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Yankee Fair

Youth Mission Trip

Summer Outdoor Worship

A Open and Affirming Church

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Yankee Fair

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To research older photos, as far back as 2004, click on the links below.

Confirmation 2016

Wreath Making Party 2015

Blessing of the Animals 2015

Yankee Fair 2013

Family Fun Night 2013

Alternative Gifts Fair

EVEN MORE Yankee Fair 2011

MORE Yankee Fair 2011

Yankee Fair 2011

Men's Mission Trip 2011

Pagent 2010

Alternative Gifts Fair 2010

JYF Gingerbreadmen

SYF Scavenger Hunt

South Dakota Gifts

Thanksgiving Altar Gifts

New Members Nov 2010

Confirmation Retreat 2010

SYF Mission Trip 2009

Field of Flags July 2010

New Members March 2010

Easter Sunrise 2010

Yankee Fair 2009 1

Yankee Fair 2009 2

Yankee Fair 2009 3

Family Worship - Outdoor Chapel 2009

Summer Campfire Dinner 2009

Gods view of the church

Confirmation 2009

New Members Spring 2009

Easter Sunrise Service 2009

Yankee Fair 2008

Sunday Church School 2008

SYF Mission Trip, Slidell, LA 2008

Baby Kits

Ultimate Frisbee

VF Hike at Happy Landings

Blessing of the Animals

Confirmation Healthy Choices Retreat

SYF Bowling

JYF Team Building Night

Sunday AM Church School 2007

JYF Popcorn Stringing for Fair

SYF Camping Trip

Painting Youth Rooms

New Members Winter 2007

New Members Fall 2007

Vacation Bible School

SYF Youth Mission Trip 2007

Memorial Day Parade

Colonial Service Reenactment

New Members Spring 2007

Installation of Bryn Smallwood-Garcia

Pastors Bryn & Jen join CCB

250th Anniversary Quilt Presentation

Talent Show 2007

More Talent Show 2007

Silver Lake Family Retreat 2007

Instant Christmas Pageant 2006

Joy Ringers

Praise Ringers

1752	Privilege Meetings were held in homes in the Parish of Newbury.
1754	Parish of Newbury boundaries settled. Land was taken from New Milford, Danbury and Newtown.
28 Sept 1757	The first church was formally dedicated and Rev. Thomas Brooks was ordained as the first settled Pastor.
1768	The men started petitioning the government for town privileges.
1775	Brooks signed his allegiance to the Declaration of Independence. Two of his sons fought in the Revolutionary War.
1779	Rev. Brooks was paid in wheat and Indian corn
May 1788	The Parish of Newbury was incorporated as the town of Brookfield, named for Rev. Thomas Brooks
September 1799	Rev. Thomas Brooks dies and is buried in Land’s End Cemetery.
1819	Lucia Ruggles Holman & her brother, Samuel Ruggles, with their spouses, left for The Hawaiian Islands as missionary. Lucia became the first American woman to circumnavigate the globe when she returned home
1824	A steeple was added to the first meetinghouse. There was no bell in the steeple. Horse sheds were added in the back of the meetinghouse.
1827	The meetinghouse was seated by age with free seats for the destitute
1829	A new bell was added to the Town House across the street from the Meetinghouse. This bell was used by the Episcopal Church and us to call worshippers to church.
1830 to 1920	The church supported the temperance movement
1842	The first parsonage was built by members of the church. Rev. Dan C. Curtiss was the first minister to live here.
1854	The Present building was dedicated and a bell was added to the steeple.
1865	The members voted to put lights in the church.
1874	Voted to take a collection every Sunday morning.
1880	A new pipe organ was purchased. A boy was hired to pump the organ for 10 cents a Sunday
Dec 1888	Rev. Pierce dies quite suddenly at the parsonage. This happened on a Sunday.
Jan. 1889	Mrs. Pierce dies at the parsonage. She had been given life use of the parsonage. They are both buried in Central Cemetery.
1891	The pews were made free
1895	The First Ecumenical Thanksgiving held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
1900	The Church wagon was started. They picked up people that needed a way to church
1904	Mrs. Eliza G. Fairchild Peck was the first woman to be elected to the Ecclesiastical Society.
1907	Sequa-centennial celebration was held and the chapel (Brook’s Hall) was added.
1908	A loving cup was presented to Deacon Alfred Somers for his 50 years of service as a Deacon. This was the year that the church began using collection envelopes.
1910	Rev. Harry & Rose Martin resigned and left as missionaries to Peking China. Clarence Vroman purchased a Stanley Steamer as the church wagon. This was the last year the church wagon was used.
1915	Electricity was put in the church, chapel and parsonage.
June 1916	The present Austin Organ was installed at the cost of $3000. A concert was held in celebration of the event.
1917	The first telephone was put in the parsonage.
Oct 1918	All public events were cancelled because of the Spanish influenza epidemic.
1926	Steam heat was put in the parsonage.
1927	Two chemical toilets were placed in back of the church
1928	Lightning struck the steeple and lightning rods were added.
1935	When the weather was too cold, services were held in the Chapel.
1939	The Chapel kitchen was added (the old kitchen upstairs)
1942	An oil burner was put in the church for heat. The Young People’s Fellowship was added.
1944	New cushions were put in the pews.
1950	The first Summer Bible school was held.
1952	Hot water was made available at the church. The Alpha Iota Pilgrim Fellowship was stared for the youth.
1953	For the first time there were two Easter services.
1954	Agnes Johnson was responsible for establishing the Book of Remembrance.
1955	Women’s Fellowship was started along with the Men’s Laymen’s Fellowship.
1957	Planning stages were started for the Silver Lake Conference Center. The first Holiday Tea was held.
1961	The church voted against joining the United Church of Christ.
1964	A resolution was passed that all were equal regardless of race or creed.
1965	Two Sunday worship services were held. The cement walk was broken up.
1966	More votes were taken about joining the United Church of Christ. The vote was in the affirmative in October.
1967	A new hanging sign was put on the front lawn of the church.
1968	The first fair was held. The money raised went for the people of Biafra. FISH was started with the churches of Brookfield.
1971	The Board of Deacons and the Board of Deaconesses became one. The iron railings were put in next to the front walk.
1972	Palms were handed out on Palm Sunday for the first time. The room above the old kitchen was made into a music room.
1973	For the cease-fire, the church was rung by anyone that would like to -- It took all afternoon. CROP walk was held in Brookfield.
1974	To clean out the barn, a Church auction was held. Sold everything including the kitchen sink.
1975	The youth raised money for the Heifer project. Weekly coffee hours were started after church.
1976	Traffic lights were install outside the church. For the Bicentennial, a Colonial Worship was held. The Mission’s committee put up the first Mission Tree. Storm windows and an attic fan were installed.
1977	The youth groups held their first Rock-A-Thon. The First Do-It-Yourself Christmas pageant was held.
1978	Mystery property was found in Bethel and was sold. There was the first printing of Lucia Ruggles Holman’s Journal.
1979	The Littlest Bell Choir was formed. When the furnace broke down, services were held in Fellowship Hall.
1982	The 225^th anniversary of the church was held. A time capsule was put together. It was decided to have it opened on the 250^th anniversary of the church.
1983	There was a complete reconditioning of the meetinghouse.
1984	Lightning struck the steeple again. Lenten Lunches were held.
1987	A handicap ramp was added to the entrance of Brook’s Hall. The first computer was used in the office.
1988	The town celebrated its 200^th anniversary with an Ecumenical Colonial worship service in our meetinghouse. An Alleluia choir and a K-2^nd grade choirs were formed.
1989	The outside of the meetinghouse was painted and the windows could be opened for the first time in many years.
1991	The church, parsonage, barn and cottage were all added to the National Register of Historic Places.
1992	A youth hand bell choir was started. The Confirmation Program was changed to include mentors. The Memorial Garden was dedicated.
1993	The first 8:00 a.m. Sunday worship service was held in the Memorial Garden. The Serendippers group began.
1995	The entire front of the church was rebuilt. The closet to the rear of the meetinghouse was removed to make a larger entryway.
1997	Rev. M. Sargent Desmond was named Pastor Emeritus. Stephen’s Ministry program was started.
1999	A special service was held at Land’s End Cemetery on the 200^th anniversary of the death of Rev. Thomas Brooks. A dinner was held and former members of the 1964 youth group were invited back to open the time capsule. The Parish Nurses program was started.
2000	The church and offices were air-conditioned. An Ecumenical Service was held here – Worship 2000.
2001	A lift was added to the entry next to the office. The barn was completely renovated.
2002	On the 245^th anniversary of the church, a dinner was held and all former clergy were invited back. The cottage renovation was begun. A refugee family will be housed there.
2003	Tom Eaker made the Stewardship boxes in the shape of the church for the “Winter Privilege Meetings. First Annual Variety Show was held.
2004	Voted to write a church statement on Open and Affirming. “God Is Still Speaking,” movie and dinner program.

Gallery

Yankee Fair 2009 1

Yankee Fair 2009 2

Yankee Fair 2009 3

An Abridged History of the Congregational Church of Brookfield