Looking Back on the Decade 2007

2007

The resignation of Pastor Sheldon Keller in April put our growing merger talks with Central Baptist on hold. We enjoyed eight good weeks of joint worship with our sister church to start off the year. We alternated between the churches every two weeks Attendance wasn't quite as good the second time around. Speculation was that the talk of joining the two churches in a more formal way tempered the excited we enjoyed the year before. As Central Baptist began their interim period and started their search, they decided to put all merger talks on hold. We obliged them and when it came time to vote on whether or not we would worship together again in 2008, we voted to cut it back to two week the next time around.

Amy Hollis continued as our Student Minister into 2007 and hosted a monthly craft time for our Sunday School children. Cassie Kane and Rachelle Weimer assisted her in this ministry. In May Amy left us to accept a call to become the Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of West Hartford. Our youth groups continued to meet. The highlight of the year was a trip to the Spirit of Broadway Theater to see "Children's Letter to God." In the Fall we hooked up with the youth groups of Central Baptist, United and the First Congregational churches. Central Baptist's interim minister, Michelle Madsen Bibeau, suggested the idea.

In April we left for Mexicali Mexico for our first short term mission trip. We were going to work with our ABCUSA missionaries Rick and Mercy Barnes. 13 people went on the trip. Nancy Allen, Carol Calkins, June Deptulski, Sharon Fishkin and I went from First Baptist. Eileen and Sheldon Keller, Doreen and Roger Mainville, Andy and Melanie Schueuermann and David and Karen Warfield went from Central Baptist. It was a life changing trip and it began a movement in our church to make this an annual event.

During the year we not only met with Central Baptist, we also had two joint services with Buenas Nuevas. The services were great. We had them in both languages and included a bit of Spanish music as well as traditional hymns. Pastor Jorge's wife, Wanda did the interpretation in one service and Alberto translated for the second service. This fit in well with our growing identity as a "missional" church. Our identity has become that of a church that is part of the community. It wasn't an accident that even as our community becomes multi cultural, our church is now a beacon for some of the immigrants moving here.

Our building had some issues this year. We need to make some repairs on the roof for the second time in three years. Randy Sargent and Mark Rogers went up on the roof to make the repairs. The two furnaces that heat the sanctuary also demanded some attention. We did some repairs to make them more efficient. With oil prices rising up to $3.00 a gallon or more, we needed to do something. Members of the Hispanic church laid a new floor in Fellowship Hall.One of their members owned a business and we split the cost. We also did some landscaping this summer. Sue Vanase and a few others began planting and pruning the shrubs and flowers in our front yard and around the back entrance. The "America in Bloom" program was a great excuse to do a much needed face lift to our buildings and grounds. Seed money given by Phil Postler in memory of his mother got us going. Phil & Maureen joined Patricia Ohlund, Cynthia Strouse, Carol Calkins, Bob & Marge Booth were among those to make the initial push to get things started.

Armin Harris was the MVP of our 2007 Softball team and The Green Team from Taftville Congregational Church won the Bowling Championship. We had four teams in the church basketball league again and were stunned and saddened by the sudden death of Coach James Brown in the spring. Julio Sanchez took over the program in the Fall and kept everything flowing smoothly with help from Fred Green and others.

We welcomed thirteen people into membership in 2007. They included Jennifer Dart, Rachel Lord, and Bethany Stone who were baptized, Pete, Betsey, Lindsey and Chris Adams, Lynn Wisniewski and Audrey Trailor, Ray and Wendy Henry, Patricia and Steve Ohlund who came in by confession of faith and by letter. Hannah Henry and Lillian Canada were dedicated. Gwen McMahon, James Brown, Dave Murray, Scott Morse and Myra Christensen went to be with the Lord.

Ray Deptulski became the Property Committee Chair and Karen Barber took over as Flower Committee Chair. Pledges for 2007 were $102,500. We took in a total of $181,750 in collections for the year.

Cal