Old South Church in Boston is marking 150 years on Boylston Street with a special community event on Friday, Dec. 6.
This free event, called ‘If These Walls Could Talk,’ opens at 5:45 p.m. at the church located at 645 Boylston St., offering exhibits that explore the church’s architecture, archives, and hidden tales. There will be an imaginative ‘AI Hall of Ministers,’ where visitors can virtually ‘meet’ clergy across the centuries as well.
At 7 p.m., the sanctuary will become a performance hall for a concert featuring two Boston ensembles – Chorus Pro Musica and Voices Rising – joined by Old South musicians. The performance will also be viewable via live stream at https://www.youtube.com/oldsouthchurch. Afterwards, a reception with refreshments and dancing will follow at 8:30 p.m. in Gordon Chapel.
In anticipation of the upcoming celebration, Kate Silfen, the church’s historian and one of the event organizers, said in a statement: “On Dec. 15, 1875, the ministers and members of the Old South Church in Boston dedicated our new house of worship. Our congregation is proud to celebrate 150 years of service as a sanctuary in the city and a symbol of God’s Kingdom on earth.”
Meanwhile, Old South’s 150-year celebration comes just as the U.S. is preparing to observe its own 250th anniversary. The church played a notable role in the decades leading up to the American Revolution, and its early members included Phillis Wheatley, Benjamin Franklin, and Samuel Adams.
Every year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the church’s congregation returns to its former building – the Old South Meeting House – for one worship service. This year’s gathering on Nov. 23 continued a long tradition of honoring the church’s role in the events which helped spark American independence.
Known today by many as the ‘Church of the Finish Line’ or ‘the Church of Benjamin Franklin and Samuel Adams,’ Old South Church began in 1669 in the modest Cedar Meeting House. It then continued in the revolutionary-era Old South Meeting House before the congregation moved into the Boylston Street building in 1875.
Old South Church now has three weekly worship services, and is also used by community groups, recovery programs, arts organizations, and service partners.
“History is more than words in a book,” said Senior Minister John Edgerton in a statement. “History is how we make sense of the world around us. To understand where we are going, we must first know where we have come from. For 150 years, this building has been our home as we share the good news of God’s inclusive love for all people. We warmly invite any and all to share this celebration looking back over a history that stretches from the civil war to civil rights and beyond.”
Rev. Rachel Barton, the church’s Associate Minister for Transformation, added: “For a century and a half, this congregation has worshipped at one of the most vibrant intersections in the City of Boston. The world passes through Copley Square, and we’re grateful for that gift. As we mark 150 years of ministry at this site, we’re celebrating the role the Old South Church has played in the history of the City of Boston and looking towards the ways we can continue to work for liberation, justice, mercy, and love across the city and the world.”
To reserve a spot at ‘If These Walls Could Talk,’ visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/if-these-walls-could-talk-150-years-of-old-south-church-on-boylston-street-registration-
1898270631559?aff=oddtdtcreator
Meanwhile, in the spirit of “doing God’s work outside the walls,” donations will be collected for Old South’s Weekly Pushback initiative, which gives $1,000 each week to “an organization bringing good news into a world hungry for hope,” according to the church. Organizations supported through this initiative have included Allston-Brighton Food Pantry, Capuchin Mobile Ministries, and Revolutionary Spaces, among others.
Donations can be made to the initiative at: https://tinyurl.com/OSCPushback