Pequot Chapel: A Hidden Jewel Of New London

When I visit a church for this column, I tend to go in blind. I know little more than the time of the service and a smattering of information on the religious beliefs, and often not even that. When I went to the , the southernmost church in the city as far as I know, I had only a few bits of information. Johnna Kaplan, in one of her , had mentioned how the building survives as a remnant of the , a group of summer residents based around the Pequot House hotel and cottages in the neighborhood. The chapel was built to give a more convenient religious destination for these folks, and Johnna described it as “hidden in plain sight” and “like something from a children’s book.”

I got the impression that the Pequot Chapel was something like the Tabernacle, a large outdoor arena in Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. We took a couple of vacations there when I was young, and attended at least one service at the Tabernacle. According to the , there are at least some similarities. Both are interdenominational, meaning there is a rotation of ministers from several churches so you always get someone new every Sunday, and both run during the summer. However, I realized that my decision to wear shorts, always acceptable in the outdoor Tabernacle, may have been a mistake. Every other man in the chapel was decked out in suit and tie, heat and humidity notwithstanding.

Although it is somewhat hidden among shady trees, the building is quite substantial. Within the cross-shaped structure are two Tiffany windows, a sizable altar space, black and red buttressing beams, and a long row of pews alongside windows open to the breeze. A small bell in church’s steeple rings in the services.

Checking the schedule, I saw that I had chosen a Sunday falling between appearances by Rev. Michel Belt, the pastor of the (the topic of ), and Rev. Carolyn Patierno of the . This week brought in Rev. L. David Cornish, the pastor at the . He brought with him three men from the church, who performed a couple of spirituals rich with depth and feeling. Cornish suggested that they might only be able to replicate a fraction of the quality of the church’s full choir. If that was the case, I’ll certainly be looking forward to the musical program when I visit Mount Moriah.

Music makes up a significant portion of the chapel’s program. Along with the pastors, there is a rotating roster of soloists and organists. Cornish complimented the beautiful voice of Phred Mileski, a freelance soloist and trustee at the chapel, as she offered two performances. Four other hymns or songs were included in the service.

The title of Cornish’s sermon was “Faith Makes The Difference.” He encouraged the congregation to try walking by faith and not by sight for a new perspective, to not become discouraged in their faith, and to put trust in God as a less fleeting source of comfort than family, friends, or employment. On a personal level, he recounted a health struggle where it was thought he would not be able to walk again. His wife sent him a card in the hospital reading, “Hold on. You’re on the brink of a miracle.” Cornish eventually recovered.

“We’re living in such a challenging world, challenging times that so many people have gotten discouraged,” he said.

Cornish folded several biblical lessons into his sermon, noting the role of faith in God’s direction in the stories of Noah’s Ark, Abraham, Moses, and David and Goliath. Realizing these covered but a fraction of the Old Testament, I had to wonder how long the sermon would go on. After all, I wanted to get to the last day of Sailfest to see what alligator tastes like. Cornish may have sensed this.

“I’m trying to quit now,” he joked as he wrapped up the lessons.

George Jagger, a trustee of the chapel, said the visiting ministers have free rein in their message, and that the church has even hosted ecumenical services. Jagger said he attends an Episcopal church in the chapel’s off-season.

“In the summertime, I’ve enjoyed not having such a ritualistic church,” he said.

Mileski said she hopes the chapel can become more visible. She said it is an excellent venue for weddings and concerts, as well as a historical building dating back to 1872.

“It’s a beautiful building that more people need to know about,” she said. “It’s a hidden treasure.”

Services at the Pequot Chapel start at 11 a.m. on Sundays during the summer, and this year they will run through Sept. 4. The chapel will reopen for an evensong service of the Anglican Singers at 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 as well as a 5 p.m. Christmas carol service on Dec. 18.