We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us.
Winston Churchill
Our Building
Ours is a quintessential New England Meeting House.
Some of us love the sanctuary’s high ceilings, the tall clear windows with their wavy antique glass, the steeple topped with a recently restored weathervane and housing a Paul Revere bell.
Some of us love the more intimate space of the Chapel where kids can lie down on the rug and look at a painting of the universe on the wall. Some of us love the back yard where there is plenty of room to play, the gardens where there is so much to see, the trees that we watch changing with the seasons. We are blessed with beautiful spaces!
Prominently located on the roundabout in the Old Center and included in the national and local Historic District Registers, our Gothic-style structure, is the fifth Meeting House to house this continuously operating religious community.
Built in 1836, the current structure has undergone several significant renovations to meet our evolving program and mission needs as well as preserving and restoring its beautiful architectural elements.
Are the church spaces and gardens available for events?
From time to time, many of our spaces may be available for either periodic or regular rental.
NOTE: Our apology, we are currently not accepting rental requests.
Here is general information on weddings and memorials, rentals for your group or event (when available), as well as our preservation efforts and the evolution of our gardens.
Our Gardens and Labyrinth
Gardens frame our historic building and provide a welcoming outdoor spiritual space – a place for gathering, rest and reflection. The changing landscape enchants the eye, and reminds us of life’s cycles, beauty, impermanence and renewal.
Begun in 2009, the gardens include a walking labyrinth, a granite wall where church members can memorialize family members, patio and seating areas, and open lawn for gathering and play. Also in 2009, children of the church completed documentation to have our grounds designated as a Wildlife Habitat. A bubbling fountain, located in the lower yard, supplies water, while plantings throughout the gardens, including pollinator and meadow species, provide plenty of food and shelter, and learning opportunities about our environment.
Located adjacent to the labyrinth, steel-reinforced clay columns provide support for a bronze meditation bell. The columns contain impressions of memory items from 150+ congregation members, as well as an imprint from the Paul Revere Bell that hangs in our steeple and the tribal emblem of the Pennacook tribe, original occupants of the region. Celebrating 375 Years, an e-book about the project, contains photos of the columns, memoirs from the participants, and a description of the process.

From 2002-2014 our congregation planned, funded and completed two extensive building projects – a combined cost of $4.5M. The first project focused on becoming a more welcoming, safe and accessible building. The book
In 2015, members voted to add solar power in order to reduce our carbon footprint and to provide an example to our members and the community. The original project scope included solar panels on the Meeting House. The Old Center Historic District Commission denied that project but, on appeal, approved a smaller scope of panels on the roof of our new addition along Great Pond Road. The panels were installed in early 2017 and have been providing over 20% of our electrical power.
In 2019, a group of church members and local residents formed an independent non-profit organization to inform, share and support the ongoing preservation efforts of our historic Meeting House with the community-at-large. For more about our building and their work, see the