The following is from an eight page pamphlet prepared in the '80's. (If you know the author please send an email to the webmaster.) It was probably drawn from a manuscript by Rev. Charles Styron, our minister from 1935 until 1970. The complete manuscript has been published as "History of the Church 1747 - 1942" and is available from the church offices.

In 1992 (the 150th anniversary of the building of the Unitarian Church, the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Congregational Church, and the 50th anniversary of the union of the two churches) the church published "Clear Windows, The First Parish in Lincoln 1942- 1992". It included The Ministry of Charles Styron, 1936-1970 by Jane Langton with a chapter on the union of the two churches, by Robert D. Donaldson, Jr.

It is hard to imagine that in the early 1700’s, Lincoln as we know it today was the backland of the three established communities of Concord, Lexington and Weston with scattered farms on lonely roads. Unhappy with their isolation from each other, their towns and churches, certain inhabitants of this section petitioned the General Court on June 17, 1734, “Praying that their Families and Estates may be set off from the said Towns and erected into a separate Township” Several times during the next few years this petition was presented and repeatedly denied because citizens of Lexington were opposed on the ground that the petitioners from that town had voted to call their minister and ought to stay and help pay his salary.

Immediately thereafter twenty-two men assumed the task of building a meetinghouse on land where the Parish House now stands, donated by Edward Flint. On June 25, 1747 this was accepted as the precinct meetinghouse and on August 18, 1747, the church was formally organized.

Since the precinct was now fulfilling most of the functions of a town, and by its remote location formed a natural political unit, the desire grew stronger to have it incorporated into a township. This end was achieved in 1754 and the name Lincoln was adopted, having been proposed by the man who had been most influential in securing the act of incorporation, the Hon. Chambers Russell. His ancestral home was in Lincolnshire, England, and his Lincoln home is now known as the Codman House.

At that time the church and state were not separated; the meetinghouse served for both town meeting and religious worship, and the minister’s salary was voted as an appropriation at the annual town meeting. On May 3, 1830, due to widespread discontent with the minister then serving the church, the town meeting refused to make any appropriation for his salary. Interested persons, finding some action necessary, formed a “Religious Society,” or parish, to provide financial support for the church. The First Parish was organized on May 15, 1830. The church supported by this original First Parish was the Congregational church.

The town and church now separated, the question arose as to which owned the meetinghouse. This was finally decided in favor of the First Parish, but the town continued to hold meetings there for a number of years.

The meetinghouse was burned down in 1859, perhaps having been set on fire. Within a year a second building was completed on the same site. This served the needs of the church for a generation. In 1890, major repairs being required and funds supplied by private donors being available, it was torn down and replaced by the Stone Church, a part of our present Parish House.

On August 12, 1841 a group of men of the liberal persuasion met in the Center School House to form a religious organization to be called the Unitarian Congregational Society in Lincoln. Efforts to get support from the town having failed, plans were soon adopted to raise money and erect a meeting-house. This meeting-house, the present White Church, was completed in 1842, funds for its construction having been obtained largely through the sale of pews. During the nineteenth century it had no resident minister. Services were led by Unitarian ministers from neighboring towns. Under the leadership of the Rev. James DeNormandie, the church came to new life in the early part of this century, and, for a number of years previous to the union of the churches, profited from the ministry of promising theological students, a few of whom remained for short periods after graduation and ordination.

Relations between the two churches were always cordial in spite of differences. The choir of the Congregational church sang at the service of dedication of the White Church. The Unitarians invited the Congregationalists, or “Orthodox” as they were usually called, to use their building between the burning of the original meeting-house and the erection of the new, as well as during the demolition of the second building and the construction of the Stone Church.

The question of uniting the churches was considered first in 1859 following the burning of the Congregational building. During the two decades preceding 1935, the two churches considered the matter several times, but with no success. In that year, due to the concerted efforts of some laymen of the two churches, a federation was established. The people joined in a common program of work and worship but the two churches preserved their identities. The Rev. Charles M. Styron was called to be the first minister of the joint enterprise and assumed his duties in February 1936. Federation, which established cooperation but perpetuated the distinct churches, was found cumbersome administratively, and served to accentuate differences. The desire for a complete and uncompromising union was so great that on May 25, 1942 the Unitarian and Congregational churches went out of existence by vote of their members and the united church came into being under the existing framework of the First Parish in Lincoln.

All the worldly possessions of the two former churches were deeded to their successor. Thus the old First Parish, organized in 1830 to provide financial support for the Congregational church when funds were denied it by the town, became the vehicle of union. The by-laws of the old First Parish were amended by substituting an entirely new set to enable it to be and to function as a church. Now finding itself the possessor of two church buildings in Lincoln Center, the White Church came to serve as the place of worship and the Stone Church (our present Parish House) as a center for church offices, Church School, committee meetings, church suppers and other activities.

After one hundred and ten years, the original concept of unity was restored in Lincoln Center and today we find ourselves living, worshiping and working together in “the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.”

In 1963 Sumner Smith, in memory of his mother and father, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Sumner Smith, who themselves had been generous supporters of the First Parish, gave the Stearns Room addition to the White Church. In this gift were combined recognition of one of the Parish’s most distinguished ministers, the Rev. Charles Stearns, and Charles Smith’s long held desire to see the two center churches reunited.

From 1967 to 1970, the entrances were redesigned to provide adequate vestibule space, the balcony was rebuilt to provide space for the choir, and a tracker organ, built by the Noack Organ Co. of Andover, was installed. In 1979 a bell for the steeple was given in memory of Newton Prouty DeNormandie, George Wells, and Louis E. Paddock, thus completing the basic facilities of the building.

* Although one frequently hears the terms "white church or sanctuary" and "stone church" to designate these two buildings resolutions were adopted in 1990 officially naming the downhill structure "the Church" and the uphill one "the Parish House".

Last edited 12/02/05 by JP

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