Timeline of Mission
A timeline of the history of mission from that first meeting in 1806 through today.
1806 Original 
Haystack Prayer Meeting at Sloan’s Meadow by five Williams College students in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
1810 America’s first foreign mission society, the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions (ABCFM) is formed by Congregationalists in Massachusetts
American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions (ABCFM) is formed by Congregationalists in Massachusetts
1812 ABCFM sends its first group of five missionaries to India, (including Adoniram Judson and Luther Rice)
1819 ABCFM sends first missionaries to Near East, including Turkey and Palestine; ABCFM sends first missionaries to Sandwich Islands
1821 The Missionary Herald, ABCFM’s magazine of missionary reports is established
1830 ABCFM sends first missionaries to China
1833 ABCFM sends first missionaries to Africa
1854 Byram Green returns to Williamstown, telling of the original meeting and pointing out the site of the haystack. Consequently, Sloan’s Meadow is purchased and renamed “Mission Park“
“Mission Park“
1856 Semi-centennial of the Haystack Meeting is celebrated
1867 Marble monument is erected and dedicated on the site of the original meeting
monument is erected and dedicated on the site of the original meeting
1868 Women’s Boards of Missions established
Women’s Boards of Missions established
1906 Centennial anniversary of the Haystack Meeting is celebrated in Williamstown
1931 Merger of Congregational and Christian churches, forming Congregational Christian Church, with the ABCFM
Congregational and Christian churches, forming Congregational Christian Church, with the ABCFM
1934 Merger of the Evangelical Synod of North America and Reformed Church in the United States, forming the Evangelical and Reformed Church, with its Board of International Missions
Evangelical Synod of North America and Reformed Church in the United States, forming the Evangelical and Reformed Church, with its Board of International Missions
1956 157th Annual Meeting of the ABCFM and Sesquicentennial of the Haystack Meeting celebrated in Williamstown
1957 United Church of Christ established by the merger of the Congregational Christian Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church
United Church of Christ established by the merger of the Congregational Christian Church and the Evangelical and Reformed Church
1961 ABCFM merges with Board of International Missions to form the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM)
1981 175th Anniversary of the Haystack Meeting celebrated in Williamstown
1995 Global Ministries is established as a partnership between the UCBWM of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Division of Overseas Ministries (DOM) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Global Ministries is established as a partnership between the UCBWM of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and the Division of Overseas Ministries (DOM) of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
2000 UCBWM becomes Wider Church Ministries, one of four UCC covenanted ministries. Wider Church Ministries remains in partnership with DOM through Global Ministries
2006 200th anniversary celebration of the Haystack event in Williamstown, MA
2010 200th anniversary commemoration of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
