Our church was first established in 1794 as “The Second Church of Christ, New Bedford” or “The Meeting House Church.” In 1845 the current “Brick Church” was dedicated. It is an elegant Gothic-type structure made of brick and possibly stucco. The interior is finished in an imitation black walnut and was originally designed to hold 600 persons on the floor and 200 on the balcony. A three-sectioned Gothic screen of fine woodcarving on the rear balcony matches the décor at the front of the church.
Originally the church tower held a 100-foot high steeple, serving as a beacon to a safe harbor for returning mariners and its congregation. Four7 20-foot pinnacles surrounded the original steeple. In 1869 the beautiful spire was blown down in a gale. The pinnacles suffered similarly at other times and were ultimately taken down in 1918.
In 1953 an addition was completed which houses offices, meeting areas, a kitchen, and a large function room.
We are blessed with a magnificent pipe organ. Rebuilt as the Opus #20 of the Roche Organ Company in 1976, this custom-designed mechanical instrument incorporates the pipes and windchest of an organ built around the time of the civil war. The organ has the benefits of mechanical action and layout, while its character matches its surroundings.
