Crystal Lake Community United Methodist Church
Our world is like heaven
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Church Info
| We are the Crystal Lake Community United Methodist Church located
on Route 140 in the Crystal Lake section of Ellington, Connecticut.
Although small in size, we are rich in friendship, love and support.
Sunday Service: 9:00 a.m. |
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Chrystal Lake Community Methodist Church History
1790 - Jesse Lee, a Methodist circuit rider, came for the first time into Connecticut. He preached in many places and in some, not all, was successful in initiating a Methodist Society. Among those was Tolland and Square Pond (an early name for Crystal Lake), and thus a group of people, gathering together to pray and worship, founded our church.
1792 - The people worshipping together form a Church and they feel the need of a place to worship. John Carter, whose house still stands below the Conklin residence on South Road, donated a plot of land on Sandy Beach Road and the Church builds a meeting house.
1794 - The circuit riders come and serve the needs of the community, but it is a long journey. At Square Pond, our people build a parsonage to house the circuit riders when they are in this area. It is the first Methodist parsonage built in New England and many authorities say the first in the East.
1829 - The meeting house at Square Pond burns to the ground. It must be rebuilt, but the congregation quarrels as to how it should be done1835 - The split in the congregation has not been healed, so two Churches are formed. Two meeting houses are built, one on each side of Sandy Beach Road. A time of rebuilding and joy, but a time of sadness also.
1863 - Our country is divided by a great "Civil War", brother against brother, father against son. At Square Pond, our people are still divided into two congregations. Both are small and neither congregation has the strength to do more than barely survive. 1887-1896 - Neither congregation has the strength to continue. The doors of both meeting houses are closed. There is no Church at Square Pond except in the hearts of a few
1897 - The presiding elder, Mr. Bates, attaches the Crystal Lake Church to the Stafford Springs charge. The Reverend J. L. Bartholemew holds a service at the meeting house on June 27, 1897. Both congregations respond as 75 people attend. A Sunday School is organized; a Board of Trustees is elected and Ladies' Aid started. Average attendance for the year: 70 during the summer and 50 during the winter. A rift has been repaired. Our Church is rebuilt
1951 - The old Adventist Church is now used as a Community House. It is moved across the street and placed next to the Church building.
1966 - The First Parsonage, long in other hands, is purchased and moved onto Church property, adjacent to the parking lot
2006 - In this year, our Church celebrates its 216th year since its founding. We have weathered good times and bad. This is felt to be an appropriate time to ask ourselves the question: "Why do we have a Church at Crystal Lake?" Well, if you didn't know before, you now do!
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