April 12, 2023 By Roy Harris
In the latest chapter for Hingham’s 342-year-old Old Ship Church—which occupies the historic hilltop meeting house at 90 Main St.—the Unitarian Universalist congregation has established temporary first-floor office and gathering spaces in an office building at 14 Main, on the northeast corner of Main and South streets.
Sale of Old Ship’s former 107 Main St. parish house, used for those purposes since 1956, has been completed. Its new owners are now converting 107 Main into a private residence.
The property developments along Main Street are only part of a swirl of changes that Old Ship’s 200 members have been navigating recently. After 35 years as their minister, Rev. Ken Read-Brown retired last year, engaging the church in an interim-minister process established by the Unitarian Universalist Association’s guidelines. Rev. Erin E. Splaine has been serving as interim minister. https://www.hinghamanchor.com/hinghams-old-ship-church-welcomes-rev-erin-splaine-as-interim-minister/
For Old Ship’s congregation, it remains a forward-looking time, with a full slate of activities, and a board of trustees that is welcoming several new members. And in addition to developing the multi-room first floor of 14 Main St. for church uses, congregants are busy scheduling events both in that space and the meeting house, including their annual Plant Sale on May 20 and a Pride Day celebration in June.
