
252 Main Street - P. O. Box 206
Warren, Maine 04864
(207) 273-2338
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WARREN

You are invited to worship with us -to fellowship with us
To experience Gods' Love with us.
Our History
According to Webster’s Dictionary the definition of historian is as follows: “a person who studies or writes about history.” A synonym is “annalist” or “chronicler.” The latter probably best describes my historian duties here at SCC through my photographic collages assembled almost weekly and placed on the Fellowship Room bulletin board and stored in several 3-ring binders and the church’s Facebook page archives. Hope Creighton - Historian








This church was organized Feb. 27, 1828, with 23 members. The parish was organized Sept. 4, 1829.
1829-1830 - Rev. Samuel Stone was the first settled pastor; installed Dec. 2, 1829, and closed his labors sometime in 1830 and was dismissed by council May 7, 1833.
1833-1846 - Rev. E. F. Cutter was ordained May 8, 1833, and dismissed May 12, 1846
1847-1849 - Rev. Franklin Davis was ordained Oct. 6, 1847, and dismissed March 5, 1849
1849-1852 - Rev. Nathaniel Chapman supplied the church from April 27, 1849, to May 1852
1852-1856 - Rev. Crosby H. Wheeler was ordained Dec. 18, 1852, and dismissed July 1, 1856
1857-1863 - Rev. David Cushman commenced his labors with this church in the fall of 1856 and installed May 21, 1857, and dismissed Aug. 20, 1863
1864-1873 - Rev. E. S. Beard was installed Aug. 16, 186 and closed his labors in June 1852 and dismissed March 11, 1873
1873-1873 - Rev. L. G. Marsh supplied from July 13,1873 to Nov. 16, 1873. Previous to his coming the church had been without preaching for more than a year
1874-1874 - Rev. Dr. Thurston and
Rev. Wh. H. H. Baker supplied during the early part of the year 1874 and
Rev. Richard M. Burgess of Bangor Seminary during the summer of 1874
1875-1875 - Rev. E. T. Sanford and Rev. J. E. M. Wright supplied the church during the spring and winter of 1875
1875-1878 - Rev. Lewis Goodrich commenced preaching July 11, 1875, and installed Nov. 3, 1875, and dismissed Aug. 26, 1878
1879-1885 - Rev. J. E. Pond commended his labors Jan. 12, 1879, and installed Jun 19, 1879, and dismissed Feb. 18, 1885
1885-1887 - Rev. A. G. Pettengill of Yale Seminary, supplied the church from Sept. 1885 to Sept. 1887.
During his ministry the church edifice was remodeled at a cost of $4100.00
The church was supplied by different persons, mainly students from Bangor Seminary until June 10, 1888, when from
1888-1891 - Rev. Frank S. Hunnewell commenced his labors He was ordained and installed June 27, 1888, and dismissed Dec. 1, 1891,
1891-1893 - Rev. Henry S. Ives supplied the church from Dec. 20, 1891, to March 12, 1893
1893-1896 - Rev. J. L. DeMott was called at Pastor of this church Nov. 12, 1893, and closed his labors June 4, 1896
1896-1902 - Rev. E. R. Stearns was installed Jun 16, 1896, and dismissed May 26, 1902
1902-1907 - Rev. Irving A. Flint commenced his labors with this church Dec. 1, 1902, and installed Dec. 14, 1904, and dismissed May 1907
1907-1912 - Rev. Henry W. Webb became pastor of this church Aug. 4, 1907, and closed his labors July 1, 1912
1912-1917 - Rev. David T. Burgh began his labors with this church Oct. 13, 1912, and closed Oct. 8, 1917. During the ministry the church building were repaired and
redecorated at a cost of $1600. A memorial window waws installed by Mrs. Rose L. Newcomb in memory of her late husband Guilford S. Newcomb
1917-1919 - Rev. William H. Lakin was pastor of the church Dec. 1917 to Feb. 1919
1919-1920 - Rev. R. E. Laite was pastor from Nov. 13, 1919, to Nov. 7, 1920
1923-1930 - Rev. Charles D. Paul was pastor from Sept. 1823 to Dec. 2, 1929
1930-1938 - Rev. H. I. Holt was pastor from Jan. 4, 1930, to June 19, 1938
1938-1944 - Rev. L. Clark French became pastor of this church Sept. 11, 1938, and closed his pastorate Jan. 9, 1944
1944-1947 - Rev. Lynn Farnsworth supplied the church from Feb. 27, 1944, to June 1947
1947-1949 - Rev. Edward L. Manning became pastor of this church June 18, 1947, and closed his pastorate March 27, 2949. During his ministry repairs were made on the
parsonage and church buildings and the chapel were remodeled and redecorated at a total cost of $6200. The cost of redecorating the chapel was paid by
Stuart Burgess as a memorial for his mother, Martha C. Burgess
1949-1949 - Fred L. Perkins supplied the church from March 27, 1949, to Sept. 4, 1949
1949-1952 - Rev. J. Homer Nelson became pastor of the church Sept. 11, 1949.
1953-1954 - Dr. John Lowe
1954-1959 - Rev. Curtis C. Busby
1959-1961 - Rev. A. Dean Lundstrom
1962 - - Rev. Wesley G. Woodman (retired)
- Rev. Robin Honaker
- Interim Rev. Jim Henry
- Rev. Andrew Stinson (moved out of state)
- Rev. Matthew MacDonald
2020-2025 - Rev. Bette Bond (retired)
Below is a chronological list of events in the history of the Second Congregational Church of Warren Maine
1605 - Captain George Weymouth claimed the area of "Warren" for the king of England.
1735 - Twenty-seven persons settled in the area and the first meeting house was built.
1751 - Rev. Robert Rutherford, a Presbyterian, came from Ireland to serve as minister.
1793 - A new meeting house was raised in the heart of Warren (now known as the memorial park).
1795 - A Congregational Council was called for the purpose of organizing a church and ordaining a pastor, the Rev. Huse.
1828 - Because of the increased theological debate in Maine, the Second Congregational Church was gathered in Warren.
1833 - The present meeting house sanctuary was dedicated.
1854 - The Ladies' Sewing Circle was active.
1878 - The Chapel was built (which is the west wing).
1884 - The present Tracker organ was installed into the sanctuary.
1886 - Many renovations occurred, including a new spire.
1915 - The meeting house had electricity installed.
1928 - Celebrated our 100th Anniversary.
1968 - Voted to secede from the UCC.
1971 - The church joined the NACCC.
1973 - The present parsonage was purchased.
2002 - Dedication of the new Sunday School Rooms and weather vain.
2003 - Celebrated our 175th Anniversary.
2005 - Licensed three ministers to the congregational way; dedicated the remodeling of the Upper Room, Nursery
and Fellowship Hall; and the Bell Choir and Pack 254 joins our ministry.
2006 - March 5th - Baptismal Font dedicated to Roland & Winnie Marriner (built by Percy Campbell.)
June - New Church Directory by Olan Mills.
2007 - Feb. - Whole church inventory taken (written and photographed) by Paul Andrews, Herb Griffin and Hope Creighton.
September 23 - Dedication of new steeple cap (fabricated by Owen Bundy) and refurbished weather vane.
September 29 - Installation of steeple cap and weather vane, time capsule also in place.
PHOTO GALLERY OF WEATHER VANE INSTALLATION 2007 (Photos courtesy of Hope Creighton)
2008 - April - Church Tea
2009 - August - First annual worship service of "Two Churches", Warren Baptist and Second Congregational Church at the
Old Mill Park.
2009 - November - Church roof shingled.
2010 - December 12 - Reverend Honaker's last sermon.
2011 - July - Sunday School rooms and chairs painted.
November - Operation Christmas Child "Shoebox" Mission underway.
2012 - January - Parsonage cleaned and spruced up for rental.
Start-up of new website.
March 30 - First annual "Spring Fling" night of music.
September 9 - New full-time minister (Andrew Stinson) hired.
November - Old nursery renovated for new church office.
2013 - May - Rev. Andy Stinson installation
October - New Post Light
December - New Communion Table dedication-gift from Bill Cutting in memory of Willey.
2014 - May - All music categorized.
Summer - Set of Hand chimes donated by Bill Cutting in memory of his wife Bonnie.
September - New handicapped ramp finished.
November - New Hymnals purchased.
2015 - April - New Brass Communion Set donated to Church anonymously. Dedicated Easter Sunday "To all those who have gone before us in the Grace of God."
June - Second set of Hand chimes donated by Bill Cutting.
November - Partitions in Upper Room for Adult Study.
2016 - February 11 - Our church family and community lost a true friend, our Pastor for twenty-one years, Wesley G. Woodman.
Below is his obituary with a short synopsis of his life. He will be sadly missed and fondly remembered.
2016 - August 22 - Restoration work began on the Steeple. Click here for updates.
2017 - March - The Caring and Sharing Sisters and the Ladies Circle collaborated and finance the renovations on the downstairs
Ladies Room.
March - Sterling and Jeff worked on enhancing the sound system on the chancel.
2017 - April - we hired Hoppe Tree Service of Thomaston to give the big oak tree on the front lawn a major haircut.
April 22 - The 5th Annual Spring Fling musical was a huge success with proceeds going to the Steeple fund.
2017 - May/June - Spring months came concerts and graduations with a fantastic jazz concert at MVHS with our youth group in
attendance. Amanda Gardner and Julie Lent both graduated from college and Amber Hagin and Richard Kinney from MVHS.
2017 - July/August - morning worship was held in the Fellowship room, a.k.a. the “lower sanctuary,” other than the one Sunday in July
when we worshipped in the “Old Mill Park” with the Warren Baptist Church. That was also the day when Rev. Andy blessed
Addy Ruggieri and Ella Hathaway before they left for their week at “Camp Winnie.”
August - new speakers were installed in the belfry of our newly renovated Steeple. It was a group effort with Sterling Robinson,
Walter Pendleton, and Josh Hagin in a very cramped area to bolt two speakers and brackets to hold them.
2017 - September 3rd - the newly renovated Steeple was dedicated along with the recently installed flagpole from the Woodman
family in memory of their father, Reverend Wesley G. Woodman.
September 11th - the old retaining wall was removed by Mat Dyer Excavation to make way for a new one.
September 19th - Maine-ly Concrete shored up the rock foundation with a cement spray and,
September 21st - MidCoast Waterproofing sealed the foundation wall with a sprayed on rubber material at no cost to us.
2017 - October 1st - Twenty three hardy souls hiked up Mt. Battie on the most beautiful Sunday afternoon imaginable! What a fun
work-out it was!
October - Final excavation and compacting was completed on the new stone wall, and, on
October 16th - the cement blocks arrived to build the new wall. It took several days for Walter Pendleton and Jeff Creighton to
build it and several loads of crushed rock donated by Dragon Cement and delivered by Bob Barrett to fill in behind the wall. In
the spring loam will be hauled in for plantings.
2017 - November - our hand chimers and Sunday School singers joined the bell ringers of Coves Edge in Damariscotta in a delightful
Christmas concert with refreshments served afterward.
November - Three people, Sherry Ladd, Muriel Knutson, and Barbara Hall joined the church on the evening of our Maundy Thursday service.
2017 - December - An emotional and very moving baptism of Becca White occurred in December and two Christmas Eve services
were held. The first was the children’s pageant at 4:00 and the candlelight service at 7:00. Both were well attended with a meal
served between the two in the “Upper Room.”
2018 - January - A group from our church attended the “Boars Head Festival” at Rockland Congregational; Appearance by gospel
group “Kindred Hearts”.
2018 - February: Upper Room ceiling replaced
2018 - March - SCC’s 190th birthday celebrated;
March - Sunday School children (14 in number) attended “Hope Air” for gymnastics fun
2018 - April - New ramp put in the upstairs entrance.
April - Easter with Rev. Andy Stinson AND Rev. Peter Panagore, guest minister;
April 8th - Rev. Andy gave an impromptu sermon from scripture selected by a member of the congregation;
April 21 - 7th Annual Spring Fling Musical
2018 - May - Congregational meeting held to discuss possible purchase of abutting property for potential future use; old ramp and
granite steps to Upper Room removed and replaced by new maintenance free ramp.
2018 - June - SS children (6) sang and played handchimes at Coves Edge in Damariscotta;
June - first of summer worship services held in “lower sanctuary” (downstairs Fellowship Room);
June - paving of driveway and parts of parking lot;
June 21 - SS children performed “Godspell, Jr” a musical;
June - new scripture verse placed in newly painted Upper Room; new window treatments in Upper Room.
2018 - July: Service in the Park with Warren Baptist.
2018 - August: Farewell supper for longtime members, the Turner family (Jen, Haley, and Ben) who have moved to NH;
2018 - September 1: New “Saints Garden” dedicated with a memorial bench to long time member Kay Leary; farewell cook-out for
Rev. Andy Stinson; transitional minister, Rev. Matt McDonald, selected.
2018 - September 9 - The Congregation bid Rev. Andrew Stinson and his family farewell as they embark on heir new journey.
2018 - September 30 - The Congregation voted and appointed the Rev. Matthew MacDonald as transitional Minister.
Rev. MacDonald was terminated in 2019 under unpleasant circumstances.
2018 - October - A walk around the “wellness trail” at PBMC by the SS children and several church members; Congregational meeting
to discuss future plans for parsonage and barn.
2018 - November: All Saints Sunday and Veterans Day celebrated; Holly Berry Fair.
2018 - December: “Festival Choir” presented their Christmas cantata; Christmas Eve service; four people joined the church (Jeremy
White, Tina Bryant, Debbie Collemer, and Kathleen Borzelli); retirement of Nancy vanVuuren as Music Minister and recognition
of Sterling Robinson as Chair of Diaconate.
2019 - January- Pastoral Search committee was formed.
2019 - February - We celebrated Boy Scout Week during our Sunday Service on the 3rd and our Sunday school children had an ice skating party after church.
2019 - March - Our church celebrated Ash Wednesday, beginning of Lent and St. Patrick's Day this month. On the 17th Caring & Sharing Sisters held their annual Soup Supper Auction. Missions also introduced their adopt a chick or bunny with special
donation projects.
2019- April - Recognition of officers
Caring and Sharing Sisters presented their annual 8th Annual Spring Fling.
2019- May - Annual Easter Egg Painting party put on by Becky Ruggieri.
Annual Easter breakfast cooked by the men of the church.
Mother's Day Luncheon and photos and directory by life Touch Co.
2019 - June - Warren Day. Deacons had a hot dog stand.
2019-2020 - Parsonage was demolished. Global Covid-19 Pandemic forced closing of schools, churches and businesses.
To the best of our technological ability, we performed Sunday services online, as did all others.
Rev. Bette Bond was called to be our new Pastor.
Church exterior trim was painted - storm covers were put on the stained glass. Windows were renewed.
Beverly Pacheco was hired as our new Music Minister.
2021- Barn/parsonage site was developed into a parking lot with granite taken from the Parsonage house foundation to
construct a retaining wall. The rest of the site was turned into green space.
Sanctuary was plastered and painted and the pews renewed.
2022 - Parking lot was repaved; new roof was put on the chapel.
The church was graced with the sculpture "Shepherds Angel" by Harry Stump, renowned artist and placed in the sanctuary for
all to enjoy over the Christmas holidays.
2023 - The Men's club/group was reorganized. Fiber optics phone/network was installed throughout the church and
fellowship rooms.
The Missions' board and Memorial board were combined.
A 'hearing loop' was installed in the Sanctuary for the hearing impaired.
2024 - Upstairs flower room was renovated. New railings in Memory of Paul and Jan Andrews were constructed on the steps
leading to the Pulpit using memorial funds. Two middle right-side pews were removed to accommodate space for the
handicapped. Four new wooden chairs were purchased to fill the vacant space when needed for overflow of attendees.
Two additional same chairs were purchased for the chancel.
2025 - Early spring a planning committee was formed to plan for the Church's bicentennial in the year 2028.
Two new sanctuary speakers were donated by Russel and Kathy Lawrence and installed by Jeff Creighton and Sterling
Robinson.
...and our story continues.
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