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The Church in Lyme Center
Researched and Written by Janine Weins
(Posted 11/1/06)

In Lyme Center, New Hampshire, as in many quintessential towns in Northern New England, the church helps define the architecture and the character of the community.

In December of 1807, Baptists living in the eastern part of Lyme withdrew their membership from The First Baptist Church of Etna and organized the Lyme Center Baptist Church. These church members initially worshiped in an unheated meeting house where they sat on planks laid across blocks of wood.

In 1830, the simple clapboard church, without a belfry, was built. The belfry was added in 1858. A bell was cast in Massachusetts and installed in 1867. In addition to ringing to call the parishioners to worship, the church bell would toll when there was a fire in town to alert the volunteer firemen. When someone in the parish died, the number of strokes of the tolling bell would indicate the age of the deceased. The church bell was also rung each year on the Fourth of July, and was rung to celebrate the end of World Wars I and II.

The vestry, located just a few feet east of the church, was built in 1895 by volunteer labor. One of the volunteers was the pastor, J. M. Tozler, who was a carpenter by trade.

In the two centuries since The Lyme Center Baptist Church was organized, the community has generously supported the church, and the church, in turn, has supported the community. The Lyme Center Ladies Aid Society, which for many years met in the vestry to tie quilts, raised money in the 1920s to install electric lights. In the last few years, when the church and vestry needed new foundations, many in the community made donations. Betty Johnson, the international recording artist who at one time lived in Lyme Center, donated her time and talent for a benefit concert.

On November 18th, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM, the Lyme Center Baptist Church will be hosting the 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar. The Lyme Center Ladies Aid Society will be selling items to raise money for their annual Christmas Tree project—ensuring that every Lyme Center child is given a gift from Santa. The church Mission Society will be selling handcrafted items to raise money for various outreach projects; last year included support of The Haven. More than a dozen craftspeople, all of whom have connections to Lyme, will be selling their crafts. From 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM, the church will be offering a lunch featuring homemade soups.

If you would like to get some unique handcrafted items for holiday gifts and enjoy good homemade food, I suggest you join me at the 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar at the Lyme Center Baptist Church on Saturday, November 18.