Our History

​Chepachet Union Church, which has been meeting as a Christian community since 1845, located in the heart of the historic Chepachet Village in Glocester, Rhode Island. It had its origins in the “Union” of Baptist and Congregational congregations in the town. This origin of unity found in diversity has been a hallmark and strength of the congregation and its ministry ever since. The church has a long and proud history of Christian worship, gospel proclamation, education, and service, deeply valuing a robust Sunday School ministry and service to our Glocester community.

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Chepachet Union Church in the 1920s.

In terms of the history of our place in the town, the village of Chepachet has an early history of hosting various Congregational organizations that evolved into the Glocester Evangelical Congregational Society in 1845. The original church sanctuary was built in 1846. In 1920, because the religious leaders of the village did not believe the parishioners could adequately support two ministers, the Baptist and Congregational people worshiped together, alternating between the church buildings. Then, in 1951, the Congregational Evangelical Society relinquished its holdings, consisting of the church, a parsonage, and various outbuildings to the newly chartered Chepachet Union Church.  In 1957, the neighboring land and a house were purchased to be used as a Christian Education Building. 

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         The building took its current form in 1962, when work was begun on the present administrative wing, classrooms and a large Fellowship Hall.  During this time period, adjacent land and a house were purchased on the eastern border of the property next to the church, for use as a parsonage.  The present parsonage, currently being used as the thriving Twice Blessed Thrift Store, and the church building are both on the Rhode Island and Federal Historic Register.

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Of course, the most important part of a church is not the building but its people! Chepachet Union Church has had many years of gospel ministry as well as service to the community. The church has always had a special heart for children’s ministry, at one time having the largest Sunday school program in Rhode Island. We feel blessed to have been entrusted with this legacy of ministry and hope that God, by his grace, will bless us with many more years of faithful and fruitful ministry and service, proclaiming the good news of Jesus.