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SPENCER – In a month or two, Rev. Bruce MacLeod, interim pastor at the First Congregational Church of Spencer, anticipates the next steps will be taken to rebuild the church when the project is referred to the Planning Board for a site plan review.
In June 2023, the Spencer church was destroyed in a fire and Rev. MacLeod said the community will see a very different structure in the future.
“Plans are moving forward…The building will not be the same size. It will be much smaller and more approachable,” he said. “It will be less intimidating for people to come in and it will feel more welcoming.”
The original church dates to 1743, although the last structure was built in 1863 after a fire destroyed it the previous year. Following expansion and a merger in 1968, it was called the United Church of Christ, joining the Congregational with Evangelical and Reformed Churches.
Rev. MacLeod said an ad hoc committee has been working with architect Amanda Normandin of A. Normandin Design in Sturbridge and those detailed site plans will undergo Planning Board scrutiny early in 2025.
“It has been pretty clear right along that it will be within the footprint with what was there (before the fire) and there will be no expansion,” he explained.
The new First Congregational Church of Spencer will be located all on one floor with flexible use space for both worship and other gatherings.
Instead of pews, there will be moveable chairs and a small kitchen. There will also be a dedicated economy shop that can be accessed directly without having to walk through the rest of the building, Rev. MacLeod said.
He noted that members of the church have been very dedicated to advancing this project, meeting twice a month “and getting a lot of work done.”
Rev. MacLeod said that he believes there is still an interest by people in town to begin again in a new space.
The new church will not have a steeple with a bell because its size will not be large enough to hold it.
However, he said back in the spring, a small replica originally built for a parade float was situated on the site as a way of saying, “we’re still here.”
The Planning Board will not have to review a parking plan as part of its approval process because the building will be located within the former footprint, Rev. MacLeod said.
Like in the past, parking is located on a high-access road above the street. For larger gatherings, Rev. MacLeod expects the area by the basketball court can be used.
Rev. MacLeod was hired four months prior to the fire to serve as minister for both the Spencer Church at 207 Main Street and the smaller, First Congregational Church in Leicester at 1 Washburn Square. Initially, services alternated week to week between the two buildings.
After the fire struck, the Leicester church “opened its arms and welcomed the Spencer community,” he said. Other than a service on the fire anniversary held at the basketball court, all worship services have been held in Leicester.
“The commitment among church members is still strong to be a presence in Spencer and serve the community,” he said. “But it takes a while to work out the details…”
He described the members as “diligent and faithful,” adding, “I am impressed by how they get stuff done and their spirit is strong and good.”
