Presently July & August summer services on Sundays begin at 10:00 as ministers and lay leaders are available. Chesuncook Village Church . . . Chesuncook, Maine
Thursday, February 27, 2021·
“It was in 1922 that a group of village women decided the time had come for a “real” church. The suggestion was presented to Great Northern and paper company officials approved. The dedicatory service was held
on Sunday, Oct. 28, 1923. Thereafter, ministers and theological students were sent to the village each summer by the Congregational Christian Conference of Maine (now the United Church of Christ) to conduct services and social activities. The Catholic church at Greenville would occasionally provide a priest.
“As long as the state felt it should provide education, the church felt it should do no less,” (Robert)Mayhew explained. He served as village pastor during the summers of 1936 and 1937. Three years before Mayhew’s first summer here the old village schoolhouse was declared unfit for occupancy and Great Northern gave the state permission to use the church as a school building. It served in that capacity until 1943 when a school was no longer needed.”
The church fell into disrepair and was not used until the 1970’s when a group came together to restore the aging church. At the time it was owned by Great Northern paper Co. Fundraising began and many (including Maurice Anderson, Mr. Mayhew, Robert Simon, Oscar Gagnon, Tony Bartley, & Bernice Edwards) were involved in fundraising to make the restoration work happen. From the early 1980’s to the late 1990’s ministers and their families came to the village for a week of relaxing, light work about the church and parsonage, and to lead a Sunday service of worship. The only way into the village during those years was by boat so rides were arranged for the visiting pastors to come by boat into the village.Many ministers and lay leaders fondly remember and cherish memories of their time at The Village. Over the years many volunteers have worked at keeping the church and parsonage buildings in good repair, but weather and remoteness and lack of funds have taken a toll on the buildings. In 2014 the State of Maine deeded the church building to the Union Church in Greenville. (the land remains under a lease from the State). Fundraising continues in 2021. A very generous donation given to the project recently will allow for renovations to the parsonage buildings so that visiting clergy will have a comfortable place to stay. More funds are needed to continue the renovations to the church. The porch needs to be replaced soon. If you would like to be part of this Chesuncook Church & Parsonage fundraising you may contact the Chesuncook Church committee through the Union Church in Greenville – [email protected]. We appreciate your interest. Union Church, UCC; P.O.Box 368; Greenville, ME 04441
ATTN: Chesuncook Church - [email protected]
