HCC History

During the 17^th and 18^th century in New England, the Congregational Church was not only the religious center of the community but also the local government. This meant that if you lived in this community in say, 1750, you had to belong to Huntington Congregational Church (in Full Communion) in order to vote or have other political rights. Full Communion meant that you had experienced a personal conversion moment. The problem was that not everyone had this kind of moment so church authorities eventually decided that if one of your parents was in Full Communion, you could be admitted to full membership as well even without the conversion experience. This controversial decision was called the Half Way Covenant. Some churches accepted it and some rejected it. Huntington Congregational instituted it here for most of its early history until a heated congregational meeting in 1817 abolished it. By that time it was no longer a political issue since government was moving out of the Congregational churches into secular institutions.

From Our Interim Minister…

“Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other’s eyes for just an instant?”

- Henry David Thoreau

Dear Friends,

I am always so grateful for the month of April. It is truly the “Easter” month even in years like this when Easter Sunday comes in March. For it is in April that the world shakes off its deep slumber and life asserts itself in astonishing profusion. Each blossom that breaks free of the constraint of winter’s cold is a living symbol of God’s power to recreate the world, optimistic reminder of the newness possible in our own lives.

April is also the month I usually open Henry David Thoreau’s great book WALDEN again. I have been doing this since my first year in parish ministry and each spring Henry seems to say something that I need to hear. Now that I am well into my second year as your Interim Minister, it was nice to read the quote above. It reminds me that the true significance of my days lies not in all the endless details, but in my connection to others.

Thoreau couldn’t imagine a greater miracle than really seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. This is a wonderful way to speak about what genuine compassion is. For if you could really do it, really be in someone else’s head looking at the world the way they see it, you would for that moment truly understand them! It is an echo of Jesus’ profound commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”

So in this glorious “Easter” month, I am working on true compassion. While enjoying all that nature offers, I will also be trying to look through the eyes of those around me, maybe even you! And I encourage you to try it, to realize the stunning way God can bring newness to your life by deeply understanding someone else!

JOHN

Seeking Photos

Huntington Congregational is a busy place. There is always something wonderful happening! If you have photos from an event, we would love to post them on our blog, along with a brief description of the event. Please see Rob Reeves or Marie Mitchell or email us at update@huntingtonucc.org to have your wonderful news uploaded. We would love for our entire community to see all of the great things that are going on at HCC.

Calendar of Events

Please click the link to the left "Today at HCC" to view the monthly calendar. If you are a church member and would like an event added to the calendar, please contact Rob Reeves or Marie Mitchell.