Two River-Town Congregations Become One
The United Congregational Church of Haddam and Higganum traces its roots back more than three centuries. One of the founding congregations, the First Congregational Church of Haddam, was officially organized on November 15, 1700, making it one of the oldest continuous church communities in the Connecticut River Valley. A second predecessor, Higganum Congregational Church, began sharing worship, outreach, and Sunday school with the Haddam church in 2017. For over five years the two congregations shared a pastor and many ministries, rotating Sunday services between their respective sanctuaries each month. On January 1, 2023, the two churches formally merged into a single congregation under the new name, while continuing to maintain both historic buildings as active worship sites, calling them the Haddam (or South) Campus and the Higganum (or North) Campus.
9:30 Worship on the River, Rotating Between Two Campuses
Sunday worship is held at 9:30 a.m., with the location alternating from month to month between the two campuses. The Haddam campus sits at 905 Saybrook Road in Haddam, and the Higganum campus is at 23 Parsonage Road in Higganum, a short drive along the Connecticut River between Hartford and the shore. Services are livestreamed on YouTube each Sunday morning, and a full archive of recorded services is available through the same channel. Church meetings and small gatherings are often held on Zoom. The church office is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lewis House, 905 Saybrook Road, Haddam.
An Open and Affirming Covenant
UCCHH is part of the United Church of Christ and has formally declared itself an Open and Affirming (ONA) congregation. The covenant reads: "We, the United Congregational Church of Haddam & Higganum, United Church of Christ, are committed to loving each other as God loves us, freely and unconditionally. We therefore covenant to welcome people of all gender identities and sexual orientations, races and ethnicities, mental and physical abilities, marital and socioeconomic status into the full life of ministry and leadership of this faith community. We are committed to the mission of Christ's teaching of all encompassing love, peace and justice for all creation." The congregation's purpose statement centers on being "united as an inclusive congregation, following Christ's message, growing through worship, fellowship and service, striving towards a just, loving society." The church visibly lives out this welcome by marching in Middletown Pride and hosting a booth at the annual HK Pride event in Killingworth.
A Sanctuary Rebuilt, A Legacy Preserved
The current sanctuary on the Haddam campus, completed in 1981, is an exact replica of the 1847 structure that was lost to a disastrous fire in 1979. With the support of people both near and far, the church was rebuilt in just two short years and rededicated. The Higganum campus houses the church's Austin organ, featured each year in the Gladys Burr Peck Memorial Organ Concert, a free recital that has drawn organists of regional and national reputation, including performers whose work has reached Yale's Woolsey Hall and Saint Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.
Choir, Music, and Special Events
The UCCHH choir numbers more than fifteen singers on most Sundays, filling the sanctuaries at both campuses under the direction of Music Director Dr. Brian Frazier. The choir anchors the music ministry of the church and contributes to special events like the annual Epiphany Pageant, the Blessing of the Animals service each spring, and the Mardi Gras Pancake Fundraiser. Music is a particular strength of the merged congregation, weaving the two campuses together with shared hymnody and choral music.
Children, Youth, and Vacation Bible School
Christian Education and Faith Formation is led by Amy Harlow, a longtime Haddam resident. Each fall, Rally Sunday launches the Sunday school year with a curriculum that walks children, youth, and adults through the books of the Bible. The program is age-appropriate for all levels. Vacation Bible School is a summer highlight, with past themes including Cave Quest, Weird Animals, Great Bible Reef, Serengeti Trek, and Kingdom Rock. The Junior Youth Group (JYG) takes trips, including a visit to Overlook Farm. The annual Epiphany Pageant is a long-standing tradition. Children are welcomed at every Sunday service, and an Easter egg hunt follows the Easter Sunday service at the Higganum campus.
The Haddam Area Refugee Resettlement Project
One of the most distinctive ministries of UCCHH is the Haddam Area Refugee Resettlement Project, known as HaRRP. Begun in late 2021 and formalized in 2022, HaRRP partnered with IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Service) to co-sponsor the Azam Khan family, refugees from Afghanistan. The two founding churches of UCCHH prepared the Trinity House on the Haddam campus to serve as transitional shelter, recruited volunteer teams for transportation, healthcare, finances, education, and language help, and welcomed the family in November 2022. Within a year, the family had found employment, enrolled their children in school, joined Little League, and improved their English. They celebrated their first anniversary with an ice cream social and later prepared a traditional Afghan meal to thank the community. In late 2023 the family relocated to New Haven to be near relatives, and HaRRP's formal resettlement role concluded. The church continues to advocate for immigrants, raise funds for legal expenses, and encourage members to write to government representatives on behalf of refugee families.
The Yuletide Quilt Show and the Annual Calendar
Each year the Haddam sanctuary hosts the Yuletide Quilt Show and Holiday Bazaar, drawing more than 100 quilts and quilted items, holiday vendors, raffle baskets, and a handmade-quilt raffle. A home-cooked lunch, including homemade soups, pies, artisan breads, and hot beverages, is served throughout the day. The quilt show has grown into one of the congregation's flagship fundraisers. Other annual events include the Ron Booth Mission Golf Outing at Lyman Orchards Golf Course in Middlefield, the HK Crop Walk supporting local charities and Church World Service, an Annual Tag Sale, a Wine Tasting Fundraiser, and a Yard Goats Baseball Game outing. Proceeds support the Haddam Food and Fuel Banks, the HK Backpack Program, Youth and Family Services, and other local charities.
Care for Creation and Wider Outreach
UCCHH has been certified as a Green Church at Level I, recognizing its environmental commitments. The congregation has participated in No Mow May on the Haddam campus, joined the Interreligious Eco-Justice Network in postcard-writing campaigns to state legislators, and rings its bells on July 4th alongside churches across the nation. The Outreach Committee plans more than twenty outreach opportunities each year. In addition to ongoing support for the Haddam Food Bank, the church collects wish-list items ranging from cereal and soup to dish soap and laundry detergent. Members have joined ecumenical prayer services with neighboring congregations, including a 2022 Ukraine prayer service held at the Haddam campus. Lenten programs have included a weekly community-clergy lunch and lessons hosted at Westbrook Congregational Church.
Pastoral Leadership and Governance
The Reverend Hilary McLellan serves as pastor of the merged congregation, having been called unanimously by the two predecessor churches on October 31, 2021, and installed on March 13, 2022. Music Director Dr. Brian Frazier leads the choir and oversees the music program. Amy Harlow serves as Christian Education and Faith Formation Director, directing the Sunday school and family ministries. As a congregational church, UCCHH is governed by its members, who elect officers and committees to oversee ministries, finances, and operations. The Outreach Committee plans over twenty outreach opportunities each year, while members also elect Christian Education, Music, and Fundraising teams to support the work of the church.
Getting Involved
Visitors are welcome at any Sunday service. The church encourages newcomers to join them in worship and to get involved in one of the many ministries, from choir and Sunday school to outreach and fundraising. Online giving is available through a secure giving platform, and contributions can also be mailed to the church office. The merged congregation includes members from both Haddam and Higganum, and the monthly rotation of worship between the two campuses reflects a community that, though small in number, draws strength from the wider river valley and a long local history.