Mark your calendars for a special virtual roundtable on February 25th with members of First Church of Christ in Fairfield, CT and First Church of Christ in Natick, MA – two churches who have participated in NEHH and engaged thoughtfully with what their records have revealed about the past.

Cotton Mather would be turning 363 this year, and we really can't think of a better way to celebrate his birthday than at our 2026 Cotton Mather Lecture on February 12th. Registration is free and open to all via our website at congregationallibrary.org/events/explo...

TODAY: Join us at 1 pm EST for a behind the scenes look at our New England’s Hidden Histories (NEHH) transcription project. Registration is free, and everyone is welcome: congregationallibrary.org/events/revol...

Snowstorm recovery continues today, so we are closed again January 27th. But whether it's snow and ice or sea and sun outside your window, today is a great day to visit our digital exhibition, "NEHH@20: Re-Examining Stories from New England Communities," at https://congregationallibrary.org/nehh20

We won't be at 14 Beacon today, but you can always find us online at https://congregationallibrary.org Stay warm out there! ❄️

The New England Regional Fellowship Consortium (NERFC) Fellowship deadline is just over a week away on Feb. 1. Have you run into a question about our collections while working on your application? Get in touch at [email protected] Find all the details at https://congregationallibrary.org/fellowships

Mark your calendars to join us on February 17th at 1 pm EST for a virtual event celebrating the release of “The Story of Bob” from @thepilgrimpress.bsky.social with author, Steven C. Law. Registration is free and open to all via our website at congregationallibrary.org/events/story...

What’s your favorite source of Congregational history… Biographies? Comics? Sermons? Letters? Cookbooks? Alchemical books? You’ll find all of these and more in the items up for adoption in our 2026 Adopt-a-Book campaign, now live at congregationallibrary.org/adopt-a-book

TODAY: Join us at 1 pm EST on Zoom as we launch our 2026 Adopt-a-Book program with historian and collector, Dr. Phillip Mead. Registration is free and open to all at congregationallibrary.org/events/acqui...

Join us on February 12th via Zoom for our 2026 Cotton Mather Lecture, a roundtable discussion featuring Dr. Reiner Smolinski, Dr. Kenneth Minkema, and Andrew Juchno exploring Cotton Mather’s "Curiosa Americana" letters and what they reveal about his contributions to natural philosophy.

An 1884 cotton map created by the ABCFM reveals the global reach of 19th-century Congregational missions. Read more about this new display at the @unitedchurch.bsky.social’s in-house museum at www.ucc.org/where-in-the...

The NEHH transcription project makes early New England church records more searchable and accessible, but… how does it work? Join NEHH Transcription Director Helen Gelinas and a few volunteer transcribers January 28th on Zoom to learn much more.

We hear it's National Clean Off Your Desk Day, but we think our desks at the CLA are already the ideal mix of work-in-progress, origami, and dog pictures... so we might just skip it this year.

We're pleased to have recently received a donation of materials from Central Village Congregational Church in Plainfield, CT. The collection includes newsletters, membership rolls, building records, and some fantastic pictures! Many thanks to Kathy McKnight for her work in transferring these items.

We are thankful to Sue Stiles and David Kilbon for donating materials from their great-grandfather, Rev. John Luther Kilbon Jr. (1866-1929). John was pastor of Park Church in Springfield, MA for 16 years and Executive Secretary of the New York City Association of Congregational Churches for 5 years.

Join us January 20th on Zoom to launch Adopt-a-Book 2026 with our “Acquisitions Afternoon” program featuring historian and collector/dealer Dr. Philip Mead, who will share fascinating stories about overlooked books and manuscripts from the Revolutionary-era.

Go behind the scenes to learn what it takes to make history accessible to all through our NEHH transcription project in a fascinating virtual talk with NEHH Transcription Director Helen Gelinas at 1 pm EST on January 28th.

Have big research goals for 2026? Applications for a NERFC fellowship to support your trip to work with our collections are 14 Beacon are due February 1st. Learn more and begin your application today: https://congregationallibrary.org/fellowships

Wishing you a very happy 2026 from all of us at the Congregational Library & Archives!

We are grateful for everyone who has partnered with us to preserve and share the Congregational story in 2025. It isn't too late to join us this year. Learn more about making your tax-deductible donation on our website at https://congregationallibrary.org/donate

Emmanuel United Church of Christ, Hanover, PA. The inside of this Christmas card reads, “May god… grant you a year of Christmas days with a blessing in each one.” | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/Lkl550XLo12

All of us at 14 Beacon wish you and your loved ones peace, joy, and a very Merry Christmas!

Union Church, Berea, KY. The building was constructed in 1922, and text printed on the back says that “1,000 citizens and students gather here regularly.” | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/a6Wb50XLnMA

250 years ago today, Joshua Green took notes on a sermon he heard on Luke 2:9-12: “And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them… And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy.”

Sketch of the Mission House, Satara, India. 1851. This print includes a reproduction of ABCFM missionary William Wood’s signature. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/cG8150XLnAA

Members of the National Congregational Council. 1865. This image from their visit to Plymouth Rock was created by combining two photos, taken simultaneously. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/VhOj50XLlPf

Five Mile Prairie Congregational Church, Spokane, WA. A handwritten note on the back of the photo tells us the church was organized in 1907, but closed by 1923. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/FQcb50XLlvV

Members of the First Church of Christ, Bradford, MA. This photo was taken on the front steps of the church on June 11, 1944. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/XEIF50XLkZ2

St. Matthew United Church of Christ, Louisville, KY. This sketch was printed on placemats used during the church’s 100th anniversary celebrations in 1989. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/i0CL50XLkxe

“Wherever we have built a church, we have built a school next to it, because we believe that faith and education, they go hand in hand. And without school, there is no survival for the church.”

Congregational Library, Boston, MA. 1870s-1890s. This photo is of the library’s home before moving to the new Congregational House built at 14 Beacon Street. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/QFMy50XKLnK

Portrait of “The Congregationalist” staff. c1912-21. Howard Allen Bridgman (back, center) was a Congregational minister and Editor-in-Chief from 1911-1921. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/8kNG50XKKY8

National Council of Congregational Churches Conference, Des Moines, IA. 1904. This portrait of attendees was taken in front of Plymouth Congregational Church. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/5WCE50XJwJW

Mark your calendars for the launch of our 2026 Adopt-a-Book campaign with “Acquisitions Afternoon” on January 20th. Join us on Zoom from 1-2 pm EST to hear Dr. Phillip Mead share fascinating stories of uncovering and collecting Revolutionary-era books and manuscripts.

Portrait of Emma Darling Cushman (1863-1931). This was taken in 1927 outside her home near Corinth, Greece where she was a nurse and Congregational missionary | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/W5zi50XJwG3

First Congregational Church, Glendale, CA. 1951. The church would move from this building, at the corner of Wilson and Central Avenues, in 1963. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/GB2950XIIUA

1861 Portrait of Elias Riggs, William Goodell, and William Schauffler. Members of the ABCFM who worked in Turkey, translating the Bible into Turkish & Armenian. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/GyYh50XIIyj

Thanks to everyone who came to 14 Beacon earlier this week for our in-person “Christmas with the Puritans” program. We have one Zoom version of this event left on Dec. 16th from 1-2:30 pm EST, and today is the last day to register! Learn more at https://ow.ly/Qisk50XIrw0

Portrait of Rev. Isaac Watts (1674-1748). Watts was an English Congregational minister and writer of more than 750 hymns, including “Joy to the Word.” | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/JpC850XHjo5

Cornerstone Laying for Congregational House, Boston, MA. 1897. The caption on the back tells us the stone was laid by Massachusetts Gov. Wolcott on November 29th. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/Z5k450XHiCW

In-person tickets for our December 15th lunch and learn program with Anne Woodrum are sold out, but you can still register today to join us over Zoom. Find all the details at https://congregationallibrary.org/events/archives-behind-scenes

Portrait of Rev. Samson Occom (1723-1792). Occom was a Mohegan minister, a tireless advocate for Indigenous education, and a prolific writer and preacher. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/ggXJ50XGP80

Early New England Congregational church records provide unique access to women’s words and perspectives. Hear more of Mary Tilden’s story in Tricia Peone’s essay for our NEHH@20 exhibition: congregationallibrary.quartexcollections.com/online-exhib...

75th Anniversary of Summerdale Community Church, Chicago, IL. 1965. In this photo, members browse exhibits dating back to the church’s founding in 1890. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/71Ma50XGbja

Our friends at the Colonial Society of Massachusetts are accepting essays to be considered for the Whitehill Prize in Early American History until January 15, 2026. Find more details and information about submitting your essay at newenglandquarterly.org/whitehill-pr...

Choir of Highland Church, Roxbury, MA. c1912-3. This portrait was taken by William Gerrish, likely at his summer house in Ashland, MA. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/7zvG50XFGc0

Pilgrim Congregational Church, Des Moines, IA. A sticker on the back indicates the photo was sent in 1909 to “The Congregationalist” at 14 Beacon Street, Boston. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/A5LM50XzWXr

Freshman Class of Yankton College, Yankton, SD. Founded in 1881, Yankton was a liberal arts college affiliated with the Congregational Christian Churches. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/A5LM50XzWXr

Portrait of Rev. Lemuel Haynes (1753–1833). Haynes was ordained in 1785 as the first Black Congregational minister. | 25 Days of Congregational history for Christmas 🎄 Explore our Image Catalog online anytime: https://ow.ly/A5LM50XzWXr

Applications for our 2026-2027 research fellowships are now open, and we'd love to have you join us to work on your project at 14 Beacon! Visit https://congregationallibrary.org/fellowships to explore opportunities for academic and non-academic researchers.