200 Years Of The Brewster Baptist Church

BREWSTER – At 200 years old, the Brewster Baptist Church is one of the oldest religious institutions in town, preceded only by First Parish Brewster Unitarian Universalist Church. To celebrate, the church will host a bicentennial event on Dec. 23.

The church, located at 1848 Main St., was established on Dec. 23, 1824, according to Doug Scalise, the Brewster church’s lead pastor. It was birthed in part by people who lived in Brewster and attended the West Harwich Baptist Church. The small group of worshippers, made up of fishermen, farmers and artisans, were said to be responding to “some changes in the commonwealth” and a general greater calling.   

In anticipation of the bicentennial, a group known as the bicentennial planning team was established in 2023 to organize and plan a year’s worth of celebratory activities. 

Bill Harwood, Sharon Kautz, Roy Freeman, Nina Gregson, Audrey Smith, Nancy Sveden, Sandra Tubman, Nancy Wallroth and Scalise have been meeting regularly to create a robust itinerary relating to three key pillars: “remembering our past,” “rejoicing in our present,” and “reimagining our future.” 

Throughout the year, Kautz, the communications manager, has developed a weekly insert to the church bulletin detailing historical events and relevant figures. Scalise said they have also hosted musical events “including Broadway singer and actor Jeff Kready, the Gospel group The Called Out Quartet from Nashville, Tenn., and guitarist Theo Perlman is returning for Christmas Eve.” 

As a film aficionado, Scalise started a monthly movie night with reference to the church’s history. Starting in January, the congregation was invited to watch a movie “either made in or about a 20-year period beginning with the present day and working backward so the final movie would be set in the 20 years during which (the church) was founded.”

The church also resurrected its annual Strawberry Festival in June, which was a regular occurrence 50 years ago.

In a newsletter to the congregation in January, Scalise wrote, “We have sought for many years to be a ‘both/and’ church, one that reaches people of all generations, that offers traditional and contemporary worship, and we’re at a third turning point in being both in person and having a significant digital presence — being a hybrid church and seeking to connect with, disciple, and serve the several hundred people who now watch our worship services or the sermon online every week.”

On Monday, the church will host a celebratory service at 6:30 p.m. with catered fellowship by The Family Table Collaborative starting at 5:30 p.m. The church choir and worship team will be accompanied by Regency Brass and the Cape Cod Carolers. 

“It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime service,” said Scalise.