In the late 1700’s in the Congregational stronghold of Hartford, Connecticut, a sizable group of people, influenced by Elhanan Winchester, began to reject Calvinist doctrine and espouse that of the universal goodness of God. It was in 1821, after a short visit from Hosea Ballou from Boston, that the “First Independent Universalist Society of the City of Hartford” was formed and the first minister called. By 1824, the first meetinghouse was completed and dedicated. Located in downtown Hartford, across the street from the Old State House, it served until 1860.
Next came a larger church on Main Street where the Travelers Tower now stands; then, in 1906, a third location in a more residential section of Hartford, on Asylum Hill. Fortunately, each of the first three churches were on prime real estate in the City of Hartford, and the sale of the property each time largely financed the building of the next church. Our present building was dedicated in 1931, and a sizable addition completed in 1962. It is in a strictly residential neighborhood in West Hartford, but serves a much larger community, both urban and suburban.
The name was changed in 1870 to “Church of the Redeemer” -- to give the church “a specific title or name,” and in the early 1960’s was changed to “The Universalist Church of West Hartford.” In the early years of the church, ministers’ tenures in general were only a few years. However, since the 1860’s we have been fortunate in having a series of long ministries, averaging fifteen years. Most notable is the 25 year ministry of our former Minister Emeritus The Reverend Wallace Grant Fiske followed by fifteen years with The Reverend Frederick Lipp and twelve years with The Reverend Stephen Kendrick.
In 1993, Jean Cook Brown was ordained and installed as Minister of Religious Education. She served in that capacity until 2004, when she became Minister for Pastoral Care.
In 2001, The Reverend Dr. Judith Walker-Riggs joined our church as Interim Minister to guide us through our transition to calling a new minister.
On November 17, 2002, Jan Katrina Nielsen was installed as the 22nd Senior Minister in the 181-year history of this church.
Ours is a community-oriented large congregation of over 600 adult members. We are a family church where all ages feel at home, and a socially active church in which nearly everyone has some involvement in the community. In the past 177 years our church has had four different locations, three different names and some twenty different ministers, and been a strong, vibrant, free church in the Universalist tradition.
Our present church building edifice is a colonial-style, tall-steepled building, erected in 1931 and designed by Walter Crabtree. A large addition was constructed in 1962 includes additional church school rooms, music room, Fiske Hall, a large multi-purpose parish hall with a stage and main kitchen. Between the sanctuary and the addition is the most-used areas, containing newly-expanded office space, conference room, library, program center with kitchen and a formal parlor. Access for the handicapped if possible by a concrete ramp and elevator.
The sanctuary seats up to 350 in double rows of pews flanking a center aisle. The memorial stained glass windows which grace the chancel area were designed originally for our former church building. These and other memorial windows were saved and incorporated into this building. The magnificent Austin pipe organ was installed in 1963.
On the west side of the building is a beautiful Memorial Garden dedicated in 1985. A large parking lot, which is leased from the Town of West Hartford, borders the south side of the property.
On December 5, 1999, we rededicated our entire Church after a very successful capital campaign, with a total expenditure of $1.5 million. The extensive renovations touched nearly every inch of the building, including the refurbishing of our magnificent sanctuary and addition of a three-floor two-door elevator.