Founded in 1680, the congregation initially met in homes before building its first meeting house on the town common. The church dedicated its second building in 1785, on the same day of the ordination of its sixth minister, Rev. Henry Wight. That same year, Rev. Wight, a Revolutionary War veteran, founded the first annual Patriotic Exercises on July 4th. Bristol’s Fourth of July Celebration remains the oldest Independence Day celebration in the United States. Completed in 1856, the current church building was the first in the area to be constructed of stone, earning it the moniker of “Stone Church.” 

Today, the “Stone Church” continues its legacy through community service. First Congregational  founded the East Bay Food Pantry in 2009, which expanded to become an independent organization serving 2,400 individuals annually. The church hosts monthly concerts at its “Stone Church Coffeehouse.” Hosted in the DeWolf Chapel, the venue has won the East Bay “Best Music Venue” award for the past nine years. The church also shares space with mission-aligned partners, including Looking Upwards, an organization that serves developmentally disabled adults and uses the education wing five days a week. First Congregational also provides space in its building for lecture series, craft fairs, and a community chorus.

On October 31, 2025, an unused appliance in the church kitchen sparked a fire which destroyed the entire kitchen. While the fire was able to be contained, smoke and soot damage impacted nearly the entire building.

An Intervention Fund grant of $10,000 awarded in 2026 helped the congregation aerate, clean, and paint the DeWolf Chapel. This work helped First Congregational return to using one of its most heavily-used spaces for both church and community activities.