Looking back at the last decade at FBC - 2000

Looking Back at 2000

We began the decade in the midst of our 200th Anniversary celebration. It began in September 1999 with an all church banquet at the Ramada. At that dinner George W. Strouse announced that our Capital Campaign had been a success and that we had raised more than enough money to go ahead with the addition to the church. The addition at the front of the church and the McNeely Organ were to be the lasting pieces of the Anniversary. George H. Strouse Jr. gave a donation to cover the cost of the organ and the campaign raised over $150,000 for the construction which would include accessibility into Fellowship Hall on ground level, two bathrooms downstairs and one upstairs, and a pastoral study. In October 1999 we held a Gospel Festival with the Shiloh Baptist Gospel Choir and the Morgan sisters from Boston. We hosted the Annual Choir Festival in November and in December we closed the year with a very special pageant which featured Brian Goldin and our children. The play was called "The Late, Great Potentate and was directed by Kay Lautzenheiser.

All this set the stage for our entry into the first year of a new millennium and the start of our third century of ministry in the city of Norwich. Curt Brockway was the Moderator. Lee McFalls was the treasurer and George Rezendes was the Collector. Lori Lord was the Sunday School Superintendant. Cliff Vanase was chair of the Deacons. Oliver Bray was chair of the Reception Committee and Kathy Duntz chaired the Flower Committee and Buffy McFalls was the Clerk.

The Anniversary Celebration continued with the dedication of the new addition in January, a performance by the Amazing Earl in February, hosting the West Virginians from Alderson Broaddus and Turning Point from Eastern College in March, "Oh What a Morning" an Easter Cantata in April, some historical vignettes in May and June and the final three day weekend celebration in July. City Council President Richard Abele, State Senator Edith Prague, State Reps Peter Nystrom and Jack Malone were among the special guests at the final celebration. former pastor, Orey Gracey was also on hand and he shared some memories on Sunday morning. Other guests include Rev. & Mrs. George Lang, Mrs. Jane Price, Mrs. Marilyn Gracey Robblee, and Dr. Lowell Fewster the Executive Minister of ABCCONN.

The closing weekend celebration included a public baptism service at Spaulding Pond. The candidates included Amanda Calkins, Stacia Green (now Grange), Jacqueline Jones, Sarah Lord, Emily McFalls, Casey Rezendes, and Jonathan Vanase. Sean Jones, Bob and Helen Walker joined them in being welcomed into church membership on Homecoming Sunday, July 16, 2000. Other new members that joined in 2000 were Karen Barber, Fran Rogers, Jill Haelsen, Wanda Nickell, Elizabeth and Rev. Richard Strong,

New "Sing Joyfully" hymnals were given by Lois Lopez and new pew Bibles were given by Helen and Bob Walker in memory of loved ones. We chose the New International Version for our Bibles to replace the Revised Standard Version we had used for over thirty years. We celebrated Adele DiBiagio's twentieth anniversary with the church and my fifteenth year with special days.

The softball team won the B Division Championship in 2000 and we sent a team of youth out to the ASBCUSA National Youth Gathering ID2K in Estes Park, Colorado. Fred Green and Don Fuller coached our youth basketball teams. Ken & Laura Kreger, Nancy Sederquest (Schuster now) and Will Willey won the League Championship for the Baptist Bowlers. Rosie Main and Geri Diehl ran our annual Tag sale.

We had pledges of $77, 516 for 2000 and the budget for 2001 called for an increase to $80,000. Our average attendance at morning worship for the year was 116. We lost one member, Anna Bjorn to death and Gary Teczar, Sarah Hensley and Vicky French were removed at their request.

All in all it was quite a year. 2000 the first year of the last decade.

Cal