OUR HISTORY
Our Historic Meeting House
1730: Built at the intersection of Nahatan and Clapboardtree Streets by citizens of West Dedham (later to become Westwood), it is one of the oldest churches in continuous use in the country.
1809: When the membership split over building a new church, Aaron Baker, a dissenter, bought the old meeting house "for use as a barn." It was dismantled and reassembled as a church at the intersection of Pond and High Streets. State law at the time forbade more than one Congregational Church per parish, so the membership elected to become Baptist.
1817: Betsy Baker established a Sabbath School. Comprised of 16 children, it was one of the first Sunday Schools in the region. Under her leadership the church women formed the "Female Mite Society" to support foreign missions. A major effort was collecting funds, food, and clothing for the victims of the Irish famine in 1847.
1824: The Church became a legal corporation and, in 1825, joined the Boston Baptist Association.
1827: First recorded Baptisms were performed at Buckmaster Pond.
1837: The Sunday school organized a library for the children of the church consisting, at one time, of 500 books. The books were donated to Boston missionary societies when the town established a public library in 1900. The Baptist and Unitarian Churches cooperated in maintaining the town hearse and the women of the two churches raised the money for the iron fence around the town cemetery.
1851: The Church was renovated. A pipe organ was donated by the Hon. William Damrell, a church member and Representative in Congress. The large clock on the rear balcony was installed. Originally provided with wood and brass works, it has since been electrified.
1885: Rev. Edward S. Ufford, pastor at First Baptist, wrote the famous hymn, "Throw Out the Lifeline."
1931: The Church was moved again. To widen Pond Street, the meetinghouse was moved aside.
1966: The Christian Education wing and Fellowship Hall were dedicated, having been built on land that had previously been purchased for that purpose and to make room for future expansion.
1989: The meeting house was moved, for the third time, up the hill to its present site, once again uniting all facilities and bringing great joy to the congregation.
1989: Baker Outdoor Chapel is used for Easter Sunrise Service and other special worship events. Two Japanese red maples flank the entrance and are dedicated to Mal and Pauline Morrison, faithful workers for many years. The Chapel features a pulpit area in the shape of a cross with a central lector illustrating that teaching the Word of God is fundamental to our ministry. Behind the lectern, to the rear of the pulpit area, stands an empty cross reminding us that we believe in a Risen Christ. Two rows of rhododendron bushes situated behind the cross form a background to the whole. The first row is white representing purity while the second row is purple reminding us that Jesus is King of Kings. The junipers symbolize organ pipes. Dogwood trees, with flowers in the shape of a cross, display marks on the petals reminding us of the nail wounds in Jesus' hands. Rows of hemlock trees along either side form the outside walls and frame of the whole.
(Information courtesy of Allen Baker)
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