By Joseph Citro, author of Weird New England
No one would say religion isn’t big in New Hampshire, but you couldn’t prove it by this North Woodstock church. It is, in fact, a real church. But at just 11 feet by 11 feet, it is probably the grandest cathedral that could be constructed on this peculiar and precarious bit of real estate. Nonetheless, it supports a steeple topped with a cross, and inside there’s an altar and wide welcoming windows. Its door is never locked. Services are held here from time to time. Trouble is, a capacity crowd, we’re told, is only twelve and a half people (or 25 half-people, which would be really weird), so the congregation doesn’t have much opportunity to expand.
Perhaps the important thing about the Rock of Ages Church is its symbolism: the church is built upon a rock, literally. And also on that rock you’ll find stenciled such inspirational messages as "Rock of Ages," "A wee, free kirk," and "Via Dolorosa." When we last visited, there were other symbols crowded around it as well. Junk cars, for example, perhaps placed there to suggest the transitory nature of our modern mobile culture. And a garish plastic manger scene, no doubt reminding us that though the Rock of Ages Church may be small, the institution originated in much smaller quarters.
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