Thursday, July 4th, 2019
PASSPORT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
A celebration of America’s first freedom
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof….”
Visit more than a dozen historic houses of worship. Learn how the building or congregation symbolize Newport’s commitment to freedom of religion and religious diversity.
Participants include: Channing Unitarian, First Presbyterian, Mt. Zion AME, Newport Congregational, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal, St. Joseph’s Catholic, St. Paul’s United Methodist, Touro Synagogue, Trinity Episcopal, and United Baptist. Newport Historical Society (NHS) is also opening two Colonial-era “meeting houses” – the Great Friends Meeting House (Quaker) and the 7th Day Baptist Meeting House.
The open house tour is free of charge. The event is sponsored by “Four Faiths, Four Landmarks,” an organization that offers a seasonal walking tour of four historic houses of worship, and is made possible by generous support from Discover Newport as well as the participating houses of worship.
135 Pelham Street
www.channingchurch.org
Open 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Building honors William Ellery Channing and features stained glass by John LaFarge and others
4 Everett St. (Corner of Everett & Broadway)
www.fpcnewport.org
Open 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
RI’s oldest Presbyterian church has 60 magnificent stained glass windows in a beautiful stone structure
21 Farewell St.
www.newporthistory.org
Open 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
The oldest standing house of worship in Rhode Island, built in 1699
101 Van Zandt Ave. (Corner of Tilley & Van Zandt)
Open 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
The oldest African American church in Newport with a specific denominational affiliation.
73 Pelham St.
www.lafargerestorationfund.org
Open 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Built in 1857 and featuring artwork by renowned painter/stained glass artist John LaFarge
61 Washington St.
www.saintjohns-newport.org
Open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Beautiful stained glass windows adorn an impressive stone church founded by people of modest means
5 Mann Ave. (Corner of Broadway & Mann)
www.stjosephsnewport.org
Open 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Newport’s second Catholic parish moved to this stunning building on Broadway in 1912
12 Marlborough St.
www.stpaulsumcnewportri.com
Open 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm
Believed to be the first Methodist church in the world with a steeple and a bell
82 Touro St. (enter on Barney St.)
www.newporthistory.org
Open 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
One of the first 7th Day Baptist meeting houses in America, built in 1730
72 Touro St. (enter 52 Spring St.)
www.tourosynagogue.org
Open 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Oldest synagogue in America; designed by Peter Harrison, America’s first great architect
141 Spring St.
www.trinitynewport.org
Open 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Oldest Episcopal parish in Rhode Island; current church built in 1726 by master builder Richard Munday
30 Spring St.
www.unitedbaptistnewport.com
Open 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
The original settlers of Aquidneck Island established a church under the leadership of John Clarke.
THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC