The year began with us looking forward to two weeks of worship with Central Baptist. We met once at Central and once at First Baptist with the combined choir performing once at each of the venues. David Warfield and Adele DiBiagio took turns directing the groups. Pastor Michelle Madsen Bibeau was the interim pastor at Central. She and I shared leadership in the services. Later in the year we came together again to put together a tremendous Vacation Bible School. It was well attended and a lot of fun.
In April we sent fourteen people to Mexico for our second Mission trip. the group included veterans Carol Calkins, June Deptulski, Sharon Fishkin and I. Newcomers included Mark Kane and his son "little" Mark, Connie Jensen, Nancy Janco, Lisa Lapointe, Amanda Duntz, George Rezendes and Carol Wojcik from First Baptist and Merlynda Sol and Pastor Michelle from Central Baptist. We worked at the Church of he Good Samaritan just a few blocks from the Seminary.
We had two big celebrations during the year. In June we had fun with the fact that I was turning 50. Actually there were more than a dozen of us in the same boat and that's what made it special. On the Big 50 Sunday George Rezendes, Pete Adams, Debbie Bray, Audrey Traylor, Pete Adams, Mark Rogers, Stephanie Mattos, Elizabeth Isenburg, Marc Vaillancourt, Fred Green Sr., Mark Damien, Sue Ferguson and our special interest missionary Mercy Gonzales Barnes were among the honorees. We also celebrated our couples who were married 50 years or more. They included Harry & Dot Calkins, Richard & Elizabeth Strong, Bob & Marge Booth, Al & Sue Damien and two couples who were very close, Oliver & Barbara Bray and Bob & Helen Walker. Then we recognized our 50 + year members. That group included Lois Lopez, Bruce Royce, June Pendleton, Doris Adams, Marge Booth, and George Strouse who were present and Edith Robinson, Doris Regets, Jean Roscoe, Carolyn Benker, Charles Hamblen, Bonnie Koch, Elaine Berrie and Jean Smith who couldn't be there. It was a great day and a lot of fun.
The second celebration was a historical Sunday marking the fact that I became the longest serving pastor in Church history. Homecoming Sunday gave us an excuse to celebrate the ministries of the ten longest serving pastors of the church. They included John Sterry, William Palmer, Percy Kilmister, Walter Schoepfer, George H. Strouse, Vernon Price, A S Brown, Herbert Wise an R K Ashley. It was a lot of fun.
In September we embarked on an exploration of Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life" during worship and with mid-week Bible studies. It was a great series and provoked a lot of good discussion. We also set out on a journey to become a "missional church" by signing up to become part of a focus group with ABCUSA. We met Glynis LeBarre, a transformational church specialist with National Ministries and she challenged us to think of ministry outside the box. For the next several months we began to explore our church's mission in the community. That set the stage for our Winter Survival Kit giveaway scheduled for January of 2009. In the Fall we began making "no sew blankets" and collecting items for the big day.
Andrew Higgins, Yolanda Charles, Luis Pabon and Ashley Stewart were baptized and Kelly Bolin, Debbie Bray, James and Pam Smith all joined the church. Trinity Ambruso was dedicated and Andrew Higgins and Ericka Davis, Lindsey Adams and Kevin Mariano, Zelda Earle and Bruce Fellows, Katie Seder and Adam Karon, and Andrew Seder and Rebecca Galligan were married.
Miss Connecticut Dana Daunis entertained us at the Mother-Daughter Banquet. We had a group go to the Spirit of Broadway Theater to see "The Enchanted Cottage." Penny Sargent provided a dramatic moment as "the Drummer Boy" on Christmas Eve and Fred Green, the new youth coordinator, and the youth group went to see the movie "Prince Caspian."
We moved forward on our plans to renovate the kitchen. A design was chosen and bids were sent out to do the job. Everything was set in motion to do the job early in January of 2009. Then the stock market began to tumble and a world wide financial crises put our plans on hold. The property committee did paint the back entry, began the renovation of the nursery and did some more roof repairs.
Curt Brockway was the Moderator. Betsey Adams served as the Church Clerk. We had pledges of $103,000 and total income of $197,600. It was a very good year.
We had two big celebrations during the year. In June we had fun with the fact that I was turning 50. Actually there were more than a dozen of us in the same boat and that's what made it special. On the Big 50 Sunday George Rezendes, Pete Adams, Debbie Bray, Audrey Traylor, Pete Adams, Mark Rogers, Stephanie Mattos, Elizabeth Isenburg, Marc Vaillancourt, Fred Green Sr., Mark Damien, Sue Ferguson and our special interest missionary Mercy Gonzales Barnes were among the honorees. We also celebrated our couples who were married 50 years or more. They included Harry & Dot Calkins, Richard & Elizabeth Strong, Bob & Marge Booth, Al & Sue Damien and two couples who were very close, Oliver & Barbara Bray and Bob & Helen Walker. Then we recognized our 50 + year members. That group included Lois Lopez, Bruce Royce, June Pendleton, Doris Adams, Marge Booth, and George Strouse who were present and Edith Robinson, Doris Regets, Jean Roscoe, Carolyn Benker, Charles Hamblen, Bonnie Koch, Elaine Berrie and Jean Smith who couldn't be there. It was a great day and a lot of fun.
The second celebration was a historical Sunday marking the fact that I became the longest serving pastor in Church history. Homecoming Sunday gave us an excuse to celebrate the ministries of the ten longest serving pastors of the church. They included John Sterry, William Palmer, Percy Kilmister, Walter Schoepfer, George H. Strouse, Vernon Price, A S Brown, Herbert Wise an R K Ashley. It was a lot of fun.
In September we embarked on an exploration of Rick Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Life" during worship and with mid-week Bible studies. It was a great series and provoked a lot of good discussion. We also set out on a journey to become a "missional church" by signing up to become part of a focus group with ABCUSA. We met Glynis LeBarre, a transformational church specialist with National Ministries and she challenged us to think of ministry outside the box. For the next several months we began to explore our church's mission in the community. That set the stage for our Winter Survival Kit giveaway scheduled for January of 2009. In the Fall we began making "no sew blankets" and collecting items for the big day.
Andrew Higgins, Yolanda Charles, Luis Pabon and Ashley Stewart were baptized and Kelly Bolin, Debbie Bray, James and Pam Smith all joined the church. Trinity Ambruso was dedicated and Andrew Higgins and Ericka Davis, Lindsey Adams and Kevin Mariano, Zelda Earle and Bruce Fellows, Katie Seder and Adam Karon, and Andrew Seder and Rebecca Galligan were married.Miss Connecticut Dana Daunis entertained us at the Mother-Daughter Banquet. We had a group go to the Spirit of Broadway Theater to see "The Enchanted Cottage." Penny Sargent provided a dramatic moment as "the Drummer Boy" on Christmas Eve and Fred Green, the new youth coordinator, and the youth group went to see the movie "Prince Caspian."
We moved forward on our plans to renovate the kitchen. A design was chosen and bids were sent out to do the job. Everything was set in motion to do the job early in January of 2009. Then the stock market began to tumble and a world wide financial crises put our plans on hold. The property committee did paint the back entry, began the renovation of the nursery and did some more roof repairs.
Curt Brockway was the Moderator. Betsey Adams served as the Church Clerk. We had pledges of $103,000 and total income of $197,600. It was a very good year.
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