Well … yes, but that isn’t its real name. It is called the West Parish Congregational Church, but, no, it is not in the Congo, nor in West Paris, Maine. It is in Bethel, Maine. But why is it called the West Parish Congregational Church?

Well, that’s an interesting story.

In 1781 the last Native American raid in New England occurred in this settlement, which frightened some into leaving and slowed the coming of others. Only after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War did prospective settlers begin to enter the area. By 1796 enough were present to form a town. A discussion arose on the name of their town … and they chose “Bethel,” Hebrew for “the House of God,”

On June 6, 1796, the “Act of Incorporation” was granted and the Town of Bethel was formed. By that Act, the Town was divided into two distinct parishes to be designated the East Parish and the West Parish. [In the 1700s a parish defined a geographic area that served as a unit of church authority.]

The decision to close the old meetinghouse and build a new one on Bethel Hill at its current location on Church Street created one of the more severe rifts in early church history. Those parishioners from north of the river objected strenuously. At the heart of the problem lay the Androscoggin River. Crossing it was a fearful experience for families to contend with. The ferry, high water and periods when it was unsafe to cross the river were too challenging.

On May 6, 1848, a meeting was held to take up the case of the disaffected brethren. A petition was presented to the church on behalf of those living on the north side of the river and appears in the record as follows:

“We the subscribers, members of the Congregational Church in West Parish, in consequence of said Church leaving our usual place of Worship, do request said Church to set us off from said Church …. that we may be organized into a Church on the North side of the River.”

That got confusing so they named the new church the West Parish. Now it is called the West Parish Congregational Church, U.C.C. (The United Church of Christ) … a welcoming group with camaraderie for all. It is located at 32  Church Street in Bethel.

Come for a visit at 10 a.m. any Sunday (unless we are snowed in!)  And, yes, it is simply called by many “The Congo Church.”