Old South Church in Boston

As many of you are aware, this is where Caitlin and Tom met, and have spent many of their Sundays (and Mondays, and Tuesdays, and Wednesdays...) over the past 5-10 years. 

Since this church holds a lot of meaning for them, and it will be the location of the wedding ceremony, here's some information about it so you can get to know it a little bit better!

Give me the basics:

• Old South Church (OSC) is an open and affirming church in the United Church of Christ (UCC).  That means they not only accept everyone no matter who they are, they welcome everyone because of who they are.
• Old South Church is located in the heart of Copley Square, at the corners of Boylston and Dartmouth Streets.

Interested in some history?

• The congregation first gathered in 1669, when they broke away from First Church over an argument on baptism.  They were known as Third Church at that time and met at the Cedar Meeting House.
• Eventually they moved to the Old South Meeting House in the financial district.  The Old South Meeting house is currently a museum except for one Sunday a year, when OSC members return to worship there. 
• Old South members moved to our current building in 1875, which is officially known as the NEW Old South Church.

Fun Facts:

• Former members include Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams (who was the church's song leader during his membership), Mother Goose, Samuel Sewall (A judge in the Salem witch trials who famously recanted his rulings and later published the first anti-slavery paper in America), and Phillis Wheatley (the first published African-American woman).
• OSC has ties to the Boston Tea Party!  Many of the then members participated, and the Old South Meeting House was the organizing point and host of the meeting immediately prior, since it was the largest building in Boston at the time.
• OSC helped found the YMCA!
• The current building is a National Historic Landmark, one of three in Copley Square. (Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library are the others)
• OSC has not 1, but 2 organs! The main organ in the sanctuary is listed at the 40th largest organ in the world, by ranks (139 ranks with over 7,000 pipes).
• The church building is currently undergoing a large renovation/upgrade.  This means that they'll be air conditioning in the chapel by the time of the wedding!

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