MARION — The First Congregational Church of Marion will host an historic sermon originally authored in 1861 by Rev. Leander Cobb, on Feb. 21 at its 10 a.m. Founders’ Day worship service.

A public discussion of the sermon that will follow immediately after the sermon and continue until 11:45 a.m. Attendees who are not members of the Church must register with Deacon George Linzee by phone at 774-775-2562 and indicate their choice of participating either in-person or on Zoom.

Linzee will also provide the in-person Covid-19 requirements or the Zoom virtual link.

The message, entitled “Historic Sketch of The Congregational Church in Marion, MA” was originally preached by Rev. Leander Cobb to his Marion congregation on Dec. 29, 1861. The sermon covers the history of the Church from its founding in 1703 until 1861.

Leander Cobb was the son of Rev. Dr. Oliver Cobb. Both father and son were pastors of the Marion church from 1799 until 1872. Leander was also father to Sarah Cobb-Briggs who went to sea with her husband Capt. Benjamin Briggs and their daughter on the now famous “ghost ship” Mary Celeste and as a result was lost at sea in 1872 on that ill-fated voyage.

The sermon and service will be presented by a Cobb descendant and lay minister, Stephen P. Cobb. Stephen is the second great grandson of Leander Cobb. Stephen and his family live on Cape Cod where he is a retired sales executive from the airline industry and practices real estate.