Monterey Meeting House News Update May 2025

Adapted from an article originally published in the March 2025 issue of the Monterey News.

The November 2024 issue of Monterey News carried two excellent articles about the uncertain future of the Monterey Meeting House. Liz Goodman wrote from her heart of having come to accept that the Meeting House’s days under ownership of an active church congregation are numbered. She closed with the hope that the community would find a way to support this beautiful historic building to continue as a living center of the Monterey Village. But she cautioned that the challenges are formidable, and success is not guaranteed.  In their companion article, Rob Hoogs and Kathy Tryon wrote on behalf of the self-organized Meeting House Steering Committee to report on that group’s efforts to ask some hard questions about the future of the Meeting House and try to come up with answers.

Since November, the Steering Committee has been replaced by a new Massachusetts Public Charity, Monterey Meeting House, Inc. (MMH). We have applied to the IRS for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and expect to receive approval later this year. Our goal is to grow into an entity with the track record and resources, both human and financial, that will make us eligible for consideration by the Church to become the future owners and stewards of their beautiful building. Thanks to a generous grant from the Monterey UCC Congregation, we have hired Steve McAlister, a local architect with deep experience in the preservation of historic buildings and their adaptation for continued use. McAlister’s team will conduct a current condition assessment of the building, looking at the roof, internal structures, asbestos, water and sewage, code and zoning issues, and accessibility. His report, due later this year, will include a Master Plan, with estimated costs of needed remediations or improvements, which will serve as our roadmap for building-related expenses over the next several years. 

What uses do we imagine for the Meeting House in the future? Throughout its history, the Meeting House has hosted not only worship services, weddings, and memorials, but also Town Meeting, community meetings, concerts, lectures, pot luck suppers, and other events in keeping with the traditional role of New England meeting houses. 

Today, the Monterey Pantry PickUp has its base of operations in the Meeting House, serving about 30 households in our area with needed food supplies every week.  The Monterey Coffee Club meets there twice a week, providing a venue for the town’s early risers to jump-start their day with coffee and conversation and to act as an unofficial welcoming committee for newcomers. The Supper Club meets there to socialize over meals and

desserts.  Concerts, music lessons, and a variety of meetings are held at the Meeting House throughout the year. There is every reason to expect that the current uses of the Meeting House, including religious observances, will continue.

How do we see the building being used five, ten, and twenty years from now?  And what will it take to inspire the community to give its time, energy, and money for those uses and for the building’s historic preservation?  These are questions that the community itself must answer. A new website (https://montereymeetinghouse.org) provides up to date information on our progress and includes a online survey that enables anyone to contribute ideas, suggestions, and support for the future of the Meeting House. They can contact us through the website or directly at montereymeetinghouse@gmail.com.

After meeting informally for a year and receiving encouragement from our friends, neighbors, and the Church congregation, MMH has come to believe that the goal of keeping the Meeting House alive as a vibrant center of Monterey Village is achievable. But it will take many volunteers contributing their time and talents make it happen. The effort will depend on donations from Monterey residents, both year-round and part-time, in order to have a sustained financial basis and be eligible for grants. For now, our aim is to inform our Monterey neighbors about our activities and vision, seek their comments and suggestions, and invite them to contribute to the enterprise. Of course, we gratefully accept donations to our startup efforts. Pending approval of our 501(c)(3) status, tax-deductible donations may be made by sending a check to the Monterey Historical Society, P.O. Box 381, Monterey, MA 01245; indicate on your check that your donation is for the “Meeting House Fund.”

Moving ahead, we face tasks and decisions that go beyond our group’s current capabilities and knowledge. We hope our Monterey neighbors will continue to share both their encouragement and their concerns with us, and that they will contribute their time and talents to the goal of a Monterey Meeting House that will live on for years to come.