Our Story
First Congregational Church of Revere has a long and meaningful story shaped by conviction, courage, and the faithfulness of God across generations.
Our spiritual roots reach back to 1710, when the original Congregational Church was first established in our town. For more than a century, that congregation flourished. However, in 1828, the church chose to join the emerging Unitarian movement, stepping away from historic Christian belief in the deity of Christ.
In that pivotal moment, five faithful families committed to the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Jesus, stepped out in courage.
On April 4, 1828, they gathered in the home of Joseph Harris to organize a new church family called the Evangelical Congregational Society of Chelsea.
Seeking to remain rooted in historic Christian faith as the church in Rumney Marsh moved toward Unitarianism, they began meeting in homes and small gathering places, trusting God to provide for the future.
Their perseverance bore fruit. By the 1840s, the congregation experienced renewed life, purchased property, and completed the sanctuary in 1849—the very space in which we continue to worship today. As the church grew, so did the building.
In 1884, the entire sanctuary was raised to create the first floor beneath it, demonstrating both ingenuity and commitment to the church’s future. In 1895, the Woodbury Organ was installed, becoming a cherished part of our worship heritage.
In 1898, the church was incorporated and officially took the name First Congregational Church of Revere, assuming the property and responsibilities of the First Evangelical Congregational Society of Revere. Through the years, various ministers served the congregation, often for brief seasons, until Rev. E. Ambrose Jenkins was called in 1923. His faithful leadership for 21 years brought stability and strength to the church. Following his passing in 1944, his assistant, Rev. Lloyd F. Dean, continued the ministry.
That same year, a parsonage fund was established, culminating in the purchase of a home for pastoral housing in 1950, another sign of the congregation’s long-term vision and care for its leaders.
Today, as a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC), we remain committed to the same core convictions that shaped our beginnings: the authority of God’s Word and the saving lordship of Jesus Christ. We are a community devoted to heartfelt worship, authentic faith, and compassionate service, seeking to share the hope of Christ with a world that is broken and searching.
Nearly two centuries after those first families gathered in faith, we continue their legacy standing firmly in the gospel and extending the love of Jesus to our neighbors, our community, and the world.