Charles Thompson, chairman of the Centennial Committee for the Blackstone Valley Methodist Church, explains the history behind a stained glass window in the front of the church.

Photo Credit: Deborah Gauthier

A view of the 100-year-old Blackstone Valley Methodist Church from the balcony.

Photo Credit: Deborah Gauthier

Charles Thompson, chairman of the Centennial Committee for the Blackstone Valley Methodist Church, with a chair, one of the first things rescued from the first church which burned to the ground in 1910.

Photo Credit: Deborah Gauthier

NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. – “The church is not this building, it’s the life that goes on inside the building,’’ said Charles Thompson, a member of the Board of Directors of Blackstone Valley United Methodist Church.

Nonetheless, the local historian believes it is important to recognize the history of a building, and the story behind the home of the Methodist Church in Whitinsville is long and fascinating.

The present church, dedicated in October 1911, is made of stone that came from the Blanchard Quarry in Uxbridge; its architect was Edwin Chapin of Worcester, who designed many of the churches and other institutions in the area; and its pipe organ was made by M.P. Moller of Haggerstown, N.Y., a leading manufacturer of organs at the time.

Moller produced the largest pipe organ for a religious institution – the chapel at West Point, Thompson said, and both organs – the one in Whitinsville and the one at West Point - were installed in 1913. “I have a vision,” he said, “of pipes lined up here for the Methodist Church and pipes lined up there for West Point.’’

The organ remains in use today, and its pipes, most of them unseen behind the sanctuary, will be part of tours Thompson will lead from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday as part of the church building’s centennial celebration.

Weekend activities, to which the community is invited, will also include a centennial dinner at 6 p.m. and a special program in the sanctuary at 7:30 p.m., both on Saturday, and a Sunday service at 10 a.m. which will be lead by a guest preacher, Rene Perez, district superintendent of the Methodist congregation.

Thompson had hoped curiosity would draw a crowd to the church this weekend.

When the 2,600 lb. cornerstone to the church was laid on Feb. 4, 1911, the congregation placed a time capsule inside containing 27 different items pertaining to the church and the community. Included was a list of contributors to the new church, the history of the church to date, a bible given by the oldest living member of the church, coins from 1910, and copies of newspapers from the day.

Church members planned to recover that capsule. Two holes were drilled into the cornerstone, one a few inches above the other, with the expectation of finding an empty space and the capsule.

An empty space wasn’t found.

“That (time capsule) would have been key,’’ Thompson said, “in attracting someone not a member of the church to come out of curiosity to see a snapshot of life in Whitinsville in 1911.’’

Church members are “disciples in Christ,’’ Thompson said. “I would have liked to see one, two or three come here, feel at home here and want to participate fully in whatever we do here,’’ he said.

Methodism in Whitinsville began long before 1911, Thompson noted, in the 1840s when the congregation met in Linwood Hall, a private home located across the street from the present church. They then met in the Pythian building before building its first church on its present location.

That wood structure, dedicated on Oct. 22, 1875, burnt to the ground on Feb. 27, 1910. One item remains from that church, Thompson said, a chair which is kept on the sanctuary.

Three years ago, the church built an addition, one that is more accessible to the elderly and handicapped and providing the additional space needed for a congregation of more than 300.

Formerly the Whitinsville Methodist Church, congregations in Whitinsville, Millville and Uxbridge joined together to form the Blackstone Valley Methodist Church.

“I like this church because it is a tolerant and caring community,’’ Thompson. He hopes others who visit this weekend will feel the same and stay.

Members of the Centennial Committee were Thompson, who was chairman, Jeff Allard, Barbara Fortin, Dean Fortin, Carolyn Mitchell, Donna Moody, Ed simoncini, Marilyn Simoncini, Ray Talke and Dan Wheeler.

Pastor is Rev. Michele Ewers.