Two Centuries of Methodist Witness in Downtown Rochester
First United Methodist Church sits on South Main Street in Rochester, New Hampshire, where a brick sanctuary has anchored the same corner since 1868. The congregation's roots run deeper still: the first Methodist class in Rochester gathered at the home of Paul Place in 1807, and the local Methodist meeting house was built in 1825. Today the church lives out its motto "Feed the Need" by feeding body, mind and soul in Rochester and beyond. A capital campaign launched in 2025 is restoring the steeple that has marked the church's skyline for more than a century and a half.
The 1868 Sanctuary and Its Estey Organ
The present building was dedicated on March 26, 1868, with a four-faced clock from the E. Howard Clock Company of Boston mounted in the steeple. The city of Rochester assumed responsibility for winding that clock in 1878 and electrified it in the early 1980s. Inside, worship takes place beneath a ceiling shaped in 1887 for better acoustics and lined with nine memorial windows added that same year.
The organ program is central to life here. An Estey organ was installed in 1906 for $3,000, originally powered by a water-driven bellows and later switched to an electric blower. It was rebuilt in 1964 and again in 1998 by the Faucher Organ Company. Kevin Lindsay has been Organist and Director of Music Ministries since January 1999. He directs the choirs and the Circuit Ringers handbell choir and supervises the Witherell Ringers, an adult volunteer ensemble. A lifelong church musician and past Dean of the New Hampshire chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Lindsay continues to advocate for the pipe organ in worship and concert.
Sunday Morning at 9:30
A single Sunday worship service gathers at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. The church describes its gatherings as vibrant worship with dynamic music and relevant messages, where people take their relationship with God seriously and grow spiritually through study. Services are livestreamed on YouTube, and bulletins for each Sunday are posted for those following along at home. A Microsoft Teams link also allows anyone to join the service virtually through a web browser.
The first Sunday of each month is a Worship Together Sunday: children stay in the service with their families for the children's message and Communion. On every other Sunday of the month, September through June, children and youth head to their own learning communities after the children's message.
Future Gen Sunday School and the Nursery
Children from Pre-K through fifth grade gather each Sunday in Future Gen Sunday School, where a different Bible story or theme is explored each month through storytelling, arts and crafts, games, cooking, drama, song and community service projects. The aim, as the church describes it, is open hearts, open minds and open doors that help transform the lives of others.
Older youth in grades six through twelve meet in their own group, relating God's word to today's culture through movie discussions, youth-focused Bible studies and other activities throughout the year. A staffed nursery is available during the 9:30 service for the church's youngest children. Vacation Bible School is offered in the summer.
Methodist Youth Fellowship
The Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) is the church's youth group, open to students in grades six through twelve. Activities are planned by the youth themselves and supervised by adult advisors both on and off site. The group meets twice a month and offers a Christian environment for fellowship with peers. Families with questions can reach the leaders at fumc34.myf@gmail.com.
Each summer the congregation also connects with Camp Wanakee, a Methodist camp where registration opens early in the year through the CampDoc system. Many FUMC youth and counselors spend part of their summers at Wanakee.
United Women in Faith
The United Women in Faith (UWiF) circle, formerly United Methodist Women, is an active part of adult life at FUMC. Membership is open to any woman seeking fellowship, spiritual growth and a way to make a positive impact on women, children and youth in the community and beyond.
The group meets monthly, sometimes on Saturday mornings at 11:30 and sometimes on Wednesday evenings at 6, with a calendar that mixes potluck lunches, ice cream socials, laughter yoga, travel-story sharing and crafts for the church fair. At each gathering members collect items for two partner organizations and for Project Linus. The 2025 to 2027 officer team is led by President Amy Cook, Vice President Gayle Richards, Treasurer Eileen Foss and Secretary Donna Downes.
Ongoing projects include Sip 'n Share, a fellowship ministry, and the FUMC Chapter of Project Linus, which meets weekly to make and donate hundreds of blankets a year for children in need. Members often purchase supplies with their own funds; donations of fabric, batting, fleece, quilting thread and gift cards are welcomed.
Bible Studies and Adult Ministry
Beyond the Sunday gathering, FUMC offers seasonal book and Bible studies led by the pastor or by lay leaders. Adult ministry at the church also runs through UWiF and small-group study opportunities. Anyone looking to deepen their walk with Christ is invited to join.
Outreach: Waypoint, Haven Hill and Project Linus
FUMC's outreach vision follows John Wesley's idea that "the world is our parish." The UWiF circle directs much of the church's material giving toward two Rochester partners:
- Waypoint NH's Rochester Youth Drop-In Center on Wallace Street, which serves youth ages 12 to 24 experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The church regularly collects new socks and undergarments, winter jackets, mittens and gloves, backpacks, sleeping bags, grab-and-go food, school supplies and hygiene items.
- Hope on Haven Hill on Charles Street, which provides residential, outpatient and recovery support services for pregnant, postpartum and parenting women in New Hampshire. The church collects items from Hope's published wish list.
The Project Linus chapter's blankets reach children well beyond Rochester. Members of FUMC also volunteer individually with these and other community efforts through the church's volunteer groups.
The Steeple Restoration Campaign, 2025 to 2028
The steeple that has marked downtown Rochester since 1868 is the focus of a 2025 to 2028 capital campaign for restoration, along with roof and other exterior repairs. The committee, co-chaired by Scott Benoit, Charlie Devito and Kent Marzoli, has raised more than $221,000 toward the work as of mid-2026. Brochures, a feasibility study, a vision document and a commitment card are available for those who want to learn more or contribute to protecting what the church calls "a vital beacon of hope."
Becoming Part of the Family
FUMC's statement on inclusion is plain about who is welcome: people of all backgrounds, races, genders, orientations and abilities are invited to fully participate in the life of the community as the church celebrates and supports one another on the spiritual journey to follow Jesus. Visitors can worship in person at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, join the livestream on YouTube, or connect through Microsoft Teams.
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 34 South Main Street. Giving is available in person, online through Vanco, or through the Vanco mobile app by searching for First United Methodist Church Rochester. A list of volunteer opportunities is published on the church's site for anyone ready to put faith into motion in the Rochester community.