6 Parsonage

Across from the WUCC, behind the Village Grocery, up Parsonage Lane. Previously the Methodist parsonage, became the Federated Church parsonage, now belongs to the WUCC but rented out. The former Congregational parsonage is in front of the Mill Hill cemetery on Bridhe Street where the second Congregational Church was located.

The WUCC owns the parsonage across Main Street from the Church, behind the VG. It was the parsonage for the Methodist Church., and operated by the Federated (Methodist and Congregational/UCC) Church from 1923 to 1998. As the Federated Church membership declined, it was difficult to populae the various boards for the two orginal churches and the combined Federated Board, especially as members tended to identify with the Federated church more than to either denomination. The heads of the Vermont Conference of the UCC and the Troy Conference of the Methodist Church suggested that the Federated Church streamline its operation by choosing one of the two denominations. Because there were far more members who identified with the Congregational/UCC tradition, the Federated Church was dissolved. This cut the necessary paperwork and meeting requirements for belonging to both denominations in half. It was approved at a Federated Church congregational meeting, as well as by separate meetings of the Methodist and UCC Societies that were “federated”.
The parsonage was deeded to the WUCC by the Troy Conference of the Methodist Church when the Federated Church was dissolved in 1998. The church adopted and registered the new name Waitsfield United Church of Christ. Ten years later as the church building was being renovated, the secondary name Village Meeting House was added to the official Church name. At the back of the sanctuary is the recorded listing of pew ownership when the building was constructed in 1875, signed and stamped by he Waitsfield Town Clerk, and titled Congregational Meeting House. So the new name includes both a recogition of increased community service in the building, and has historic reonsance as well.
Modern pastors for many reasons wish to have a stake in home ownership, for personal and financial reasons. One size parsonage does not fit the varied families of our pastors. So in the 1990s, the parsonage was remodeled for an incoming pastor, but then rented out a few years later as the pastor purchased a home nearby.