• Location and Mailing Address
• Contact info
• Directions to the Church
• Worship services
• Special Services
• Easter Services
• Altar Flowers
• Church office hours
• Rental information
• Parking
• Handicapped access
• Download Baptism Form
• Download Wedding Form
• Download Christian Ed. Registration Form
• Church Photo Sheet 1
• Church Photo Sheet 2
• Church Photo Sheet 3

Location and Mailing Address:

• PO Box 187 , Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts 01944-0187
• The church is located on Rt 127, on the Village Green in downtown Manchester, directly adjacent to the Town Hall.
• The Chapel building, Sunday School, and Church Office are located on Chapel Lane, just down the street from the church and behind the Sovereign Bank building.

Contact info:

• Phone: 978-526-7661
• Email address: office.fpchurch@verizon.net

Directions to the Church:

• Click for Directions

Worship services:

• 10:00 a.m. Sunday Worship from Labor Day through June 30th
• 9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship from July 1st through Labor Day

The Sacrament of Communion is open to all who are moved by the love and concerns of Jesus Christ, the first Sunday of each month and on Maundy Thursday during Holy Week. Communion, upon request, is offered to hospital patients and the homebound. The Sacrament of baptism is offered to those who make arrangements through the church office. Normally, baptism is a service of community celebration and arranged during our regular worship times.

Special Services:

Christmas Eve, December 24th, Candlelight Services are offered at both 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The 5:00 p.m. service is a family service designed for child participation, while the 7:00 p.m. service is a community celebration of Christmas readings and carols.

Ash Wednesday, a vesper service, celebrates the beginning of Lent and is followed every other week by three vesper services, the final one being Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of Holy Week, a celebration of the Tenebrae (meaning shadow) of the Lights with Holy Communion. The Tenebrae worship is preceded by a Passover Meal held in the Chapel. Vesper services are also offered each year in the fall, held every other Wednesday, from late September to early December. Vesper services are evening services, using a celebration of music, a short reflection, the reading of a psalm, everyone lighting votive candles on the altar, and prayer.

First Parish Church is pleased to be involved in two ecumenical services during Holy Week. Good Friday Service, held at 12:00 noon, is celebrated by ministers from the Baptist, Catholic, Episcopal, and Congregational faiths; the location is rotated between area churches. Easter Sunrise Service is celebrated on Singing Beach (at the end of Beach Street) Easter morning with each faith community participating. Easter Worship is held in the First Parish Church, Congregational sanctuary at 10:00 a.m.

Family Sundays are held 5 times a year starting in October, ending with Children’s Day in May. Children, who regularly meet for Sunday School in the Chapel, located behind the Sovereign Bank, participate in the 10:00 a.m. worship as a celebration of their religious education.

Easter Services:

• Sunrise Service on Singing Beach (a multi denominational service).
• Regular worship 10AM.

Altar Flowers:

The flowers that decorate our altar each Sunday are usually contributed by a family to commemorate a significant occasion. What a beautiful way to share with the church community both the happy occasions of your immediate family (baptism and weddings) and the loss and remembrance of loved ones.

We hope that you, as a new member, will consider sharing with us these significant moments in your life, while helping to decorate our church on Sundays. Call the office at 978-526-7661 to indicate the Sunday you would like to contribute flowers to the altar.

Flowers may be ordered through any florist you choose. In most cases, the florist will take responsibility for delivering the flowers directly to the church.

Church office hours:

• Monday-Friday 9-12PM

Rental information:

• Call the office for details on pricing and availability.
• The church seats 250 people (120 downstairs, 130 in the balcony).
• The 3 aisles are 47 feet long with 8 pews front to back.
• No rice or bird seed are allowed.
• The Minister must be consulted for wedding and funeral services.
• The chapel seats 120.
• Church Photo Sheet 1
• Church Photo Sheet 2
• Church Photo Sheet 3

Parking:

• There is parking for the church in the town lot behind the town hall or on adjoining streets.
• There is limited parking at the Chapel building.

Handicapped access (see map):

• To the church from a ramp on the side of the building and adjoining the handicapped parking space.
• To the chapel through the main door ramp.