North Amherst Church Turns 200

The North Church opened in 1826, when 59 farmers came together to build a Protestant church in North Amherst. With optimism about the anticipated population increase, the sanctuary was built to seat 400 congregants. The land for the church was donated by Joseph Cowls, a family with descendants still living in North Amherst. The church was funded by Oliver Dickinson at a cost of $2,900 — or $97,000 in today’s dollars. As the sole donor and therefore considered the owner, Dickinson imposed two prohibitions: one barred “negro or mulatto” members from sitting in the ground-floor pews; the second prohibited teaching Unitarian beliefs. In 1830, Dickinson dropped the first prohibition, and the church subsequently became active in abolitionist efforts. The church passed a resolution in 1843 stating that slavery was an “enormous sin against God.” In 1839, North Amherst created its own anti-slavery society, of which four of the five officers were North Congregational Church (NCC) members.

The NCC operated until 2010, when it closed after the Christmas Eve service at the end of that year. Two years later, in 2012, the church was purchased by the Amherst Church of the Nazarene, an evangelical Korean congregation that has made the church its home.

Sadly, the church has suffered from many decades of deferred maintenance, with the roof, steeple, and foundation needing urgent attention, as well as the exterior. The congregation is extremely grateful that the town has awarded Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to help pay for much-needed repairs, starting with a new roof.

To celebrate the anniversary and in appreciation for the support the church has received from the town, the congregation is inviting the wider community to join them Saturday, June 6, at 11 a.m. for a secular celebration of the church’s long history. Historian Margaret Orelup will give an overview of the church’s 200 years, with vignettes about its storied past.

The church organ, donated in 1899 by Ellen Fisher, has been silent since the North Congregational Church closed its doors in 2010. At the June 6 celebration, UMass Music Department faculty member Chris White will bring the historic organ back to life with a variety of lively organ music. White will also describe the organ’s history and how old pipe organs operated before electricity and modern machinery. Miraculously, the organ is still in good shape and in tune.

After the celebration, the Amherst Church of the Nazarene congregation will serve a Korean lunch with food made by church members and from House of Teriyaki.

The Amherst Church of the Nazarene hopes many community members will join them for a celebration of this historic church, which represents both the town’s storied history and its now more diverse population.

See Related

Amherst History Month by Month: Amherst’s New England Heritage (Amherst Indy)

North Congregational Church Closing After 184 Years of Worship in Amherst (MassLive)