2005 - 2006 Annual Reports

Historical Preservation and Restoration Committee

Purpose:

• The Historical Preservation Committee is responsible for the identification, restoration and preservation of the history of First Parish Church.
• The Restoration Committee is responsible for identifying and restoring the original building structure.

Highlights/Accomplishments:

• Currently FPC is a member of the Congregational Christian Historical Society, Boston, MA; National Trust for Historic Preservation; Partners for Sacred Places.
• Prepared to apply to the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources to list our church on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places.  See their web page at: www.nh.gov/nhdhr
• Phil D’Avanza repaired the Tower Clock.
• Phil D’Avanza repaired the Gallery clock, visible from the pulpit, so it will run for 7 days, winding on Sundays.
• Maintained bulletin boards: current event history items (e.g., newspaper articles) about First Parish Church, its members and friends were displayed on a bulletin board in Currier Hall.  Gay Apgar organized these into scrapbooks.  These scrapbooks are part of the Living History and kept in the Preservation Room.  Friends and members of First Parish may leave clippings in the folder on the bulletin board.  Also, the Curator’s Corner bulletin board in the Noyes Building was shared with the FPC Library Committee.
• Contents of the display cases and mounted history items were updated.  Exhibits in MacGregor Hall were rearranged.  The MacGregor Hall display case currently features Dr. Matthew Thornton, a one time member of this church.  The display case came from the FPC parsonage which was once a store.
• Responded to genealogy requests and information about Forest Hills Cemetery, providing written reports and photocopies of records.
• Began the process of documenting photo-reproductions of records, helped by Paul Lindemann
• Accepted gifts of a historical nature to the church.  Please contact us if you have anything that you would like to donate pertaining to FPC, the East Derry community.
• Provided education and tours for the community (West Running Brook Middle School) and FPC new membership classes on history of FPC
• Represented on the Sanctuary Restoration Committee (Ginny True)
• Organized ephemeral and archives in the much appreciated archive room at FPC.
• Sent information on our 275tth anniversary to the Anniversary Committee of First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, NH as requested.

• Provided input at facilities board meetings on building maintenance that is required
• Assisted with rental and maintenance of the Parsonage.
• Researched the loss of the collection of the 8 volumes (1736-1946) of our church history, loaned to NH Historical Society. (mistakenly given to the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by the NH Historical Society)
• Provided input for FPC website on HRPC activities or historical information

Goals for 2006 -2007

• Continue to work to our Strategic Plan, preserving the historical paper displayed in the Sanctuary.
• Attempt preservation of the two original windows on the west side of the tower by repairing and restoring them. 
• Recruit assistance and volunteers to help with many of our activities.  Anyone interested should contact any committee member.  We have a list of projects waiting to choose from!
• Submit our application to be listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historical Places.
• Review and edit the audio- and videotapes and photographs and identify the people.
• Resume the Curator’s Corner in the monthly newsletter and post the articles on the FPC website and bulletin board.
• Research and resolve the loss of the collection of the 8 volumes (1736-1946) of our church history.
• Complete the clean up and repair of the clock tower destruction (bat infestation)
• Continue to maintain, display, categorize and organize historical displays, bulletin boards and other artifacts and materials.
• Continue to provide education for FPC and the community.
• Conduct oral histories.
• Record volunteer hours, potentially for submission for applying for federal grant funds.
• Meet bimonthly.
• Explore use of technology to preserve a record of archival materials (e.g., scan pictures of artifacts and papers).
• Accurately reflect the Historical Preservation Fund in the FPC annual report: The Edith Bachelder Fund set up for preservation (only!) tasks, initially $7,500.

Blessings & Thanks to:

• Interested people in making and protecting our church history
• Anonymous angels, who clean the display cases in the sanctuary, polish the silver
• Paul Lindemann and his work with us and the website (www.fpc-ucc.org)
• Paul Dionne who oils and winds the tower clock weekly
• Gaye Apgar, who organizes the bulletin board news into notebooks
• Dave Breeden and the Road Race crew for the donation who the Restoration Fund
• Alan Mitchell, who mounted the archival quality display case containing the 275th Anniversary quilt outside the sanctuary at the top of the north staircase
• Janet Wetherbee, our new member for her enthusiasm and computer skills

Committee members:      Marilyn Ham, Ginny True, Janet Wetherbee 3/30/06