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90-568: In the early part of July 1815, a few individuals, including Congregational clergy affiliated with the Andover Theological Seminary , in Boston , Massachusetts , having become convinced of the necessity of greatly increasing the number of well qualified Protestant ministers, determined to make a special effort to accomplish the object. A meeting was convened in the vestry of Park Street Meeting House, July 20, 1815. Rev. Eliphalet Pearson,

180-562: A Bible College was opened in Ruse, Bulgaria for people wanting to become pastors. At the 1876 annual conference of missionaries, the beginning of organizational activity in the country was established. The evangelical churches of Bulgaria formed a united association in 1909. The missionaries played a significant role in assisting the Bulgarians throw off "the Turkish Yoke", which included publishing

270-758: A Higher Biblical Institute that offers an official degree: "Profesorado en Ciencias Sagradas". In 1977, most congregations of the Congregational Union of Australia merged with all Churches of the Methodist Church of Australasia and a majority of Churches of the Presbyterian Church of Australia to form the Uniting Church in Australia . Those congregations that did not join the Uniting Church formed

360-408: A board of directors, whose business it was to superintend that part of the general interest which was entrusted to its care by the parent society. It had a special treasury; examined and received, in concert with the parent society, beneficiaries; and appropriated the funds in its treasury to their support. If there was a deficiency of resources, application was made to the general treasury; or, if there

450-683: A group of these believers adopted the name of "Congregation of Evangelical Brothers" and when they began the process of registration in the National Register of Cults, they became aware of the Evangelical Congregational Church, decided to join it, and in 1935 the North American missionary, Pastor Federico Gross visited them for an Extraordinary Assembly, where they approved their statutes with the name of "Evangelical Lutheran Congregational Church". This consolidated their union with

540-475: A missionary work started in 1995. In the first 100 years, it has spread from Entre Ríos to several provinces: Misiones, Corrientes, Chaco, Formosa, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and CABA. It has spread to southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. It is currently present in more than 150 towns and cities in Argentina. It has a social commitment, working among the most vulnerable, deprived and marginalised. It serves in

630-619: A place "...to protect the original Puritan literature." During design and construction the Building Committee of the American Congregational Association agreed on a series of four bas-reliefs should be included in the second story facade of the Congregational house, with each relief depicting a fundamental principle of Congregationalism. The tablets are carved from Knoxville marble and bear no inscription as it

720-796: A primary school for girls in Stara Zagora . In 1871 the two schools were moved to Samokov and merged as the American College, now considered the oldest American educational institution outside the US. In 1928, new facilities were constructed in Sofia, and the Samokov operation transferred to the American College of Sofia (ACS), now operated at a very high level by the Sofia American Schools, Inc. In 1874,

810-563: A result of the migration of congregational members from the interior of the country, it was started in Rivadavia 6001 in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, in 1937 by the missionary Federico Gross. From that moment on they received pastoral care from Entre Ríos. In 1946 the missionary Otto Tiede organised the first board of directors in the Colegiales neighbourhood, when the congregation met in

900-559: A result, the number of Congregationalists is small and estimated by Paul Mojzes in 1982 to number about 5,000, in 20 churches. (Total Protestants in Bulgaria were estimated in 1965 to have been between 10,000 and 20,000.) More recent estimates indicate enrollment in Protestant ("Evangelical" or "Gospel") churches of between 100,000 and 200,000, presumably reflecting the success of more recent missionary efforts of evangelical groups. In Canada,

990-579: A subscription for a term of years. In occasional instances, donors reserved the privilege of selecting the beneficiary to be placed upon their foundation, the person so patronized conforming in all respects to the rules and regulations of the Society; but in general the selection was left with the Directors. The Presbyterian Education Society was founded in 1819, became a branch of the AES in 1827, and operated as such until

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1080-670: Is a Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity that enjoins a church polity in which congregations are self-governing (cf. congregational polity ). Through the years, Congregationalists have adopted various confessional statements , including the Savoy Declaration , the Cambridge Platform and the Kansas City Statement of Faith . Unlike Presbyterians, Congregationalists practise congregational polity (from which they derive their name), which holds that

1170-506: Is a priest and ... every seeking child of God is given directly wisdom, guidance, power". Consequently, there is an absence of godparents , since the whole congregation is the godparent to all the children in the church. Congregationalists have two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper . Congregationalists practise infant baptism , but hold that ".. there is no distinction between "infant baptism" and "believer's baptism"." The Lord's Supper

1260-610: Is an independent special collections library and archives . It is located on the second floor of the Congregational House at 14 Beacon Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . The Library was founded in 1853 by a gathering of Congregational ministers and has since evolved into a professional library and archives that holds more than 250,000 items, predominantly focused on 18th to 21st century American Congregational history . The Library's reading room

1350-523: Is free and open to the public for research but the Library's stacks are closed and book borrowing privileges are extended exclusively to members. The Library was organized on May 25, 1853 by a gathering of Congregational ministers who donated a total of 56 books and pamphlets from their own personal collections. The Congregational Library Association was formally established in 1854 in Boston, Massachusetts "...for

1440-403: Is no admissions fee into the Library and the reading room is free and open to the public to visitors and researchers alike who may request access to any of the items in the collection, including the rare books collection. Book borrowing is limited to Library members but scans of specific materials can be made in the reading room or via email for a small fee to non-members. The Library is located

1530-638: Is normally celebrated once or twice a month. Congregationalists do not invoke the intercession of saints . Certain Congregationalist hymns that have become popular across Christendom include When I Survey the Wondrous Cross and Hark the Glad Sound . The origins of Congregationalism are found in 16th-century Puritanism , a movement that sought to complete the English Reformation begun with

1620-670: The Mayflower , establishing the Plymouth Colony and bringing the Congregational tradition to America. In 1639 William Wroth , then Rector of the parish church at Llanvaches in Monmouthshire , established the first Independent Church in Wales "according to the New England pattern", i.e. Congregational. The Tabernacle United Reformed Church at Llanvaches survives to this day. During

1710-892: The Boston City Mission Society , the Sunday School and Publishing Society , the Congregationalist , and Thomas Todd's Printing Establishment. In 1957, the United Church of Christ was founded after merging the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches together. The UCC moved its headquarters from the Congregational House to The Interchurch Center in New York City by 1961, and many church groups and Congregational organizations found space outside of 14 Beacon Street. This led

1800-636: The Cambridge Platform (1648) and the Savoy Declaration (1658), Congregationalist confessions of faith . The Congregationalist Churches are a continuity of the theological tradition upheld by the Puritans . Their genesis was through the work of Congregationalist divines Robert Browne , Henry Barrowe , and John Greenwood . In the United Kingdom, the Puritan Reformation of the Church of England laid

1890-592: The Cape Colony by British settlers. The Congregational Union of England and Wales was established in 1831. It had no authority over the affiliated churches, but instead aimed to advise and support them. In 1972, about three-quarters of English Congregational churches merged with the Presbyterian Church of England to form the United Reformed Church (URC). However, about 600 Congregational churches have continued in their historic independent tradition. Under

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1980-657: The Christian Connection denomination. The Library's rare book room includes an unusually rich and complete representation of English and first-generation Puritan works, including an original copy of the Cambridge Platform of 1649. The Library's archival collection of colonial-era church records is also extensive, containing many sets of seventeenth-century documents as well as full collections from large and historically significant modern churches like Boston's Old South Church and Park Street Church . Many of these records have been digitized and made accessible as part of

2070-639: The English Civil War , those who supported the Parliamentary cause were invited by Parliament to discuss religious matters. The Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) was officially claimed to be the statement of faith for both the Church of England (Anglican/Episcopal) and Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), which was politically expedient for those in the Presbyterian dominated English Parliament who approved of

2160-638: The Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches , which has offices in Beverley, and about 100 Congregational churches that are loosely federated with other congregations in the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches , or are unaffiliated. The unaffiliated churches' share of the assets of the Congregational Union/Church of England and Wales is administered by a registered charity ,

2250-634: The Fellowship of Congregational Churches or continued as Presbyterians. Some more ecumenically minded Congregationalists left the Fellowship of Congregational Churches in 1995 and formed the Congregational Federation of Australia . Congregationalists (called "Evangelicals" in Bulgaria ; the word "Protestant" is not used ) were among the first Protestant missionaries to the Ottoman Empire and to

2340-483: The Miss Stone Affair when missionary Ellen Maria Stone, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, and her pregnant fellow missionary friend Macedonian-Bulgarian Katerina Stefanova–Tsilka, wife of an Albanian Protestant minister, were kidnapped while traveling between Bansko and Gorna Dzhumaya (now Blagoevgrad ), by an Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization detachment led by the voivoda Yane Sandanski and

2430-655: The Solemn League and Covenant (1643). After the Second Civil War , the New Model Army which was dominated by Congregationalists (or Independents ) seized control of the parliament with Pride's purge (1648), arranged for the trial and execution of Charles I in January 1649 and subsequently introduced a republican Commonwealth dominated by Independents such as Oliver Cromwell . This government lasted until 1660 when

2520-655: The United Reformed Church Act 1972 (c. xviii), which dealt with the financial and property issues arising from the merger between what had become by then the Congregational Church of England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church of England , certain assets were divided between the various parties. In England, there are three main groups of continuing Congregationalists. These are the Congregational Federation , which has offices in Nottingham and Manchester,

2610-632: The monarch was restored and Episcopalism was re-established (see the Penal Laws and Great Ejection ). In 1662, two years after the Restoration, two thousand Independent, Presbyterian, and congregational ministers were evicted from their parishes as dissenters and not being in Holy Orders conferred by bishops. In 1658 (during the interregnum ) the Congregationalists created their own version of

2700-465: The AES and the Society for the Promotion of Collegiate and Theological Education merged as the "American College and Education Society". In 1894, it was renamed "Congregational Education Society". For the sake of greater facility, as well as safety, in managing the concerns of the institution, branch societies were formed in different states and sections of the country. Each branch had, by the constitution,

2790-541: The Association posed the question if a more permanent location should be found. In 1898, it was decided that the old Congregational House would be sold and the lots of 12 and 14 Beacon Street would be purchased and built upon. Ground was broken for the Congregational House July 28, 1897 and the corner stone was laid on November 29, 1897. The Library was to occupy the second floor of the Congregational House, with

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2880-501: The Church of England and outside of it. Puritans who left the established church were known as Separatists . Congregationalism may have first developed in the London Underground Church under Richard Fitz in the late 1560s and 1570s. The Congregational historian Albert Peel argued that it was accepted that the evidence for a fully thought out congregational ecclesiology is not overwhelming. Robert Browne (1550–1633)

2970-705: The Congregational Federation. Wales traditionally is the part which has the largest share of Congregationalists among the population, most Congregationalists being members of Undeb yr Annibynwyr Cymraeg (the Union of Welsh Independents ), which is particularly important in Carmarthenshire and Brecknockshire . The London Missionary Society was effectively the world mission arm of British Congregationalists, sponsoring missionaries including Eric Liddell and David Livingstone . After mergers and changes of name,

3060-426: The Congregational House to become home to a wide range of advocacy groups and nonprofits. In the summer of 2017, the American Congregational Association sold the Congregational House to Faros Properties for $ 25.4 million, citing the need to prioritize the mission of the organization over continuing to steward a large office building. The Library signed a lease for its current space for up to 100 years. The building

3150-605: The Congregational Library & Archives was founded as a library for Congregational ministers, it has evolved into a research library and repository for some 250,000 books, pamphlets, and periodicals, documenting the growth and development of the Congregational tradition in the United States, intimately bound up with early American history and the social movements in which Congregationalists actively participated such as abolition , temperance , and women's suffrage . As

3240-462: The Directors wished to scatter their beneficiaries as widely as possible in other institutions. By the 1830s about a fourth of the American college students intending to become ministers were supported by the Society or by similar organizations operated by other Protestant denominations. From the start of their operations, the Directors felt it was their duty in selecting candidates for the patronage of

3330-843: The IEC of Argentina. In other cities of Misiones the Congregational work began in Oberá in the 1930s, in San Francisco de Asís a work began with believers from Brazil in 1935, in Dos de Mayo since 1945, in Valle Hermoso a group of Lutheran origin joined the Evangelical Congregational Church in 1949, in El Soberbio since 1950, in San Vicente since 1966, in Posadas since 1970 and later many more congregations. In Buenos Aires, as

3420-412: The Library. The Association sold said property to Jordan, Marsh, & Co. By this point, the Library's collection grew significantly, up to 15,000 bound volumes and 50,000 pamphlets The Library was then temporarily housed at 40 Winter Street until, in 1873, the Old Congregational House, at the corner of Beacon and Somerset Streets, was dedicated. After 20 years of occupying the old Congregational House,

3510-478: The Methodist Church on the region north of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina, or "Old Mountains"). In 1857, Cyrus Hamlin and Charles Morse established three missionary centres in southern Bulgaria – in Odrin ( Edirne , former capital city of the Ottoman Empire, in Turkey), Plovdiv and Stara Zagora . They were joined in 1859 by Russian-born naturalized America Frederic Flocken in 1859. American Presbyterian minister Elias Riggs commissioned, supported and edited

3600-411: The National level. The Congregational Union of Ireland was founded in 1829 and currently has around 26 member churches. In 1899 it absorbed the Irish Evangelical Society. The Congregational Christian Church of Samoa is one of the largest group of churches throughout the Pacific Region. It was founded in 1830 by the London Missionary Society missionary John Williams on the island of Savai'i in

3690-424: The New England's Hidden Histories program. The Congregational Library also has a large sermon collection, some 15,000 individual pieces, covering the period from the late 1600s to the twentieth century, in both manuscript and printed form. The Congregational Library & Archives is open to the public on Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with some exceptions for after hours events. There

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3780-448: The Northwestern part of the European Ottoman Empire which is now Bulgaria, where their work to convert these Orthodox Christians was unhampered by the death penalty imposed by the Ottomans on Muslim converts to Christianity. These missionaries were significant contributors to the Bulgarian National Revival movement. Today, Protestantism in Bulgaria represents the third largest religious group, behind Orthodox and Muslim. Missionaries from

3870-420: The Pacific region. It has been introduced either by immigrant dissenters or by missionary organizations such as the London Missionary Society . A number of evangelical Congregational churches are members of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship . Congregationalism, as defined by the Pew Research Center , is estimated to represent 0.5 percent of the worldwide Protestant population. Congregationalism

3960-508: The Puritans of New England , who wrote the Cambridge Platform of 1648 to describe the autonomy of the church and its association with others. Within the United States, the model of Congregational churches was carried by migrating settlers from New England into New York , then into the Old Northwest , and further. The Congregationalist tradition has a presence in the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Ireland, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and various island nations in

4050-463: The Society was succeeded in 1977 by the worldwide Council for World Mission . In the United States, the Congregational tradition traces its origins mainly to Puritan settlers of colonial New England . Congregational churches have had an important role in the political, religious and cultural history of the United States. Their practices concerning church governance influenced the early development of democratic institutions in New England, and some of

4140-410: The Society, the Legislature changed the name to "The American Education Society". In adopting a plan of organization, the founders of the Society aimed at establishing a system which should be simple and efficient, and which at the same time would admit of an easy extension over a wide territory. With this view, a "General", or Parent Society was instituted, composed of those who were members for life at

4230-422: The Society, to give the preference to those who desired obtaining a thorough preparation for the ministry. They were convinced that the circumstances of the times demanded that those who were invested with the ministry should have every advantage which a course of liberal education could give them. Scholarships were funded by individuals, and by societies. Sometimes it was done by a single donation, and sometimes by

4320-450: The Unaffiliated Congregational Churches Charities, which supports the unaffiliated churches and their retired ministers. In 1981, the United Reformed Church merged with the re-formed Association of Churches of Christ and, in 2000, just over half of the churches in the Congregational Union of Scotland also joined the United Reformed Church (via the United Reformed Church Act 2000 ). The remainder of Congregational churches in Scotland joined

4410-461: The United States and in Canada. The South American Germans from Russia had learned about Congregationalism in letters from relatives in the United States. In 1924 general missionary John Hoelzer, while in Argentina for a brief visit, organised six churches. In the province of Entre Ríos , congregations began to join the Evangelical Congregational Church in Crespo . Information indicates that since 1923 there were activities in private homes and in 1928

4500-436: The United States first arrived in 1857–58, sent to Istanbul by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). The ABCFM was proposed in 1810 by the Congregationalist graduates of Williams College, MA, and was chartered in 1812 to support missions by Congregationalists, Presbyterian (1812–1870), Dutch-Reformed (1819–1857) and other denominational members. The ABCFM focused its efforts on southern Bulgaria and

4590-690: The West and hence more politically dangerous than traditional Orthodox Christianity. This prompted repressive legislation in the form of "Regulations for the Organization and Administration of the Evangelical Churches in the People's Republic of Bulgaria" and resulted in the harshest government repression, possibly the worst in the entire Eastern Bloc , intended to extinguish Protestantism altogether. Mass arrests of pastors (and often their families), torture, long prison sentences (including four life sentences) and even disappearance were common. Similar tactics were used on parishioners. In fifteen highly publicized mock show-trials between 8 February and 8 March 1949, all

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4680-501: The Westminster Confession, called the Savoy Declaration , which remains the principal subordinate standard of Congregationalism. The mission to Argentina was the second foreign field tended by German Congregationalists. The work in South America began in 1921 when four Argentine churches urgently requested that denominational recognition be given to George Geier, serving them. The Illinois Conference licensed Geier, who worked among Germans from Russia who were very similar to their kin in

4770-430: The accused pastors confessed to a range of charges against them, including treason, spying (for both the US and Yugoslavia), black marketing, and various immoral acts. State appointed pastors were foisted on surviving congregations. As late as the 1980s, imprisonment and exile were still employed to destroy the remaining Protestant churches. The Congregationalist magazine "Zornitsa" was banned; Bibles became unobtainable. As

4860-452: The break in the Presbyterian Church. The Society for the Promotion of Collegiate and Theological Education in the West was organized in 1844, and operated as a separate society till 1874, at which time it joined with the AES. In 1874, the AES, which had worked mainly by grants to students, was combined with the Society for the Promotion of Collegiate and theological Education in the West, which had operated by making grants to colleges. In 1874,

4950-502: The church "El Buen Pastor", which was lent to them by the Disciples of Christ. In 1947, Pastor Ludwig Serfas became the first local pastor, with residence in Olivos, and it was decided to build the first church in Villa Ballester, which was inaugurated in 1950. The Evangelical Congregational Church spread to Córdoba in 1972, with itinerant missionary work from Basavilbaso (Entre Ríos). In the province of Santa Fe from 1980, from Paraná (Entre Ríos). In Corrientes (capital) from 1982 and in CABA

5040-592: The church by abolishing all remaining Catholic practices, such as clerical vestments, wedding rings, organ music in church, kneeling at Holy Communion , using the term priest for a minister, bowing at the name of Jesus, and making the sign of the cross in baptism and communion. Many Puritans believed the Church of England should follow the example of Reformed churches in other parts of Europe and adopt presbyterian polity , in which an egalitarian network of local ministers cooperated through regional synods . Other Puritans experimented with congregational polity both within

5130-968: The congregation as a whole should govern the church: "The meetings together… of every whole church, and of the elders therein, is above the apostle, above the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor, the teacher, and every particular elder" and "The voice of the whole people, guided by the elders and the forwardest, is said [in Scripture] to be the voice of God". While each church would be independent, separate churches would still come together to discuss matters of common concern. Short lifespans were typical of Separatist churches (also known as Brownist congregations). These were small congregations who met in secret and faced persecution. They were often forced to go into exile in Holland and tended to disintegrate quickly. Notable Separatists who faced exile or death included Henry Barrow ( c.  1550 –1593), John Greenwood (died 1593), John Penry (1559–1593), Francis Johnson (1563–1618), and Henry Ainsworth (1571–1622). In

5220-543: The containment of families in the most varied contexts. With specific programmes for children, adolescents, young people, married couples and the elderly. With presence in formal and informal education, training and instructing people of all ages, in arts and crafts, in values and principles that make solidarity, human rights, and a better quality of life for all, according to the possibilities and opportunities. With canteens and picnic areas, with an integral pastoral care, which includes accompaniment in hospitals and prisons. It has

5310-608: The designated archive of the Congregational Christian churches, the Library collects material on the history of the denomination from the Puritans to its present incarnation, holding all significant institutional records from the United Church of Christ , the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches , and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference , before and after. The Library also holds some 1,500 different periodicals representing its longstanding interest in social reform, missionary work , and education. The Congregational Library also holds rare newspapers from

5400-416: The early 1600s, a Separatist congregation in Scrooby was founded through the efforts of John Smyth (who later rejected infant baptism and became a founder of the Baptist movement). John Robinson was the congregation's pastor and William Brewster was an elder . In 1607, the congregation moved to Holland fleeing persecution. In 1620, the group (known in history as the Pilgrims ) sailed to North America on

5490-440: The erection (and maintenance) in the city of Boston, of a Congregational House for the meetings of the body, the accommodation of its library, and for the furtherance of its general purposes; to found and perpetuate a library of books, pamphlets, and manuscripts, and a collection of portraits and relics of the past; and to do whatever else -- within limits of its charter -- shall serve to illustrated Congregational History, and promote

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5580-417: The essential features of Congregationalism. Browne argued for a church only of genuine, regenerate believers and criticized the Anglicans for including all English people within their church. The congregation should choose its own leaders, and the ministers should be ordained by the congregation itself not by bishops or fellow ministers. Each congregation should be founded on a written church covenant , and

5670-406: The existence of the Evangelical Congregational Church, they contacted and invited the North American missionary Guillermo Strauch to visit them. This took place on August 25, 1928, when the first service was held and as a result of the meeting they decided to join the I. E. C. The following year, their first church was inaugurated. Due to a great drought, in 1945 this church had to close its doors, and

5760-622: The families emigrated to Villa Ángela, Coronel Du Graty or Santa Sylvina, in the province of Chaco, or to El Colorado, in Formosa. In each of these places, new faith communities emerged from the relocation of members of Colonia Palmar. In Villa Ángela, the first church was actually established in Colonia Juan José Paso in 1947, and two years later the first church was inaugurated. In Coronel Du Graty, it originated from prayer meetings in 1947 (with those who came from Colonia Palmar) in "Campo Ugarte" and "Campo Ñandubay". Later they joined together to build their own place for worship, which happened in 1954. In

5850-426: The first foreign field, thirty-one churches that had been affiliated with the General Conference became part of the United Church of Canada when that denomination was founded in 1925 by the merger of the Canadian Congregationalist and Methodist churches, and two-thirds of the congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Canada . In 1988, a number of UCC congregations separated from the national church, which they felt

5940-428: The first pastoral house was inaugurated, in San Salvador from 1928, in Concordia, from 1929–1930, in Federal from 1934, in Paraná since the 1940's. In Concepción del Uruguay since 1942. Basavilbaso from 1944. Gualeguaychú from 1950. And then many more followed. In the province of Chaco, immigrants from Germany, Russia and neighbouring areas settled in Colonia Palmar, between Charata and General Pinedo. When they heard about

6030-619: The first two weeks. Congregational churches were established in Bansko , Veliko Turnovo , and Svishtov between 1840 and 1878, followed by Sofia in 1899. By 1909, there were 19 Congregational churches, with a total congregation of 1,456 in southern Bulgaria offering normal Sunday services, Sunday schools for children, biblical instruction for adults; as well as women's groups and youth groups. Summer Bible schools were held annually from 1896 to 1948. Congregationalists led by James F. Clarke opened Bulgaria's first Protestant primary school for boys in Plovdiv in 1860, followed three years later by

6120-415: The foundation for these churches. In England , the early Congregationalists were called Separatists or Independents to distinguish them from the similarly Calvinistic Presbyterians , whose churches embrace a polity based on the governance of elders ; this commitment to self-governing congregations was codified in the Savoy Declaration. Congregationalism in the United States traces its origins to

6210-413: The general interest of the Congregational Churches." Occupants at the time of founding include the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions , the Woman's Board of Missions , the Woman's Home Missionary Association, the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society , the National Council , the Congregational Educational Society , the American Missionary Association , the Seaman's Friend Society ,

6300-421: The interests of Congregational Churches by publishing works, by furnishing libraries and pecuniary aid to parishes, churches, and cooperation among Congregational ministers and churches with other denominations by collecting and disbursing funds for the above objects." By 1866, the Library contained 3,638 bound volumes and approximately 20,000 pamphlets and found their current location was too small to accommodate

6390-464: The magazine Zornitsa (Зорница, "Dawn"), founded in 1864 by the initiative of Riggs and Long. Zornitsa became the most powerful and most widespread newspaper of the Bulgarian Renaissance. A small roadside marker on Bulgarian Highway 19 in the Rila Mountains, close to Gradevo commemorates the support given the Bulgarian Resistance by these early Congregationalist missionaries. On 3 September 1901 Congregationalist missionaries came to world attention in

6480-551: The media at the time, the event has been often dubbed "America's first modern hostage crisis". The Bulgarian royal house, of Catholic German extraction, was unsympathetic to the American inspired Protestants, and this mood became worse when Bulgaria sided with Germany in WWI and WWII. Matters became much worse when the Bulgarian Communist Party took power in 1944. Like the royal family, it too saw Protestantism closely linked to

6570-427: The members of a local church have the right to decide their church's forms of worship and confessional statements, choose their own officers and administer their own affairs without any outside interference. Congregationalist polity is rooted in a foundational tenet of Congregationalism: the priesthood of all believers . According to Congregationalist minister Charles Edward Jefferson , this means that "Every believer

6660-762: The nation's oldest educational institutions, such as Harvard and Yale University , were founded to train Congregational clergy. In the 21st century, the Congregational tradition is represented by the United Church of Christ , the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches , Conservative Congregational Christian Conference , the Evangelical Association and many unaffiliated local churches. Some congregations and denominations are conservative on social issues, (e.g. CCCC ) while others are liberal (e.g. UCC ). Congregational Library %26 Archives The Congregational Library & Archives

6750-530: The province of Misiones, in Leandro N. Alem and the surrounding area, immigrants from Poland, Germany and Brazil began to arrive between 1929 and 1938. Although their economic condition was precarious, they were rich in their desire to work, to progress and in their spirituality. They began to hold prayer meetings, and faith communities were formed in Alem Sud, Picada Almafuerte and Picada Flor (Colonia El Chatón). In 1932

6840-615: The purpose of establishing and perpetuating a library of religious history and literature of New England." The Association occupied a room in Tremont Temple until 1857, when the growing collection was moved to Chauncy Street. In 1864, the Congregational Library Association was authorized by the Governor of Massachusetts to change its name to the American Congregational Association as well as "do such acts as may promote

6930-615: The reading room two stories high, with 1,000 reference books available, and with the ceiling decorated by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company , and the stacks holding a capacity of 125,00 bound volumes. The Congregational House, located at 14 Beacon Street, is an eight-story brick building completed in 1898. The building was constructed, according to its explanatory plaque to house the Library and "...provide housing for Congregational societies and other religious charitable organizations." "The object of this Association shall be to secure

7020-648: The separation of the Church of England from the Catholic Church during the reign of Henry VIII (1509–47). During the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603), the Church of England was considered a Reformed or Calvinist church, but it also preserved certain characteristics of medieval Catholicism, such as cathedrals , church choirs , a formal liturgy contained in the Book of Common Prayer , traditional clerical vestments and episcopal polity (government by bishops ). The Puritans were Calvinists who wanted to further reform

7110-524: The society was organized. Lt. Gov. Phillips was chosen President, and a board of directors appointed. The board held their first meeting on the same day. March 4, 1816, four beneficiaries were received. The society was incorporated December 1816, by the legislature of Massachusetts . But as the name first given, "The American Society for Educating Pious Youth for the Christian Ministry" was found to be practically inconvenient, in 1820, on application of

7200-649: The special care of the different branch societies, as well as those who were under its own immediate supervision. The society's papers are held at the Congregational Library & Archives , Boston. Congregational church Christianity • Protestantism Congregationalism (also Congregationalist churches or Congregational churches ) is a Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government . Each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs. These principles are enshrined in

7290-566: The sub-voivodas Hristo Chernopeev and Krǎstyo Asenov and ransomed to provide funds for revolutionary activities. Eventually, a heavy ransom (14,000 Ottoman lira (about US$ 62,000 at 1902 gold prices or $ 5 million at 2012 gold prices) raised by public subscription in the USA was paid on 18 January 1902 in Bansko and the hostages (now including a newborn baby) were released on 2 February near Strumica —a full five months after being kidnapped. Widely covered by

7380-532: The time of the annual meeting in May 1826; and of such others as shall hereafter be elected into it by ballot. In this Society was lodged the supreme and ultimate direction of all the concerns of the Institution. Its rules and regulations were conformed to by all who were patronized by its funds. The Society did not have buildings, and libraries, and a local establishment, to give it visibility like other institutions because

7470-547: The village of Sapapali'i. As the church grew it established and continues to support theological colleges in Samoa and Fiji. There are over 100,000 members attending over 2,000 congregations throughout the world, most of which are located in Samoa, American Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and America. The Christian Congregational Church of Jamaica falls under the constitution of the Samoan Church. Congregational churches were brought to

7560-451: The work of Bulgarian monk Neofit Rilski to create a Bible translations into Bulgarian which was then distributed widely in Bulgaria in 1871 and thereafter. This effort was supported by Congregationalist missionary Albert Long, Konstantin Fotinov , Hristodul Sechan-Nikolov and Petko Slaveikov . Reportedly, 2,000 copies of the newly translated Bulgarian language New Testament were sold within

7650-442: Was a surplus, it was remitted to the general treasury. Thus, every branch cooperated with the general society, and acted in subserviency to the same object. The influence of the general society became co-extensive with that of its branches. Its funds included all which flowed directly into its own treasury; and all which passed into the subordinate treasuries; while the number of its beneficiaries included all those who were placed under

7740-487: Was assumed the subject of each panel would be known on sight to the average citizen. The reliefs were carved by Domingo Mora , a Spanish sculptor who, catalyzed by the Spanish–American War , left the country and reliefs unfinished, citing his inability to stay and work in a country hostile to his own. The reliefs were carefully completed according to Mora's design by a Swiss modeler known only as Mr. Stadler. While

7830-407: Was called to the chair. It was voted to form a society, for the purpose of assisting young men, of proper qualifications, in their education for the ministry. A committee was appoint to draft a constitution, to be reported at a future meeting. This meeting was held in Boston, August 29, 1815, and attended by about 50 men. A constitution was reported and adopted article by article. On December 7, 1815,

7920-680: Was designed by the Boston-based architecture firm Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge , now Shepley Bulfinch , in a Georgian - Federal revival style and built by the Norcoss Brothers . The building was added to the Park Street Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1974, citing the historic significance of the architecture of the area and the importance of the Congregational House and Library as

8010-788: Was moving away theologically and in practice from Biblical Christianity. Many of the former UCC congregations banded together as the new Congregational Christian Churches in Canada . The Congregational Christian Churches in Canada (or 4Cs) is an evangelical, Protestant, Christian denomination, headquartered in Brantford, Ontario, and a member of the World Evangelical Congregational Fellowship . The name "congregational" generally describes its preferred organizational style, which promotes local church autonomy and ownership, while fostering fellowship and accountability between churches at

8100-512: Was the first person to set out explicit congregational principles and is considered the founder of Congregationalism. While studying for ordination , Browne became convinced that the Church of England was a false church. He moved to Norwich and together with Robert Harrison formed an illegal Separatist congregation. In 1581, Browne and his followers moved to Holland in order to worship freely. While in Holland, Browne wrote treatises that laid out

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