Demolition of the former First Congregational Church in New London began on Friday. The spire and roof of the church collapsed on Thursday. The Day is a locally owned and operated independent media company, part of a vanishing breed in the United States. We are dedicated to delivering local, independent, reliable and accountable journalism. The Day is based in New London, Connecticut, and covers the southeastern part of the state. You can support The Day by subscribing at https://www.theday.com/subscribe Connect with The Day: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedayct Twitter: https://twitter.com/thedayct YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/thedayct Instagram: http://instagram.com/thedayct