Fire started this church. Well, in a way it did. In the fall of 1873 the Bobbin Factory on Mill Road was burned down and the owners decided not to rebuild it. That put many men out of work. With the winter coming on, the prospect was bleak for their families.

Concerned men and women of the community decided to put their Christian teaching into action. The women sewed clothes for the children and helped to feed the families, but the children had to be cared for too so they wouldn't be hanging around the streets.

Mr. James Leach had long wanted to have a school house for the children where they could be taught the Bible properly. He and his friends, John and Jacob Hall, put up the money to buy the land (today it's the home of the Pascack Historical Society, on Ridge Avenue). There they built a one room chapel, which was dedicated on December 8, 1873. On March 17, 1875, the congregation was given standing as a church by the Congregational denomination.

During the 1950's, our church grew so fast it became necessary to expand our facilities. The new building at 131 Pascack Road was dedicated in 1952. When the Congregational Christian denomination merged with the Evangelical and Reformed Church in 1957 to form the United Church of Christ, our church voted to join the new denomination. We belong to and participate actively in the Central Atlantic Conference and the New Jersey Association of the United Church of Christ.

In 1992 our church participated in a long range process called Share the Faith which was sponsored and supported through the Association in many UCC churches at that time using Kennan Callahan's workbook Twelve Keys to an Effective Church, which focused around identifying and building upon strength. It was through Share the Faith that our church chose to take a more active role in Habitat for Humanity by becoming a partner and began our involvement with the Inter-Religious Fellowship for the Homeless by becoming an overflow shelter.

Today, there is a strong commitment toward ministries centered around mission, education, outreach, fundraising, worship, fellowship and pastor care. Lay leadership is extremely interested in having new ideas and visions, wisdom and inspiration brought to the table by clergy, but, as well, the laity here at First Congregational Church of Park Ridge, NJ are also interested in having opportunities to bring their own ideas and visions, experiences, and enthusiasm to the process of discerning, planning, and carrying forth the Church's ministry. In such endeavors there is a true collaboration between clergy and laity.

Based on and with Excerpts from
“A History of First Congregational Church United Church of Christ”
1873-1973 By Florence Pratt
1974-1995 By Joe Steele