What’s in our Cornerstones
1895 Stone Church
Groundbreaking October 29, 1895, dedicated 1896.
(From page 23 of 1895 Cornerstone Ceremony Booklet)
Photos of the Contents, dug out for our 350th Anniversary!
Copper box contents:
Letters from President Grover Cleveland, Governor Coffin,
Rev. Josiah Strong, D.D. and Hon. E.J. Hill;
Copy of Oct. 29, 1894 authorization of this building
Name of current pastor and his installation date
Names of officers and members of this church, Sunday School, Christian Endeavor Society and Ecclesiastical Society
Report on 1895 meeting of the American Board of Foreign Missions
Copy of Historical address by Rev. F. S. Child
Copies of the Congregationalist, Outlook, New York Tribune, Brooklyn Eagle, Stamford Advocate and Greenwich News
Copy of invitation and program of these services and architects’ names, Berg & Clark, the builder, W. A. Thomas, and the Finance Committee.
The cornerstone says “Founded 1670” because that’s when William Grimes died, leaving 32 acres of land to the church. However, we now use 1665, the charter date, as our founding date.
1930 Binney Parish House
Groundbreaking 1930, dedicated September 11, 1931.
(From page 160 of The First Three Hundred Years, the History of the First Congregational Church of Greenwich, Connecticut.)
Copper box contents:
Program of the 1895 Cornerstone Service of the stone church
List of pastors and their tenure
List of active First Church members of 1930
Church Calendars* and Bulletins (*now called Meetinghouse Monthly.)
The Greenwich Press of that week
Stamford Advocate of that week
Copy of June Binney’s funeral service
June Binney’s military service picture and his mother’s written inscription and poem
1952 Education Wing.
Groundbreaking 1951, dedicated September 1952.
Seating capacity of the meetinghouse was increased to 250 as well.
(There is no cornerstone for this addition since the outside is stucco.)
1961 Meetinghouse Expansion
Cornerstone laid January 8, 1961, dedicated February 4, 1962.
(From page 182 of The First Three Hundred Years.)
Letter from Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Letter from Gov. Abraham Ribicoff
Revised Bylaws of First Church
1959 Annual Report
First Church – Your Church booklet
A communion cup
A Light for the Future booklet
Resume of the work of all committees on the expansion
Brochure of the Building Fund Campaign
Special reports and a list of contributors to the Building Fund
Coins – one cent to one silver dollar
Brochure of the 1895 cornerstone ceremony
Program and address from the groundbreaking ceremony
Proposed constitution and Bylaws of the United Church of Christ
Copy of the builder’s contract
New York Times Magazine
Life Magazine “25 Year Review”
United Church Herald
Business Week Review
Greenwich Time
The Village Gazette, Jan. 5, 1961
Holy Bible – Revised Standard Version