Norwell was originally settled in 1636 as part of the town of Scituate. In 1849 the southern portion broke away from Scituate and incorporated itself as South Scituate. Later, in 1888, the town was renamed Norwell.

First Parish of Norwell traces its origins to the First Parish of Scituate, which was established in 1634.

In 1641, the congregation split during the ministry of Rev. Charles Chauncy, who had fled to North America to escape persecution by English authorities. The church's congregants disagreed as to whether baptism should consist of full submersion or mere "sprinkling". More liberal members, who considered full submersion to be unnecessary, left to form a Second Church of Scituate in February of 1642 and thus First Parish of Norwell was established.

Mr. Thomas King was chosen as the first Elder of the church, but meanwhile the new congregation struggled to find a minister who would be accepting of their liberal standards. Eventually they settled on Rev. William Wetherell of Duxbury, who was ordained in September of 1645.

Under Reverand Wetherell’s pastorate the congregation grew significantly, necessitating the erection of a larger meetinghouse in 1680, located either in or near the current old cemetery on Main Street, Norwell. This was followed in 1707 with a larger building constructed on Herring Brook, and later by a fourth building on the same site in 1769.

In 1830, the fifth and current “Greek revival” meetinghouse was built. It was designed by William Sparrell, a native of Norwell. It has the distinction of having been in three different towns without having to move an inch: Scituate (1830), South Scituate (1849), and Norwell (1888). The church is home to a Paul Revere bell, though it was recast around 1880 because a well-to-do female parishioner complained that she could not hear the bell from her home which was a few streets removed. She paid to have it recast so that she could hear it.

Reverend Samuel J. May, minister of Norwell from 1836-1842 was an ardent supporter of William Lloyd Garrison, a leader of the abolitionist movement. Rev. May, the uncle of author Louisa May Alcott, was a fervent supporter of women’s rights, the anti-war movement, and total abstinence from alcohol. He organized the first church school in the parish and created a local chapter of the "Cold Water Army", a group that promoted abstention from all intoxicants by posting banners and holding parades. Rev. May spoke publicly against the segregation of Black and poor parishioners who were consigned to the balcony of the church. This created widespread dissent in the congregation and ultimately led to his resignation in the summer of 1842.

Early Reverends Eells and Barnes in the 1700s were liberal ministers who probably paved the way for the congregation's eventual embrace of Unitarianism. This affiliation was made official in 1820 and was an uncharacteristically unanimous decision, with only one member requesting dismissal as a result.