History of Founders Congregational Church

In 1959 the Harwinton Church was part of the nationwide system of The Congregational Christian Churches that decided to join with the Evangelical and Reformed Church to form United Churches of Christ.  Some of that parish felt this would eliminate the Congregational traditions that were started by the Pilgrims, so twenty-five people left the Harwinton Church to form a new church that would remain faithful to the old Congregational way.

Some of these people started meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bowen and incorporated as The Founders Congregational Church of Harwinton.  Later, meetings were moved to the Community Hall on South Road.  There was a Sunday School as many of the group had small children.  One of the members of the new venture had been the Sunday School Superintendent for the Harwinton Church and she organized the church school.  The church joined with the Connecticut Fellowship of Congregational Christian Churches at South Church in Hartford and became a part of the NACCC, a national organization for the continuing Congregationalists.  Dr. Roy Pavy, Secretary of the Fellowship, came often to preach for Sunday services.  The fellowship hall was named in his honor.

After a year, the church was doing well and growing, so the Connecticut Fellowship offered the members a $25,000 loan to build a new church.  The members were able to obtain eight and one half acres and a house where the church now stands for a cost of $21,000.  A small church was designed and a builder, Gosta Swanson, was hired to build it.  Gosta said that every builder ought to build at least one church and offered to build it for his cost, $40,000.  A mortgage was obtained and by the spring of 1963 Founders Congregational Church meetinghouse was completed.

Other churches donated many things for the church.  The Swedish Lutheran Church of Bristol donated the pews from their old church as they were building a new, larger church and could not use them.  The pulpit was donated by South Church.  The Congregational Church of Waterbury donated the kitchen equipment because they had a fire.  Also, they donated all the chairs and tables for Pavy Hall.  The Harwinton United Church of Christ gave the beautiful stained glass windows that were in the Huntington Memorial Chapel that used to stand behind their church but had been taken down in 1955.

The church has enjoyed almost fifty years of continued generosity by individuals and fellowships from Harwinton and the surrounding communities. Today it consists of an active and enthusiastic gathered body of believers open to serving their Lord and their community.