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OUR CHURCH HISTORY
Since 1904, women and men of faith have gathered together to worship, to pray, to study and to play in this place we call: Boyce Square, Hadwen Park, corner of Knox and Clover Streets or Trowbridgeville. All different names have described the neighborhood that is the house of our church, Hadwen Park Congregational Church. In those early days, the people of the area met at the Trowbridgeville School, located on Webster Street where the entrance to Faith Chapel cemetery is now, for Sunday School, regular worship services
and fellowship.
1938, under the leadership of Rev. Clement Hahn, membership had grown to 100 people and it was time for another generations of faith leap. A major building project was undertaken to remodel the sanctuary and fellowship hall.
1948, membership had grown to 300 and the people started thinking of expanding again.
1914
It was voted that the building would become a church, named "Trowbridgeville Chapel". It should be noted that this vote was not unanimous. Far from it. In fact the decision caused dissension in the neighborhood and many left the flock. (You remember the gift from Amos Clarkson in honor of his father, who made the motion at that meeting to form a church.)
1911
Church folks decided that it was time to erect a building of their own to house the Sunday School and other activities. This was the first leap of our generations of faith.
1916, the little group voted to organize as a Congregational Church and named it Hadwen Park Congregational Church.
1923, the congregation took yet another leap of faith and purchased a parsonage which was located where our parking lot is today.
Hadwen Park Church 1913
Hadwen Park Church 1944
1952 - 1954, under the leadership of Rev. Arthur Blowen members did it again. They took a leap that saw the church office and the education wing added to accommodate the growing Sunday School. Photo appeared
in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in 1952.
1960's, yet more leaps of faith, under the leadership of Rev. Charles Asplin, came a difficult decision to tear down the parsonage and build a new parsonage, now located on Clover Street. Again, heart wrenching decisions were made with courage and faith by the people at Hadwen Park Church.
1964, Rev. Robert Fenby began his tenure with 350 members on the roles.
1965, The members voted to be a church open to all regardless of race or ethnic background, we were leaders in 1965.
Hadwen Park Church 2003
2005, Hadwen Park Congregational Church completed a major renovation. The renovations included a new roof, windows, expanded sanctuary with seating for 240 people, new heating, plumbing and electrical, new handicap accessibility, restored pipe organ, new handicap bathroom upstairs and two new handicap bathrooms downstairs.
This page was last updated on: October 18, 2009
The organ was expanded from 434 pipes (seven ranks, or sets of pipes) to 910 pipes, (fifteen ranks, including the future addition of the Trumpet) with the addition of a rebuilt windchest and 488 pipes, (basically sweepings around our shop that were offered to the church for the cost of renovation…) The Estey organ windchests were rebuilt, using a different technology than was in practice by the Estey company in 1938 – direct mechanical solenoids – rather than leather-pneumatic actions. The old Estey system was rather involved to restore, and did little to offer flexibility, such as allowing stops to play in more than one keyboard, and allowing the Swell Flute and Principal to play at multiple pitches. Completed, we now have this ability.
The result is that Hadwen Park Congregational Church has a “new organ” built from parts of several historic instruments from around the country (there are even some pipes from Germany !) The American Classic Organ Co. is proud of the results, and hope that the congregation will be blessed with the music that this instrument provides for many generations to come.
Do you know the history of this bell?
Recently, Pastor Judy researched and wrote
a lengthy article about this bell.
Read Pastor Judy's story of the Hadwen Park Church bell.
Copyright 2009 - Hadwen Park Congregational Church, UCC
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HADWEN PARK CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
United Church of Christ
6 Clover Street Worcester, MA 01603
Telephone: 508-752-7489
Sunday Worship Service - 10 AM
Serving Greater Worcester and Auburn, Massachusetts
Judith Hanlon, Pastor Email: gracelift@aol.com
Toni DiPina, Pastor Email: metrepwar@prodigy.net
