First Church Celebrates 350th Anniversary

MARLBOROUGH, MA—It all started with The First Church.

The First Church in Marlborough starts off the 350th anniversary celebration on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 3-6p.m. The community is invited to celebrate with the church community.

Rev. Dr. Gottfried Locher, president of the Swiss Federation of Protestant Churches will be the preacher. Rev. Steven Small will be representing the United Church of Christ.

There will be a formal reception after the service.

In 1662 it was decided that a House of Public Worship should be erected and known as the Church of Christ of Marlborow. This Meeting House was a small, one-storied building with oilpaper in the windows for light and a thatched roof, built on the site of the present Walker Building. The services were long. The sermon was usually one hour in length, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and was measured by an hourglass placed on the pulpit. Since the Meeting House was unheated in those days, it was the custom for the worshippers to bring a small tin box of live coals with them. The Indians burned down the Meeting House in 1676 and a new Meeting House was built on the same plot of land in 1677. A much larger House was again constructed in 1688.

Read more on the history of the church here.

An anniversary gala, too, will be held on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Hellenic Hall at the Sts. Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church, at the corner of Cashman and Central streets. This event features music, food and a silent auction. Tickets for this event are $40. Call to order tickets at 508-485-6297.