Nancy Roby received the Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce’s lifetime achievement award April 19. The presentation was part of the Chamber’s Business After Hours event inside the parish hall of First Congregational Church of Wiscasset UCC.

Chamber President Dr. Jean Beattie Flynn of Sheepscot Bay Physical Therapy made the presentation to Roby recognizing her for her many years of volunteer service to the Wiscasset-area community.

Rev. Josh Fitterling shared some historical facts about the church with Chamber members. The church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and has been part of the Wiscasset community since 1764 when Maine was still part of Massachusetts.

He said the building that now sits at the head of the town common is the third house of worship there. The first, built in 1767, was referred to as “Ye Old First Parish.” It was replaced in 1840 with a larger building which served the congregation until 1907 when it burned down a few days before Christmas. The parish raised funds and rebuilt the church in 1909.

The spacious parish hall where the Chamber met is used to host many diverse community groups and organizations. It serves as a meeting place for the Garden Club of Wiscasset, Sheepscot Valley Chorus, Healthy Kids, and the congregation’s Ladies Organ Society, to name a few.

“Worship is one part of what our congregation does, the other is getting involved in our community,” Fitterling said.  

Last year, the church’s annual Summer Fest on the common raised $8,500, all of which was donated to the community.

Fitterling marked his one-year anniversary as the church’s minister on March 1. A native of Mohrsville, Pennsylvania, he received his Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2015.

First Congregational  holds Sunday worship beginning at 10 am. Visitors are welcome, he added.

Business After Hours included light refreshments and concluded with a 50/50 raffle. The First on Gardiner Road  will host the next Business After Hours at 5:30 p.m. May 10.

Ad space is available until May 7 for the Chamber’s “Visitor’s Guide to the Wiscasset Area.” WACC Administrative Assistant Pat Cloutier had a proof of the 24-page pamphlet at the event. The guide includes restaurant and service listings, a calendar of events, points of interest, color photographs, a Wiscasset-area map and a map of “Maine’s Prettiest Village.” 

The Chamber is based in the Lincoln County Regional Planning Office at 297 Bath Road, across from Big Al’s. Call 882-9600 or  visit www.wiscassetchamber.com