Staff Writer

 Special plaques for two former presidents mark the first two rows of the First Congregational Church in Kennebunkport. They also mark the church’s most recent historical achievements.

At a time when some churches are having trouble filling their pews, the church is celebrating its 280^th anniversary with a packed house.

“The congregation has nearly doubled in size since I came a year and a half ago,” said The Rev. Derek White.

White said the congregation averaged about 30 people at Sunday service each week when he first arrived. Now the congregation averages around 70 people.

“Sometimes we get even more. The church only fits about 125 people. Some Sundays we can get around 120. Then people are standing against the back wall,” White said.

White expects an even bigger crowd during its anniversary celebration over the next few weekends.

On Sunday the church will host a lobster lunch with strawberry shortcake dessert open to all. The church will display old photographs of its long and sometimes tumultuous history and a book of church members that dates to the 1700s.

On Aug. 22 the church will dedicate a plaque in the sanctuary to all ministers who served there.

“I think this church has potential to make it another 280 years. In fact, when we dedicate the new plaque you’ll see we’ve added extra blank space at the bottom for the future, but I’m hoping I’ll be here quite some time,” White said.

Artifacts are always on display in the church, including the flag flown during the inauguration of George H.W. Bush and a bag of myrrh given to the former president by the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

“We bring it out during Christmas time,” White said.

In addition to those pieces of American history, the First Congregational Church has pieces of its own past, including an original Hook Organ built in 1854 and is still in use today. White said children used to climb inside the organ during services to operate its original manual pump before an electric blower was added in the 1970s.

The church, first established in 1730, has long been considered the oldest church in the area, although White said artifacts found during research for the anniversary suggest the congregation dates to 1650, including a letter stating the town must set up a parish.

According to church member Larry Vennell, Massachusetts demanded towns under its jurisdiction have a meetinghouse and minister around 1730.

White said this law actually went into effect far before that date. However, many residents in the area left during the last half of the 1600s because of the French and Indian War, and returned in the early 18th century, once the war and threat passed.

The original First Congregational Church was built in Cape Porpoise, known as Arundel at the time, on the site where the lobster trap Christmas tree sits during Christmas season. In April 1763 a dispute broke out in the church, the Rev. John Prentice left the church and the congregation split in two.

One faction wanted the church to stay where it was in Cape Porpoise and another  wanted the church to move close to the new center of town.

According to legend, said White, young boys upset by the disruption burned the Cape Porpoise church to the ground in 1763.

A new First Congregational Church was built in 1764 where the church stands now on North Street in Kennebunkport.

In 1829, a group of 70 members petitioned for a new church to be built closer to the port, and South Congregational Church was built in 1838.

In the 1923, First Congregational Church closed after financial struggles during the Great Depression. While closed, the church still hosted Sunday school for local children and tried to bring passing ministers to come preach.

Some days, members of the congregation would take to the pulpit to speak, said White said. When pressed for a speaker, members headed to South Congregational Church to worship.

The church reopened in 1947 for the wedding of Betty and Cliff Campbell. The pastor at the time earned $15 a week.

During the 1950s the church hired a new pastor, the Rev. Robert Howes, who recently was recognized by Saco-based Counseling Services Inc. for his work helping people with mental illness.

Since then the church has been visited by the Rev. Billy Graham, who preached at the pulpit on at least two occasions and other notable people, including former president George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, who attend the church in the spring when their regular church, St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, is closed.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.