[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 50 (Wednesday, April 29, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     PROSPECT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES H. MALONEY

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 29, 1998

  Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I bring to the attention of 
the American public and the U.S. House of Representatives an upcoming 
celebration in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District that 
commemorates the 200th anniversary of the Prospect Congregational 
Church in Prospect, Connecticut. The event will be during May 16th and 
17th, 1998.
  The Prospect Congregational Church typifies the image that most would 
have of churches in the New England region of our country. It is a 
white clapboard style structure that sits on a town green. It serves a 
congregation of 336, mostly from the Prospect, Waterbury and Cheshire 
areas, and is a member of the Connecticut Conference of the United 
Church of Christ, which traces its history to the Connecticut 
Missionary Society, founded in May, 1798. The church was organized 
officially on May 14th, 1798 by sixteen local residents on land owned 
and donated by John Lewis for the purpose of building a religious 
structure. The first pastor was the Rev. Oliver Hitchcock. Some fifty 
years later, his grandson, Rev. Joseph Payne arrived and brought new 
vitality to the church. Rev. Payne was related to Lyman Beecher and 
Harriet Beecher Stowe and through his leadership, a strong anti-slavery 
influence was felt in the church and throughout the community.
  During the course of the past two hundred years, the Prospect 
Congregational Church has been housed in four different structures. 
These structures were necessary due to both growth of the congregation 
as well as to the occurance of two fires--one on November 17, 1906 and 
a second one on November 29, 1941. The current structure was dedicated 
on July 15, 1951.
  There have been 44 different pastors in the Chruch's history, 
including one woman, from 1957 to 1966. The current pastor, the Rev. 
Howard L. Hinman, has served the church since 1988.
  Mr. Speaker, the Prospect Congregational Church has served as a 
mainstay not only for its congregation, but for the community as a 
whole. It has been a source of strength to individuals for two 
centuries and will continue to add to the civic and religious 
foundation that has long served the Prospect community. On behalf of 
the 5th Congressional District and the House of Representatives. I 
congratulate all members, past and present, of the Prospect 
Congregational Church and send best wishes for a very successful 
celebration of this historic event.

                          ____________________