First Congregational Church (Chester, New Jersey)
First Congregational Church | |
| Location | 30 Hillside Road Chester Borough, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°47′14″N 74°41′45″W / 40.78722°N 74.69583°W |
| Area | 2.3 acres (0.93 ha) |
| Built | 1856 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000892[1] |
| NJRHP No. | 2100[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 10, 1977 |
| Designated NJRHP | August 2, 1976 |
First Congregational Church is a historic church located at 30 Hillside Road in Chester Borough, New Jersey. The congregation was founded in 1740.[3] The church building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 10, 1977, for its significance in architecture, art, and religion.[4]
History and description
The Greek Revival temple church was built in 1856. It is the third building used by the congregation; the first was built in 1747, and the second in 1803.[5] It features a full portico with pediment and four Doric columns. The interior decoration was painted 1857–1870 with Trompe-l'œil style. In 1873, an Opius 128 organ built by the J. H & C. S. Odell firm was installed.[4]
Social Action
The church has fundraised for a variety of causes,[6] including:
- Dayspring Ministries, a Christian organisation which supports a school, orphanage, food program and family health clinic in haiti
- Good News Home for Women, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for adult women
- Market Street Mission, which provides support to the "homeless, helpless, and hopeless"
- Carmen Ministries, who organise bible study sessions for incarcerated and ex-incarcerated men to help improve their lives and stop repeat offences
- Child Evangelism Fellowship, who provide opportunities to connect young people with God
- Free food to members of the local community
- Support for local people living in desperate poverty
Gallery
-
Front door with church history above
-
Morris County historical information
-
Chester Cemetery
-
Nathan Cooper (1751–1834) family monument
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey
- Nathan A. Cooper
- Bergen County, New Jersey
References
- ^ "National Register Information System – (#77000892)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Morris County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. February 12, 2018. p. 3.
- ^ "About Us – wwp". Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Karschner, Terry (August 10, 1977). "NRHP Nomination: First Congregational Church". National Park Service. "Accompanying 4 photos, from 1976".
- ^ "History of the First Congregational Church". First Congregation Church of Chester, NJ.
- ^ "Missions We Support – wwp". Retrieved October 2, 2022.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to First Congregational Church (Chester, New Jersey).
- Official website
- "First Congregational Church". The Historical Marker Database.