Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine

The Trinitarian Congregational Parish has its origins in a religious dispute that occurred in Castine and other New England towns in the early 1800s. They disagreed over interpretations of the Bible and other theological matters. A group split away from the established church in 1820 after consulting a council of local ministers. Nine years later, the Trinitarians dedicated their own building.

The church building was elevated and expanded in the mid-1800s to house its growing congregation. The stately and iconic steeple was added during this renovation. In 1890 a four-face mechanical clock was installed in the steeple base, followed in 1895 by interior renovations and the installation of many of the current stained-glass windows. Residents and visitors can still hear the steeple bell chime on the hour, even during power outages.

Long a site for inter-church activities, the Trinitarian Church has served Congregational and Methodist congregations as a federated church and also several Castine congregations for a time as the Interchurch Parish of Castine. Today, the church’s Dr. Mary Cushman Circle, named for a Castine medical missionary, is particularly active in national and international missionary work.

For more information, please visit the Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine website: http://www.tcpoc.org/