The current church building at 296 Angell Street was built in 1893, designed by New York architectural firm Carrère and Hastings.

The church has a long tradition of social and community work in the Providence area, the United States and around the world.

[1] The church’s history traces back to the 1830s, when Providence Congregationalists sought a new place of worship on the east side of the river.

At this time, Gregory D. Walcott was the Assistant Minister, and the diaconate consisted of Moses E. Torrey, Edwin Barrows, Thomas B. Stockwell, John W. Danielson, Frederic H. Fuller, Arthur W. Fairchild, Frederick H. Jackson, and James C.

[9] The original building of Central Congregational Church is a brownstone Romanesque structure at 226 Benefit Street, designed by Thomas Tefft and built from 1853-1856.

[10] The site was determined by a building committee of James Y. Smith, John Kingsbury, and William Foster, with a groundbreaking in 1851.

For the new building, architect Thomas Hastings and minister Edward C. Moore wanted to use the Renaissance style for its historical associations.

The First Century of Central Congregational Church (1952) describes the painted scenes: As one gazes upward, one sees the Lamb of God in the center of the arch, with Providence, in the shape of a beautiful woman expressing God’s loving care, on one side, and Virtue, strong and courageous in helmet and breast plate, on the other.

Within the circular dome a magnificent cross, the great symbol of Christianity, stands out against a golden yellow background—yellow for the sun, and the goodness of God, for marriage, and faith, and fruitfulness.

Underneath runs the glorious song of the angels on the night that Christ was born: “Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace, Good Will toward Men.”[15]The communion table was "purchased from the legacy of Miss Nancy Marsh.

The round stained-glass windows under the dome were the work of the Decorative Stained Glass Company, and were installed when the church was built.

The larger stained-glass windows were designed by Jacob Holzer with work by the Duffner and Kimberly Company, and were installed over several years in the early 20th century.

'[17] The First Century of Central Congregational Church (1952) provides a description of the window plan: During the pastorate of the Rev.

Edward F. Sanderson, and at the suggestion of Professor Adelaide Locke of Wellesley College, a plan was adopted to insure advance harmony and unity in the preparation of the stained glass windows which might presently be given as memorials.

Thus, the Window of Light on the wall of the East Transept, the gift of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Clark Sayles, and the Window of the Heavenly City, directly opposite on the west wall, the gift of Mr. Francis W. Carpenter, together symbolize the beginning and the culmination of Christian endeavor.

The pendant is a depiction of Central Church, designed by English stained-glass artist, Leonard Walker.

Coome commissioned the work after seeing a similar pendant by Walker, depicting St Paul's Cathedral, in Stanley Marchant's office at the Royal Academy of Music.

On either side is the coat of arms of Yale University and the seal of Union Theological Seminary from which Dr. Bradford graduated.