Our History
In the Beginning…
The first meeting house in Middlefield was built in 1745 by the Middlefield Society and stood on what is now the town green. Two years later, this structure housed the newly founded Middlefield Congregational Church. The Middlefield Methodist Church held its first meeting in 1790. In June of 1791, Bishop Francis Asbury, one of the principal founders of American Methodism, preached here. Services were held in the Middlefield Meeting House. After the American Revolutionary War, religion was at a low ebb and the church almost folded . It reorganized in 1808. By 1834, Methodism had gathered such popularity that a brick church was constructed across the road from the town green. The second Congregational Church was built in 1842 on the site of the old Methodist meeting house and was added to and improved in 1882. In 1866, the same year Middlefield was incorporated as a town, the Methodist brick church across from the green was deemed inadequate and a new church was built - the one in which we worship today.
In the early 1900's, it was customary for both churches to hold 2 services, morning and afternoon. They were quite long, in fact some people would bring their lunch along with them to eat during the service. During this time a family rented their pews, The money made from the pew rentals helped to pay the minister’s salary.
The Federation
As the number of parishioners in the Congregational church was dwindling, Middlefield’s Methodist and Congregational churches decided to form a federation on October 11, 1921. And on December 8, 1921, the Methodist and Congregational churches officially formed the Middlefield Federated Church.
The last minister to preach in the Congregational Church, resigned to bring into fruition the Federated Church that he had urgently advised. The Reverend of the Methodist Church served until the next conference when he too resigned, insisting that the Federation should choose a minister, not simply endorse one who happened to be here. For approximately ten years, each church building,Congregational and Methodist, was used for worship on alternate months, but this arrangement proved impractical, since the Methodist church was the more usable building. The Federated membership settled permanently in the Methodist Church building, where we worship today. Although the two churches federated in 1921, they federated in name only. The two congregations retained their own governance structures while worshiping together. Out of the need for a reorganization that would create a central authority representing both churches grew the Articles of Federation: the by-laws by which we continue to conduct the church's business today. The first annual meeting of the Middlefield Federated Church, Inc.was held on January 14, 1954.
Recent History
In the mid 1990s Middlefield Federated Church built a partnership with the local community when our pastor agreed to serve as the Fire Department’s Chaplain. It’s a relationship that we value and a role that MFC pastors have agreed to serve to this day! In 2010/2011 the church was renovated into the beautiful space it is today. Then, in 2015, the congregation voted to allow ministers to perform wedding ceremonies between two people of the same gender in the sanctuary.
Today
As a Federated Church, we maintain denominational ties to the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ. We participate in programs and contribute financially to both denominations. We look to both denominations for assistance and support. In our worship, we make an effort to accommodate Methodist and Congregational traditions. We alternate our method of Communion,receiving the elements at the rail one month (Methodist), and in the pews the following month (Congregational).