RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

For Participating Institutions

Kingston Congregational Church (Mss. Gr. 169)

University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections

15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Inventory

Inventory

Series 1. Subject File
Box 1-2, Folder 1-22
The records are arranged in one subject series. It appears many materials were gathered during the 250th Anniversary of the church (1945). Those interested in the Church’s past will find much information contained within the "History" folders in this Series. These folders include information on former pastors, the Pettaquamscutt Purchase and the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. A 1945 letter from Mrs. Susan Bacon Keith to Carl Woodward regarding the history of the church building is also in the "History" folders. The history of Kingston Congregational Church was celebrated in a 250th Pageant and the original 1945 narrative, menu and program survive. Newspaper clippings of this event, as well as others from 1934-1957, are included in the folder on publicity. Many clippings are from the student newspaper, The Beacon, and the Providence Sunday Journal. (Dates include 1934, 1936, 1945, 1957).

The financial, educational, pastoral and missionary stance of the church from 1944 to 1968 is discernible in the Annual Reports. (Available years include 1944-46, 1950-52, 1954 and 1956-68). The Constitution and By-Laws deal with the name, purpose, policy, property and committees of the Kingston Congregational Church. The folder on Committee Officers and Reports includes information from the Loyalty Committee of 1944 and the Building Committee of 1960. Directories provide names and contact information on some of the former church officials and members (from 1956-57, 1961). Proposed annual budgets from 1945-47, 1958, 1960 and 1967are also in the records.

Among the newsletters are copies of The Spire, Kingston Congregational Church’s monthly newsletter, are available from 1954-1963, but not all of the months are represented. Programs of church services from 1921-1968 can be found. Not all the services from each year are represented, but special programs such as one commemorating the Service of Recognition for Reverend John D. Beck, 1954, can be found. The folder on sermons, vespers and hymns includes Thanksgiving vespers and hymns as well as examples of sermons given by Rev. Stephen Yale (1965) and Rev. Kenneth B. Wentzel (1968).

The records are arranged alphabetically by type or subject of the record.

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Anniversary (250th) Pageant Narrative
1945 Nov 02
Box 1, Folder 2 Anniversary (250th) Service Programs
1945
Box 1, Folder 3 Annual Reports
1944-1956
Box 1, Folder 4 Annual Reports
1957-1962
Box 1, Folder 5 Annual Reports
1963-1968
Box 1, Folder 6 Budgets
1945-1967
Box 1, Folder 7 Committees and Reports
1925, 1944, 1945, 1955, 1960, 1965
Box 1, Folder 8 Constitution and By-Laws
1945, 1966
Box 1, Folder 9 Directories and Membership Lists
1956-1961
Box 1, Folder 10 History
1944?-1945
Box 1, Folder 11 History
1944?-1945
Box 1, Folder 12 Men and Women in Military Service
1944-1945
Box 1, Folder 13 Minutes/Agenda
1835-1900, 1960, undated
Box 1, Folder 14 Newsletters
1936, 1944, 1954-1958
Box 1, Folder 15 Newsletters
1959-1961
Box 1, Folder 16 Newsletters
1961-1963
Box 2, Folder 17 Newspaper Clippings
1934-1957
Box 2, Folder 18 Programs of Church Services
1921-1953
Box 2, Folder 19 Programs of Church Services
1954-1968
Box 2, Folder 20 Rhode Island Congregational Christian Conference Agenda/Annual Report
1934
Box 2, Folder 21 Rhode Island Congregational Conference Minutes
1866-1905
Box 2, Folder 22 Sermons, Vespers and Hymns
1950s?, 1965, 1968, 1967