History

In 1820 the people of the First congregational Church of Harvard were engaged in a theological controversy. Some in the church, called Unitarians, opposed the use of creeds, denied the divinity of Christ, rejected the Trinity, and did not believe in salvation by faith in Christ. In contrast, others who favored those concepts were call Trinitarians or Evangelicans, and in 1821 they left to form a new religious society called the Calvinistic Congregational Society in Harvard. George Fisher of Wrentham was called to be its first pastor and teacher, at the salary of $500 a year.

In 1855 the society voted to change its name to the Evangelical Congregational Society, and in 1927 again changed its name to the Evangelical Congregational Church of Harvard. The term "evangelical" had its roots in the Biblical term "evangelist," meaning "one who announces good news." The gospel writers were called the Evangelists. We are still a church which proclaims the good news of the Gospel and salvation through Jesus Christ.

In 1956 the Baptist Church of Still River and the Evangelical Congregational Church began holding joint services. One minister was selected by and called to serve both parishes. The Still River Baptist Church officially disbanded in 1970. In 1963 the member of this congregation voted to become part of the United Church of Christ, and the church's official title became The Evangelical Congregational Church of Harvard, United Church of Christ.