It is one of only two octagonal buildings in the state and has been in continuous use since its construction in 1861. The community of Ocean Park was created in the late 1800s by the Centennial Conference of Free Will Baptists as a retreat. Today, speakers from various denominations fill its pulpit. The First Baptist Church at 353 Congress Street in Portland is an inspiring Romanesque Revival structure built in 1867. It was here that the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was founded in 1881.
Worship plays a central role in the life of the community.
According to a 1989 poll by the Maine Sunday Telegram, roughly three out of five Mainers say they belong to a church or synagogue. However, the actual number of active Catholics is likely less than the number of recorded members. You can find handfuls of these and other mainstream denominations generously scattered along our Southern Coast. This makes for quite a few churches of the same denomination within relatively small geographic vicinities. Trends across the country show that membership among the mainstream Protestant denominations is shrinking, while charismatic churches such as the Assemblies of God are growing.