30 A.M.—The parish Eucharist and sermon. Christian Science First Church of Christ Sci entist, Pleasantville. Sunday services at 11 A.M. Sunday School at 9:30 A.M. Testimonial meet ings Wednesday at 8:00 P.M. Reading room, 40 Wheeler Avenue, open daily, except Sun days and holidays from 2 to 5 P.M. The public is cordially in vited to attend the services and make use of the reading room. COMPLETE PLUMBING \ and HEATING SERVICE Your inquiries are solicited CHARLES E. PFEIFFER Douglas Rd., Chappaqua Tel. Chappaqua 670 JOSEPH H. BOND! Formerly With New York's Leading Decorators Expert on Modern and Antique Work Interior Decorator — Painting Contractor PAPER HANGING — GLAZING 59 Spring Street, Mt. Kisco, N. Y. Phone: Mt. Kisco 6202 Telephone Pleasantville 1215 ESSO GAS Broadway Service Station 7:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. GENERAL AUTO REPAIRING Auto Accessories KARL BREUNING Broadway, Thornwood, N. Y. 0
