A Bit of First Parish History

In The Beginning...

 On October 13, 1762, a group of ten members and their minister, Rev. John Fairfield wrote and signed a church covenant and called for a day of Fasting and Prayer to mark “the solemn and important occasion”.  These hand-written documents are in a vault at Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution and it is a thrill to read them. 

From the time of the earliest settlements at the mouth of the Saco River, what are now Biddeford and Saco comprised one community, known by a number of names.  Formal organization of a church was accomplished in April 1730 and residents of the east side of the river made the journey across the river by ferry to fulfill their obligation to attend Sunday worship at the meetinghouse constructed in lower Biddeford.   

By 1753, the settlement on the east side of the river had grown and a vote was passed authorizing its inhabitants to constitute themselves into a separate parish.  After many delays, a meetinghouse was constructed in the area of Pepperell Park and occupied in 1757 as its house of worship.  At first religious services were held only occasionally.  Rev. Mr. Morrill, minister at the established church across the river was permitted by vote to preach on this side of the river one-third of the time for a year.  It is likely that this practice continued for a longer period.

Mr. John Fairfield a young licentiate was invited to preach his first sermon on August 23, 1761 and a year later, he became ordained and received a unanimous Call to the Pastoral Care of First Church in the town of Pepperell borough that had been set apart as a distinct township by the Massachusetts Legislature earlier that year.  Thus, with a voluntary mutual agreement between minister and brethren, the roots of our beloved First Parish Congregational Church of Saco were established. 

In 1762 there were no bridges spanning the Saco River between Saco and Biddeford. Church-going people in Saco tired of ferrying across the Saco River to Biddeford for church services and decided to form the first church on this side of the river. Hence our name, First Parish Congregational Church.

Our First Building . . .

Our first building at the end of School Street was small, very plain, no spire with a room behind the pulpit where gunpowder was stored. There was no heat in the building and churchgoers brought small burners, which they placed in their pews during the service to keep warm. Our first minister, John Fairfield, stood on a larger burner arranging his robe so heat was channeled upward to keep him warm. The building was used as a meetinghouse for the City of Saco (then called Pepperellborough) and supported financially by the City. This building was torn down in 1810 and sold for firewood.

In 1805 the first church at Beach and Main Streets was completed. Designed by noted architect Bradbury Johnson "the edifice was regarded as the largest and most elegant in Maine for a considerable period." (George Folsom, historian, 1830) Tom Hardiman, former curator of Saco Museum, wrote of this building: "Details like the arched and double-arched doors, the Palladian windows in the tower, and the very tall, slender, almost gothic pilasters introduced elements of English neo-classical design that had been previously unknown to Saco. The dominant feature of the exterior was the enormous tower and spire. Rising out of a deeply projecting pavilion, the tower climbed in three simple, box-like stages to a lantern and spire, an incredible 126 feet in height. The jewel of the steeple was the octagonal lantern, supported by slender colonnettes and surrounded by glass. From here one could see the ocean, Portland, and even the White Mountains. Navigators used the steeple as a beacon.

The interior was revolutionary and breathtaking. Upon passing through the enormous double-arched main door, one was confronted with a large circular staircase, probably the first in the region, that led to the galleries and the bell tower. The main hall was filled with 78 paneled box pews of pine painted light putty green with mahogany cap rails. Two side aisles led to the highly unusual liturgical end of the building. The pulpit was not against the back wall . . . but was free-standing in the body of the church. It was rectangular with convex French corners, and was elevated on slender fluted columns. Behind it a double staircase descended to the floor, and . . . the front row of pews arched in a semi-circle around three sides of the pulpit. Above, the gallery arched in a similar semi-circle around the pulpit." There was an octagonal sounding board suspended by an iron rod over the pulpit.

The bell in the steeple was cast by Paul Revere in Boston. Lithographs of a drawing by Charles Granger of this building are displayed at the Saco Museum and other places. The cost of the building and furnishings -- $18,000. It burned to the ground on July 8, 1860.

When this fire destroyed the church building, the Parish House (built only a year earlier) was saved because the minister at the time (Charles Rice) suggested the carpets in the sanctuary be dampened and placed over its roof to prevent the fire from spreading.

Our Third Building . . .

In 1863 a new church building on the same foundation was dedicated. This building was designed by Boston architect John Stevens, who designed a number of churches in the New England area. The Romanesque and Italianate style building became one of the most architecturally significant landmarks in downtown Saco. The cost this time -- $14,800. The first of eight beautiful stained glass windows was installed in 1899.

It is interesting to note which attributes from the earlier church were carried over to the new building. A 126-foot spire (same height) again held both a four-faced clock (E. Howard, gift from the City) and the recast Revere Bell (partially from the molten metal available after the fire). Again, double-arched doors led to the narthex at the front of the building. Instead of one spiral staircase in the narthex leading to the balconies and tower, there were two. Repeated were the double aisles in the sanctuary but the pulpit area was moved from its projected position into the nave and placed against the back wall. The striking double pulpits and chancel were not added until 1912.

In 1893 we became the first church nationally to serve communion in individual cups. This distinction is noted in an article entitled "The Progress of the Individual Cup Movement, Especially Among Churches" by Howard Anders, M.D. published in 1897. This trend led to discontinued use of common drinking cups in churches, at town pumps and public places, as well as in some homes.

In 1911 we received a beautiful organ given by Colonel Richard Cutts Shannon in memory of his brother, Charles, who was our organist and choir director for 50 years. At the time, it was the largest pipe organ north of Boston.

Fairfield Hall was built in 1955 joining the sanctuary and the Parish House. The Parish House was remodeled at that time.

Inside renovation and outside painting were completed in 1990 and in the year 2000 extensive renovation was planned and begun.

Once again fire destroyed the church building on August 31, 2000.  A major restoration project was underway to replace its slate roof and repaint the building.  The steeple clock presented to us by the City of Saco in 1864 had been removed and staging had been erected.  The project was about two/thirds completed when a lighted cigarette ignited the chemical solvent that had been sprayed on the building to facilitate removal of the many layers of lead paint.   Several workmen escaped from the scaffolding with their lives.  Despite the heroic efforts of fire departments from five communities, the building was declared a total loss and the entire community mourned with our church family.   

While the building was still in flame, a bystander opened an account at Saco and Biddeford Savings Institution to rebuild the church and gifts poured in from near and far.  Thornton Academy offered use of its Garland Auditorium for worship and Atkinson Dining Commons for church school classes on Sunday mornings at a minimum rental cost.  Other churches and organizations offered help in such areas as printing bulletins and providing meeting space.  A trailer was moved to the church site for use as an office.   

History was made on Wednesday, October 18 in Saco City Hall Auditorium when the Church Body voted unanimously to rebuild on the site at the corner of Beach and Main Street, Saco.  Senior minister Peter Mercer and the church staff worked with the Church Council and standing committees to sustain the church’s ongoing ministry while new ad hoc committees and subcommittees were created to deal with the complexities of rebuilding. 

It took five long years.  The Church Council and the building committees were committed to decision-making by the congregational process throughout all phases of design, financing, construction and furnishing.  Countless meetings gave members opportunity to express opinions and ask questions as information was provided and votes were taken each step of the way.  It wasn’t always easy and not everyone agreed on every aspect of the design, but with great faith and determination the Church family continued to move forward with the building project.  The Building Design Committee worked with architects Barba Architecture & Preservation of Portland and Donham & Sweeney of Boston.  The Finance Committee worked with Pierce Atwood of  Portland to achieve settlement of our insurance claim.  The Building Construction Committee worked with Allied/Cook Construction to build the new church.  Church member Bob Fralley, who has a background in construction chaired the Building Committees, served as Project Manager.  John Brockington, church member who is a fifth generation descendent from our first minister, Rev. John Fairfield was construction manager.     

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on April 13, 2003 and construction began on May 5^th.  As soon as the structure was enclosed and could be safely maneuvered, monthly tours of the church were conducted by members of the Building Construction Committee following Sunday worship at T.A.  Three significant design changes had been decided by the Church Body.  The first major change was placement of the steeple over the Beach Street entrance to the church.  Four lanes of traffic on Main Street (U.S. route 1) no longer made front doors on Main St. accessible.  A second change reversed the interior of the sanctuary with the chancel now on Main Street where once narthex and front doors of the church had stood and third, the organ and choir were erected on the first floor instead of the balcony as had been in the previous church.  The new building provides education space on the entire length of the lower level for classrooms, teacher workshop, youth and choir rooms.     

Three treasured pieces of the former church were salvaged from the fire and are ensconced in the new building.  Pieces of the Paul Revere Bell, cracked when the steeple fell to the ground were recast into a new bell for the tower by Meeks, Watson & Co. Georgetown, Ohio.  The marble baptismal font which broke into four segments and had many of its decorative lilies chipped off was restored by conservator Ron Harvey in Lincolnville, ME using dental tools for some of the intricate work.  The four-sided steeple clock restored by David Graf, Kittery Point, ME is lighted at night and chimes the hour from the new steeple.  A new round window designed and constructed by Lyn Hovey of Boston adorns the space above the chancel and a cross is suspended in front of the nave.  An organ selection committee worked with Faucher Organ Company of Biddeford to build our new combination pipe/digital organ.  A Historical Time Capsule has been sealed into the wall beneath the gallery of ministers’ portraits on the landing between the stairways leading from the atrium to the balcony. 

Along with the loss of our beautiful historic building, the First Parish Church family suffered personnel losses.  Without an organ to play and practice on, Minister of Music Terry Foster resigned at the end of June 2001.  Rev. Peter Mercer had planned to retire at the end of 2000 but stayed on to guide us through the turmoil after the fire and early stages of rebuilding.  He made it clear, however, that it should be our new minister who would lead us into the new building.  Peter and Ellie Mercer, Director of Christian Education retired at the end of September 2002.  At the same time, Rev. Ken Read retired as Minister of Visitation.   

First Parish Congregational Church, U.C.C. welcomed our new senior minister, Rev. Douglas Nielsen and his wife Karen to lead our church family in February 2004.  Sunday, December 5, 2004 was the long-awaited and joyous Homecoming.  A procession of pastor and people walked from Thornton Academy carrying the cross and bible to Main and Beach Street and worshipped together for the first time in our new church sanctuary.  A TV was set up in the atrium to accommodate the overflow crowd.  A small cross, fashioned from a piece of wood salvaged from the fire was hung around the neck of each person who attended.  Peter Stickney from Newfield became organist. Sally Trice of Portland is choir director. Audrey Cabral directs the Bell Choir.  Rev. George Bovill is Minister of Visitation. 

Three commemorative services were planned for the new church.  On April 2, 2004, individuals and organizations beyond the church membership were invited to a Community Service of Thanks and Recognition for their efforts on behalf of First Parish Congregational Church since the fire of August 31, 2000.  Commemorative plaques, cut from a beam of salvaged wood were presented to a representative of each organization.  May 13, 2005 was the date of the Premiere Showing of the Documentary “Take My Hand” which tells the 2000-2005 Journey of First Parish Congregational Church of Saco Maine. Videotapes and DVD’s are available.  The third event took place during worship on Sunday, December 4, 2005 and recognized church members who had given so generously of their talent, time and effort to the re-building process. 

The future looks bright for First Parish Church as it continues to serve by sharing God’s love and hope with the community.  

Mary Johnson, Historian