ROCHESTER — As the bell has tolled, and thousands of church-goers have filed into the pews of the First Congregational Church of Rochester over the years, the building has seen wear and tear. With peeling paint and original windows that need to be replaced, the church is undergoing a renovation nearly 200 years after it was built.

As the oldest buildings on the iconic skyline of Rochester located at 11 Constitution Way in Rochester, the historic church and vestry will be a part of a $450,000 renovation.

Trustee Chuck Kantner has been attending the church for over 30 years and said that the need for cosmetic renovations is evident when people drive up. He said the older windows make the buildings very cold in the winter months, and that some of the frames have been nailed shut or are stuck, which make it more difficult to cool down in the summer.

“The buildings define the green space and they’re in pretty bad shape,” he said. “The paint is chipping on the outside and the windows — we’re not sure if they’re originals but they’re at least 100 years old.”

The church has seen various repairs over its time that have kept it standing.

Iron rods were installed to keep the walls from bowing out and the spires on the outside were replaced with fiberglass replicas after the wood had begun to rot. The Fellowship Hall connected to the church was built in the 1990s to host events and meetings.

Inspired by the Christopher Wren style of architecture, the church and vestry have been used many different ways over the years since construction in 1837. From Town Hall meetings to private academies, the historical significance of the property makes the renovations a community investment, said Kantner.

“We’re really just trying to raise awareness. A lot of people — when they think of Rochester they think of Rochester Center, and there’s been a lot of changes. There’s a new shopping center across the street, a 55 and older community and new developments. It’s nice that we’ve been able to keep this area very much as it was in the 1800s,” Kantner said.

The Select Board approved the renovation in December 2024. The church aims to have all of their renovation spending be privately funded through donations and fundraisers. With the cost of the shutters, trim and windows, Kantner said he understands how the price point can be intimidating.

“It’s a lot of money no matter who you are,” he said. “We’re a relatively small community church but we’ve had a number of donors step up. We certainly don’t have all the money in hand yet but we’ve had a really good reception.”
Renovations are slated to begin in the next four weeks and will use local contractors. Save for potential structure issues due to its age, the project should take around two years to complete and will start with the vestry.

“One of the things we wanted to do is just let the community know we’re doing this and raising money,” Kantner said. “Before you start, you have to know what you’re going to be able to finish — whatever it is that you’re biting off.”

For information on how to give, visit https://rochestercongregational.com/give/ or call the church at 508-763-4314.