Pastoral Search Update
February 2019—Supplement
The First Congregational Church of Washington, Connecticut, An Open and Affirming Congregation of the UCC
The Judea JournalThe Judea JournalThe Judea JournalThe Judea Journal
By the Rev. Cheryl Anderson, Pastor
Farewell… from Pastor Cheryl
These days, as I run into people
around town, they are sometimes
surprised to see me. “Didn’t you
retire? I thought you left already!”
So, I invite them to the Service of
Farewell on February 24th and tell
them that the moving truck won’t be
loading until March 18th. It is
getting closer every day and I am
feeling a mixture of excitement and
grief and often having trouble
finishing a thought or remembering
why I walked into a room.
However, the excitement I feel
for this congregation as the pastoral
search committee gets close to
announcing their candidate for your
new Pastor, is unmixed. As the
search process draws close to a
conclusion, let me review the process
so far and what is coming next.
It started when I announced my
retirement date, with an invitation
to the whole congregation to serve
on the search committee that was
forming. A wonderfully appropriate
mix of dedicated members who
represent the mix within the
congregation stepped forward to
serve.
Next, you all elected the
committee at a quarterly meeting
and commissioned them in a Sunday
service.
The new search committee
invited and reminded (I didn’t say
“nagged”) you all to participated in a
Feb 3 - 10:00 am Worship Svc**
Feb 10 - 10:00 am Worship Svc*
Feb 17 - 10:00 am Worship Svc*
Feb 24 - 10:00 am Worship Svc*
Feb 24 - 3:00 pm Service of
Farewell for Pastor Cheryl
* Sunday School and Childcare Available
Worship Schedule
February
Birthdays 5
Calendar 5
Council’s Corner 3
From the Pastor 1
Memorials—Steeple 7
Pastoral Search 1
Sunday Morning Support 6
Upcoming Events 4
In this issue:
For this is the message you have
heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another… We know
love by this, that Christ laid down
his life for us – and we ought to lay
down our lives for one another.”
1 John 3:11, 16
Dear friends, this is my last
Judea Journal message. My final
Sunday as your Pastor will be
February 24th. Our morning
service on the 24th will be planned
and led by our Youth, and give the
young people of our church and me
the opportunity to exchange our
blessings and farewells. Inaya
Shariff will be confirmed at the
morning service as well.
Our official Service of Farewell,
with the whole community invited,
and lots of music planned, will be
at 3:00pm on the 24th, followed by
a reception in Weresbe Hall. The
last few days of February, I will be
finishing moving 22 years worth of
books and children’s sermon
objects out of the pastor’s study to
ready it for a new occupant.
Years ago, sharing tea with
Father Ficks over at St. John’s, he
said that we were just conductors
“Farewell” cont’d on back page
“Update” continued on page 2
(Continued from page 1) Update (continued from page 1)
Page 2 The Judea Journal
church-wide “Holy Cow”
congregational assessment to help
them get a clear picture of the
congregation’s, personality,
preferences, and theological
stance to help them prepare the
church profile that possible
candidates would see.
Once the profile was drafted,
everyone had an opportunity to
read and comment. Changes
were made and the final profile
was accepted at the next
quarterly meeting.
Once the profile was posted on
the United Church of Christ job
listings, the committee started
receiving profiles and setting up
interviews with possible
candidates. This part of the
process is necessarily confidential
because many of the applicants
would be currently serving a
church and if the church knew
that their pastor was
interviewing at another church, it
could compromise their
relationship unnecessarily.
Once the committee identifies
a candidate they feel best
matches our congregation, if the
candidate feels the same way and
they come to an agreement about
the terms of the call, we will all
receive information about the
background of the candidate and
a notice of a “candidating”
weekend. A gathering will be
planned for everyone to meet the
candidate and that person will
also lead worship on Sunday.
Immediately following worship,
the candidate will be escorted
over to the Parish House and a
special congregational meeting
will be convened in the Meeting
House to discuss and vote on
whether to call this candidate as
your next pastor.
It is highly unusual for a
search committee’s candidate to
be rejected, but it has happened
at other churches. As Dimitri
said at one of the congregational
meetings: “If the candidate they
present doesn’t meet with
congregational approval, then
they haven’t done their job
correctly.”
Once you all call a candidate,
that person will need to give
notice to their current church, if
they are serving one. Letters of
Call usually include the
requirement of a two-or-three-
month termination notice; so
there is likely to be a bit of a gap
between my departure and your
new pastor’s arrival. During that
time, there will either be a
“bridge” pastor hired or the
Deacons will be arranging for
supply preachers to fill in each
Sunday.
So be watching for the two-
week notice required by our by-
laws, and plan to take part in the
candidating weekend. I am as
much in the dark as you all are,
except that every time I ask one
of the search committee members
how it is going; I hear how excited
they are by the candidates they
have met, and that they would be
personally delighted with any of
their final candidates. So, I’m
certain that you and I will be too.
The Light at the End of the Path
I was going to start it with ‘tunnel’ but I thought that was too negative and narrow. We have not
been in a tunnel, rather a lighted path toward the next bright future for this church.
The Search Committee is close to announcing their candidate choice. This is after over a year of
working together to select the best candidate to shepherd our congregation.
We have tried to keep everyone in the loop with the process, through announcements in church, the
bulletin, the Judea Journal (online and print versions) and Quarterly meetings. Some of the process
(candidate particulars) is confidential, but we have tried to keep this entire process as inclusive and
transparent as possible. Most church bulletins have had the smiling faces of the Search committee with
contact information on the back, so that questions and concerns can be heard.
So WATCH for the announcement of the candidate and the candidating Sunday where you will get
The Council’s Corner
Rev. Cheryl Anderson, Pastor
Carrie Loyd, Christian Ed Superintendent
Jesse Ofgang, Organist
and Principal Musician
Kathleen Sauvageau, Bookkeeper
Karen Esslinger, Admin. Assistant
Al Trowbridge, Sexton
Ministers: All the Members
Page 3 Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
Council Members
Cheryl P. Anderson, Pastor 860-868-0569, ext 11
Trish Grinnell, Moderator, 860-799-0190, moderator@
Tony Vengrove, Vice-Moderator/ Stewardship,
860-799-0054
Michelle Gorra, Treasurer, 860-868-7852, treasurer@
Millie Johnson, Christian Ed, DCE@
Dave Werkhoven, Deacons, 860-868-0054
Steve Wadelton, Finance, 860-868-9822, finance@
Jim Esslinger, Missions, 860-919-5207
Alecia Evans, Music, 860-868-2864
John Lintner, Personnel, 860-868-0019
Lee Parsons, Trustee, 860-946-7798
All official church emails ending with an @ are followed
by our church domain: firstchurchwashingtonct.org
Feb 2019
Pastor Cheryl works Wednesday through
Sunday. Daily schedule varies based
on congregational needs.
It is best to call or email for an app.
Church Office Hours
Karen - Mon and Wed, work from home
Avail. by phone and email 1 pm—5:30 pm
Tue and Thur, in the office 9 am—1:30 pm
Kathleen Sauvageau - Wed 9 am - 2 pm
Main Phone: (860) 868-0569
Board of Deacons:
Dave Werkhoven, Chair 860-868-0054
Sue Elliott 860-567-3768
Judie Gorra 860-868-7023
Wayne Hileman 860-868-7235
Dan Lovallo 860-561-6949
Susan Loyd Turner 860-868-0868
Terri Tibbatts 860-350-1919
Ellen Willert 860-605-7902
The Light (continued from page 2)
to meet the person that the Search
Committee has chosen to present to the
congregation for selection as our new Pastor.
Great appreciation and gratitude go out
to the members of the Search Committee and
all the work they have done and still
continue to do for the church: Dimitri
Willert, Chair, Scott Brady, Emelie Burl,
Judie Gorra, John Lintner, Cara Michalski,
John Turner, Dave Werkhoven.
Thank you,
Trish Grinnell, Moderator
Year-End Giving Statements
The end of the year donation statements have been
emailed or sent to everyone who gave to the church.
If you did not receive one or you feel there is an error
or you would like a printed copy, please contact
Kathleen (Bookkeeper@...) or Michelle
(Treasurer@...) [email protected].
Page 4 The Judea Journal
Miscellaneous Announcements
You are invited to Celebrate with us ... Sunday, February 24 at 3 pm On Sunday, February 24 at 3 pm, We will host a special service to ‘decommission’ Pastor Cheryl and
allow the other ministers in the area to honor her time with us. There will be a reception afterward in
Wersebe Hall of the Parish House. Church members and the community at large are all cordially
invited to attend this culmination of 22 years of her time with us.
To offer your assistance with the reception, or for more information, please contact Trish Grinnell, our
Moderator.
[email protected] Or phone: 860-799-0190
Compassionate Communication - Ongoing - 2nd Wednesday of each month at
6:30 pm in the Parlor
Compassionate Communication, or Non-Violent Communication as taught by
Marshall Rosenberg, is a way of communing with yourself and others to foster
more understanding and better outcomes for everyone.
Although the group has been meeting for about a year and a half, newcomers are welcome. Please let
us know if you plan to attend (860-868-0569, x10). There are some ground-rules the group has
collectively established and we ask that you make an effort to learn and practice. For more
information about the concept, read: Non-Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg, and check
out the resources we have available on our website at:
www.firstchurchwashingtonct.org/compassionate_communication
CELLO RECITAL Honoring Pastor Cheryl! – Saturday, February 2 at 4 pm
The recital by cellist Mary Costanza will take place in the Meeting House. Accompanied by pianist Ray
Pierpont, Mary will perform an all-French program, including works by Offenbach, Saint-Saens and
Franck.
The recital is being presented as a tribute to the Rev. Cheryl Anderson, who is retiring after 22 years as
pastor of First Church. Admission is by free-will offering, and all proceeds will go towards the pastor’s
moving fund. Everyone is welcome!
Youth Service - Sunday, February 24 @ 10 am
Our Youth Group has cooked up a surprise for Pastor Cheryl on Sunday for her last regular Sunday
morning worship service. If you enjoy the creativity and energy of our youth services, plan to come and
celebrate with them.
Conversation Café: Environmental Concerns
WHAT: Moderated discussion aimed at gathering ideas for environmental focus and action by this
church over the coming months. Please choose to join us during coffee hour and have your voice heard.
WHEN: Sunday, February 3, 11 AM (During coffee hour)
WHERE: Church Hall
WHAT: Facilitated discussions
REGISTER: Contact the church office for more information or if you plan to attend.
Page 5 To access an online calendar, visit Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org
Please let us
know if we
missed anyone
so that we may
update our
database!!
Contact Karen
in the church
office
2018-19 Quarterly Meeting Schedule
3/31/19—Next Quarterly
and 6/9/19 — Annual Mtg
Council Meetings:
2/21 3/21 4/11 5/16 6/20
Youth Group Calendars are In!
There are still a limited number of Youth Group 2019 wall
calendars available!
Just $20 each and the proceeds will go to an environmental charity of their choosing.
Feb 2019
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB Pot Luck
Supper
2
4 pm—Cello
Recital
3
10 am Worship w/
Communion
1 pm Comfort
Shawl Project
4 pm SingOutCT
4
5
9:30 AM - AA
Noon - 7 pm—
Momix Rehearsal
(PH)
6:30 PM– NB
Divorce Support
6
4 pm Yoga
7
8
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB
Pot Luck Supper
9
10
10 am Worship /
Chancel Choir
11 am Teen Talk
4 pm SingOutCT
11
3:30 pm - Girl Scouts
(PH)
12
9:30 AM - AA
12:15 pm -Rotary
6:30 PM– NB
Divorce Support
13
4 pm Yoga
5:30/ 6:30
Compassionate
Communication
14
15
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB
Pot Luck Supper
16
17
10 am Worship
1 pm Comfort
Shawl Project
4 pm SingOutCT
18
19
9:30 AM - AA
6:30 PM– NB
Divorce Support
20
4 pm Yoga
21
6:30 pm Council
Meeting
22
10 am - AA Meeting
6 pm - NB
Pot Luck Supper
23
24
10 am Worship
3 pm Farewell
Service and
Reception
25
3:30 pm-GirlScouts
26
9:30 AM - AA
12:15 pm -Rotary
6:30 PM– NB
Divorce Support
27
4 pm Yoga
28
FebruaryFebruaryFebruaryFebruary
February Birthdays
7 ....... Inaya Shariff
8 ....... Conrad Weeks
9 ....... Dimitri Willert
10 .......Anne Marie Davenport
18...... .Abbie Gorra
20 ...... Susan Jahnke
22 ...... Judie Gorra,
Leslie Lintner
& Sarah Osborne
24 ...... Susan Loyd Turner
28 ...... Andrew Grinnell
Drew Werkhoven
Worship Support Ministry
Page 6 The Judea Journal
The Communion server marked with an asterisk is assigned to bring the bread.
If you are scheduled and cannot do it for some reason, please make arrangements
for a replacement and then notify Karen in the church office.
DEACONS OF THE MONTH: DAVE WERKHOVEN AND ELLEN WILLERT (FEB)
DATE USHERS &
GREETERS
WORSHIP
ASSISTANT
WELCOME
ANNOUNC’M’TS NURSERY
SUNDAY
SCHOOL
COFFEE
HOUR
FEB 3
COMMUNION
Dimitri Willert, MariLyn Roze,
Dave Werkhoven and Al Trowbridge
Dan Lovallo Dan Lovallo TBD Carrie Loyd
Judie Gorra and Shirley
Downs
FEB 10 Alyssa, Caroline, and Lee Parsons
Carole Glintenkamp
Judie Gorra TBD Carrie Loyd
Michalski-
Lewis and
TBD
FEB 17 Jack and Jane
Boyer Trish
Grinnell Dan Lovallo TBD
Carrie Loyd Molly Leonard
FEB 24 - 10 AM Michael and Abigail Gorra
Kate Vengrove
Wayne Hileman TBD Carrie Loyd
Youth Group
FEB 24 - 3:00 PM
SERVICE OF RELEASE
TBD TBD TBD N/A N/A Council,
Deacons & Congregation
COFFEE HOUR HOSTS ARE NEEDED for dates marked “OPEN”.
Hosts are responsible for setting up the large table in Wersebe Hall as well as the coffee/tea
table, putting out snacks (keep it simple). Then hosts responsible for cleanup afterwards.
(This can also mean that hosts can recruit help from others in that effort!) Please sign up on
the list(s) on the bulletin board in Wersebe Hall (near the kitchen) or email or call the office
(860) 868-0569.
If you are new to hosting, ask about the guidelines document posted on the board and also
on our website! Or contact one of our Deacons for assistance. (See page 3 for a list.)
Silver Lake Conference Center Registration Is Open!
Find the 2019 summer program (for grades 4 through 12) brochure
online and register at
silverlakect.org
Page 7
Flowers and Steeple Lighting Memorials
Www.FirstChurchWashingtonCT.org Feb 2019
Flowers
Feb 3 In celebration of Estelle Bronson's long life and service to
First Church and her community, given by the Bronson Family
Feb 10 In loving memory of Tom Kaczynski, Sr., given by Karen and Jim Esslinger
Feb 17 OPEN
Feb 24 Given by David and Sarah Low for their grandpa, Rick Faubert
Steeple Lighting
Feb 3 OPEN
Feb 10 OPEN
Feb 17 OPEN
Feb 24 OPEN
Flowers are $70 per week. Steeple Lighting is $25 per week.
In addition to the openings above for flowers, there are also flower memorials available for an
assortment of dates in 2019. If you have a particular date or dates you wish to sponsor flowers
or steeple lighting at any time during the year to honor or remember someone or special event,
please contact Karen in the church office to check date availability. Call (860) 868-0569 or
email to: [email protected]
DEADLINE for CONTENT SUBMISSIONS for
the March—April Journal is February 21 If you have something to be included in this issue, please send EARLY!
Dedicate flowers or the beautifully Dedicate flowers or the beautifully Dedicate flowers or the beautifully Dedicate flowers or the beautifully lit church steeple in honor of a loved lit church steeple in honor of a loved lit church steeple in honor of a loved lit church steeple in honor of a loved
one this February!one this February!one this February!one this February!
To review safe church policy, find the link in announcements on the home page or in weekly e-news.
Or borrow one of the printed copies that will be available on the left octagonal table in the Parish House
hallway.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact a member of the committee before
February 15. After that date, the committee will work to formulate a revision to be distributed for re-
view and then voted on in the next quarterly congregational meeting on Mar 31.
Committee Members: John Lintner, Carrie Loyd, Emelie Burl, Millie Johnson, and Pastor Cheryl
Safe Church Policy - additional review period prior to revision
Farewell... continued from page 1
6 Kirby Road - P.O. Box 1285 - Washington, CT 06793
Phone: 860-868-0569 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.firstchurchwashingtonct.org
Prayers for self and others: www.firstchurchwashingtonct.org/prayer.php
The First Congregational Church, UCC
on a train. The train was
running before we got on board
for a time and will continue to
run with a different conductor
when we get off the train.
In all the Protestant
Christian denominations that I
am familiar with, including ours,
pastoral ethics dictate that when
a pastor leaves a church, he or
she is to sever all ties to the
congregation and not provide any
further pastoral services for
church members again, unless
invited by the new settled pastor.
Former pastors are even expected
to un-friend former parishioners
on social media. To maintain any
pastoral relationship with former
church members would threaten
my continued standing as an
ordained minister within the
United Church of Christ.
When Scott and I began
talking about my retirement a
couple years ago; we knew that
we would have to get out of town
– for at least a year – to give the
new pastor opportunity to get
settled, develop relationships,
and bond with the congregation
without my continued presence -
however unintentionally –
interfering with that process. I
will be thinking of you all next
July at Green Fair time, but I
cannot come.
Recently, I was asked
whether I would return to
Washington – perhaps to do a
funeral or a wedding for a family
whose pastor I had been for 22
years. My response was “only if
the new pastor invites me.” And I
explained that times of deep
emotion, times of loss or
celebration are opportunities for a
pastor to really bond with a
family and with the community.
There are people in Washington,
who are not even members of this
church – some, because they are
Jewish, Roman Catholic or
atheist – but because I did the
wedding of one of their children;
they have taken me into their
family and even support the
church financially because of
their relationship with me. So
your new pastor needs to be able
to build that sort of relationship
with you and with this
community.
When I thought about
retiring in Washington, I realized
that the only role I have ever
played in this community has
been as Pastor of the
Congregational Church – so
everyone in town knows me first
– and maybe only – as the Pastor
of the Congregational Church.
Members of Salem Covenant
Church, and Our Lady of
Perpetual Help, and of the
Greater Washington Coalition for
Jewish Life only know me as a
Pastor. To a great extent, Scott
has a separate identity, but he is
also known and often introduced
as the spouse of the pastor. So
creating a whole new identity for
ourselves, once I retire, is going to
be a lot easier in a new place.
Our relocation to Portland
will make it easier for this church
to move into a new future and it
will make it easier for me and
Scott to make new friends and
build a new life. It will certainly
make it much more convenient
for me to sail and contra dance.
Because I am retiring, rather
than leaving to serve a different
church, the rules are slightly less
strict and I am hoping that when
you are traveling to Maine, you
will stop in Portland to see us.
I hope to see you in church
this month!