About Us

A Brief Summary of the History of the Union Congregational Church of Hebron 

On June 12, 1779 a hardy and faithful group of pioneers gathered to incorporate a local church, consisting of worshipers from varied Christian backgrounds. A pastor, Samuel Perley, was called later in the year. The Church of Christ at Cockermouth was born, later named the Union Congregational Church of Hebron in 1920. The Church has served God and the people of the Newfound Area faithfully since its founding. Many of the names listed in the original church records are still prominent in Hebron, Groton and surrounding towns to this day.

 The current building is the third structure to house the congregation on the existing site. The original meetinghouse, erected in 1801, was expanded years later into a larger, more formal church building with a spire. That structure, along with the village store, was totally destroyed by fire on May 31, 1945. Although not an exact reproduction of the earlier building, the new Colonial Revival style church echoed the form and plan of the original. As stated on a commemorative plaque dated 1959, “One hundred sixty gave labor, many more money and materials for this church of similar design and site, dedicated in 1953.” Located on the picturesque Hebron Common, the church is often photographed and appears regularly on calendars, greeting cards and brochures. It remains at the core of the local community.

 Our small but active church family consists of 65 active members and 12 associate members. Our longest-serving pastor, John M. Fischer, began his ministry in 1972 until his retirement in January of 2017. Reverend Earl Miller joined us as our interim minister in January, 2017. After serving as our bridge pastor starting in early 2019, the Rev. Mary Jane Barber accepted the call as our settled minister in May 2020. Pastor Barber retired in April 2023, and the Rev. Ralph English beginning September 1st will be serving as our Transition Minister as we search for a settled pastor. The size of our membership does not reflect the amount of enthusiasm of the congregation, as evidenced in the Hebron Fair, which is recognized as the most prominent annual social event of the Newfound Lake Region.

 The church is a member of the Merrimack Association, New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ. Visitors and new members are encouraged and welcomed. The church celebrates Holy Communion on the first Sunday of every month and is open to all believers.