Manchester, Connecticut

Second Congregational Church

Denomination: Congregational

Organ: Austin Pipe Organ (Three Manual)

Last Service:  ---

Presider:  ---

Second Congregational Church, Manchester Connecticut

Second Congeregational - what a odd name for a church. Was there a first congregational? Yes, there was. Was first congregational far away in another part of the city? No, it wasn't it was less than a mile. In fact, the organist of First Congregational Church and I became colleagues and she and I did several musical events together. A schism had happened in the congregational church of Manchester, Connecticut and the people that split off had formed their own congregational church. Histories only report on large, society shattering schisms but small schisms happen all the time.

The two most interesting things about Second Congregational: first, the large three-manual Austin pipe organ in the sanctuary. There are Austins all over New England and down the eastern coast of America (and world-wide actually). But there are more than the average number of Austin pipe organs around Hartford, Connecticut city because Austin was (and to my knowledge still is) based in Hartford, Connecticut. In fact, I'd often take choirs and congregation members of tours of the Austin organ manufacturering plant in the summer months. This organ was truly a wonderful instrument. Being a young organist it was a thrill to play this instrument for the short time that I was with Second Congregational. Second, the choir wore old fashioned baptist style robes with the massively pleated shoulders and the bell sleeves. I had (and still wear) a basic black cassock to play. I put on one of these robes and the sleeves would catch on the keyboard. Have you ever wondered how they keep those pleats? Cardboard is sown into the shoulders. The console was down in a pit and every time I lifted my arm to conduct the choir, this robe would tangle around the me and organ. So, I went back to the basic black cassock. Well, you would have thought that I had started a new schism. To a congregationalist, black cassock screams papist. Heaven forbide! I needed some way to play and still honor the traditions of the congregation and choir. Solution: I found a talented seamstress in the congregation, who took and inlaid a blue strip and blue buttons onto my black cassock. Oh, how the congregation loved that vestment set that I wore. Not only did it honor the tradition of the choir, but it used a member of the congregation to do so. Soon, the minister also had colors sown into her vestments as well. Sometimes, conflict doesn't mean one side has to give into another, sometimes the solution can be a new way that everyone likes more.