Diamond Hill United Methodist Church is a loving community of diverse
people growing together in Christ.
Our values: love, faithfulness in being disciples of Jesus Christ, justice,
mercy, service, inclusivity, good stewardship of God's creation, and
living in harmony with all people.
people growing together in Christ.
Our values: love, faithfulness in being disciples of Jesus Christ, justice,
mercy, service, inclusivity, good stewardship of God's creation, and
living in harmony with all people.
About Us
Diamond Hill United Methodist Church
a house of prayer for all God's people
a house of prayer for all God's people
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Our History
The Diamond Hill Methodist faith community in Cos Cob has been
worshipping together for 175 years. Its current building is an historic
Greenwich church, built 140 years ago in 1868.
The church has a rich history in Greenwich. Methodists began meeting
in our area, back then known as Mianus, in the late 1700’s. With no
physical church to attend in those early days, a Methodist layperson
would invite his neighbors to his home to study the bible and participate
in religious service. Church records note that they were not always
welcomed here and sometimes had to meet sometimes in secret.
When at least ten or more Methodists met on a regular basis they
became known as a society. A string of societies located near each other
were known as a circuit. In those days a Methodist preacher would ride
on horseback in all kinds of weather to the different societies in a circuit.
He would bring candles and kindling wood and his preaching skills.
These early Methodist leaders were known as circuit riders. It would
take as long as three months for these ministers to visit all of the
societies in a given circuit. They would lodge in different homes along
their journey.
Early church records indicate that in 1787 the first Methodist minister to
come to the Mianus-Cos Cob area was the Rev. Samuel Q. Talbot of the
New Rochelle Circuit. He visited the area to preach and form Bible
study classes. By 1790 a regular circuit was formed covering all of
Fairfield County and part of Westchester with the Rev. John Bloodgood
as it’s preacher.
By 1833 the Methodist movement in Cos Cob had grown so much that a
church building was needed. Records at the Town Clerk’s office indicate
on December 24th of that year, Samuel and Peter Ferris and Gilbert and
Deborah Hopkins conveyed land and a building to the church. The land
is located across the Post Road from the current church to the north on
the ledge of rocks sitting on the corner of Nassau Place. Thus, the first
Methodist Church in Cos Cob was built. It was called the Mianus
Methodist Episcopal Church. Its founders were Henry Whelply, Samuel
Whitting and John Ferris.
Published reports say that first church was about 30 by 40 feet in
dimensions, with an arched ceiling, small paned windows and high-
backed uncomfortable pews. In winter worshippers took along small
charcoal stoves to keep their feet warm. Church records indicate that
during some of the longer services held there, worshippers may have
used tithing rods with a feather on one end to tickle a dozing woman and
a knob on the other end to wake a sleeping man or quiet a fidgety child.
As the church grew there became a need for a larger building. In 1868
the present stone church located across the street and up the hill
(Diamond Hill) from the original was completed. The stone used in the
construction was quarried on the property. Reports say that the pews
and doors were made from chestnut tress from the property of Zenus
Worder. The land was given to the church by William Mead and money
for the building was raised by subscription. One Methodist in particular
a Mr. Ockershausen of Riverside was very instrumental in getting the
church built.
Over the years an organ and beautiful memorial windows were installed
and stone steps at the entrance were added. The name Mianus
Methodist church was changed to Diamond Hill because the
congregation agreed it was unique and suggestive of endurance, the
sparkle of beauty, value and light.
Today, Diamond Hill remains a vibrant and welcoming community of
committed disciples of Jesus Christ, serving God and all God's people
living in Cos Cob through a variety of ministries.
Adapted from an article written by Richard McMurray.
The Diamond Hill Methodist faith community in Cos Cob has been
worshipping together for 175 years. Its current building is an historic
Greenwich church, built 140 years ago in 1868.
The church has a rich history in Greenwich. Methodists began meeting
in our area, back then known as Mianus, in the late 1700’s. With no
physical church to attend in those early days, a Methodist layperson
would invite his neighbors to his home to study the bible and participate
in religious service. Church records note that they were not always
welcomed here and sometimes had to meet sometimes in secret.
When at least ten or more Methodists met on a regular basis they
became known as a society. A string of societies located near each other
were known as a circuit. In those days a Methodist preacher would ride
on horseback in all kinds of weather to the different societies in a circuit.
He would bring candles and kindling wood and his preaching skills.
These early Methodist leaders were known as circuit riders. It would
take as long as three months for these ministers to visit all of the
societies in a given circuit. They would lodge in different homes along
their journey.
Early church records indicate that in 1787 the first Methodist minister to
come to the Mianus-Cos Cob area was the Rev. Samuel Q. Talbot of the
New Rochelle Circuit. He visited the area to preach and form Bible
study classes. By 1790 a regular circuit was formed covering all of
Fairfield County and part of Westchester with the Rev. John Bloodgood
as it’s preacher.
By 1833 the Methodist movement in Cos Cob had grown so much that a
church building was needed. Records at the Town Clerk’s office indicate
on December 24th of that year, Samuel and Peter Ferris and Gilbert and
Deborah Hopkins conveyed land and a building to the church. The land
is located across the Post Road from the current church to the north on
the ledge of rocks sitting on the corner of Nassau Place. Thus, the first
Methodist Church in Cos Cob was built. It was called the Mianus
Methodist Episcopal Church. Its founders were Henry Whelply, Samuel
Whitting and John Ferris.
Published reports say that first church was about 30 by 40 feet in
dimensions, with an arched ceiling, small paned windows and high-
backed uncomfortable pews. In winter worshippers took along small
charcoal stoves to keep their feet warm. Church records indicate that
during some of the longer services held there, worshippers may have
used tithing rods with a feather on one end to tickle a dozing woman and
a knob on the other end to wake a sleeping man or quiet a fidgety child.
As the church grew there became a need for a larger building. In 1868
the present stone church located across the street and up the hill
(Diamond Hill) from the original was completed. The stone used in the
construction was quarried on the property. Reports say that the pews
and doors were made from chestnut tress from the property of Zenus
Worder. The land was given to the church by William Mead and money
for the building was raised by subscription. One Methodist in particular
a Mr. Ockershausen of Riverside was very instrumental in getting the
church built.
Over the years an organ and beautiful memorial windows were installed
and stone steps at the entrance were added. The name Mianus
Methodist church was changed to Diamond Hill because the
congregation agreed it was unique and suggestive of endurance, the
sparkle of beauty, value and light.
Today, Diamond Hill remains a vibrant and welcoming community of
committed disciples of Jesus Christ, serving God and all God's people
living in Cos Cob through a variety of ministries.
Adapted from an article written by Richard McMurray.