Annual Report 2022

The First Church of Christ Congregational

Annual Report 2022

A Member of the United Church of Christ Gathered 1729, Redding, Connecticut

Table of Contents

Mission Statement 3

Ministry Church Operations

A Message from Our Senior Minister 4

A Message from Our Associate Minister 6 Report from Our Director of Children’s Ministries 8 Board of Deacons Report 10 Church Clerk's Report 12

Church Council Report 14 Financial Statement of the Annual Church Fair 16 Treasurer’s Report 18 Business and Finance Committee Report 20 Stewardship Committee Report 21 Nominating Committee Report 23 Webmaster/Communications Report 25

Report from Our Christian Education Committee 26 Report from Our Christian Outreach Committee 29

A Message from Our Director of Music 32 Music Committee Report 35 Fellowship Committee Report 36 Meditation and Memorial Garden Report 38 Women’s Guild Report 39

Christian Education & Outreach Music Church Life Meeting Minutes from Annual Meeting 2022 40

Acknowledgements

The Church at the Center...

O U R M I S S I O N

As Congregationalists, we cherish our Pilgrim heritage; the heritage of those who came to America searching for religious freedom.

O F O U R F A I T H

We are a welcoming place of worship, where anyone can find spiritual nuture and grow as a Christian.

O F O U R F A M I L Y

We celebrate and encourage the individual, spiritual pilgrimage of our members.

We believe and affirm that there is room in our congregation for a diversity of belief, and all are welcome! And yet we choose to own a covenant with one another; a covenant of Christian love and support within which we may be strengthened, individually and collectively, as we seek to discover and Fulfill God's will for ourselves and for our world.

We are a source of support for one another in a faith-convenant, family relationship that provides a place to teach our children the example of Christ.

O F O U R C O M M U N I T Y

We strive to serve our local community, and indeed, the wider world by demonstrating a model of Christian charity, love and concerns for social justice.

"Praise to the Living God, around, within, above,

Beyond the grasp of human mind, but whom we know as love.

In these tumultuous days, so full of hope and strife, May we bear witness to the Way, O Source and Goal of life.”

“Praise to the Living God” Curtis Beach, 1966

A Message from Our Senior Minister

At the suggestion of the Southern New England Conference, this year’s Annual Report embraces a new format. More pictures, less text. The goal is to make our report a reflection of the people who make our congregation thrive. Whatever the archival value of annual reports to future generations, my hunch is that they’ll be at least as interested to see who we were as they will be to read about what we did. Probably more so. As we peruse the pages of this document, I pray that a spirit of celebration may arise within us. For, indeed, we have much to celebrate, and much for which to be thankful. From my perspective, the spirit that moves among us has its source in God. And the gratitude we feel is directly attributable to God and to the people with whom we journey as a congregation.

Ours is a collective endeavor. Each and every soul among us who sings a hymn, participates in a meeting, sends in a pledge, offers a prayer, delivers a casserole, or welcomes a visitor is crucial to our well-being. That said, the year 2022 bore witness to several events that deserve special attention.

For years, our Church Council entertained the possibility of installing a fire-suppressant, sprinkler system in our 19th Century meetinghouse. For one reason or another, year after year, the project was derailed. Until 2022. In honor of our late friend and property chairperson, Bill North, a sprinkler system was installed over the summer.

We owe a debt of gratitude to every individual and family who contributed financially to the cause. But without a trio of leaders who volunteered untold hours to oversee and guide the project, our fundraising efforts would have been in vain. To Ashley Bishop, Chris Nolan and Ben Pardee: thank you! Our precious, historic meetinghouse is much safer thanks to your generosity of time and expertise.

In June, we recognized the thirteenyear tenure of Jane McKee, as she stepped down from her position as church office administrator. The office administrator is, in many ways, the public face of our congregation. Ours is an active congregation, which means the office is a busy hub of communication. Jane kept us all on the same page (more or less!), deftly reminded us of upcoming events, prepared multiple documents and emails every week, and was a model of trust and grace. She was and continues to be a blessing to us all. In July, we welcomed Betty Granata as our new office administrator. She has proven to be a wonderful addition to our First Church staff.

Also in June, our Director of Children’s Ministries, Kimberley Fais, resurrected a long-dormant summer event at First Church: a summer day camp for children. Ably assisted by numerous volunteers, Kimberley offered the children of our church and community the opportunity for spiritual nurture and development in a safe, fun, edifying environment. Other highlights of 2022 include: the activities of a vibrant Middle School Youth Group (thanks primarily to Ginny Wood); a wildly overachieving, special Auction (thanks to the organizational genius of Ashley Bishop); a very successful (and also overachieving) golf outing (thanks to Dana Taylor and Jamie Barickman); and another lovely Church Fair (thanks to our chairperson, Kathie Cyr, and MANY of us!)

It continues to be a privilege to serve alongside a remarkable staff and team of lay leaders. In particular, I want to recognize Tom Santa for his extra years of service as our Treasurer. And I want to sing the praises of Suzanne England: she completed six-years as a Deacon, including three years as chairperson; in addition, she simultaneously chaired our Church Life Committee, and was instrumental in helping us all navigate (always with calm and grace) the tricky COVID-19 waters. Very well done, two wonderfully faithful servants!

Respectfully submitted, with gratitude,

The Rev. Dr. Dean Ahlberg

A Message from Our Associate Minister

When asked to write an annual report, the first step is always to take some time to think back on the past year. What did we learn? What did we accomplish, and what are we hoping to build on in the future?

Looking back on 2022 is somewhat overwhelming for me. It was a big year both for our congregation and for me personally. This report is only a partial overview of everything we did together, but I hope it will provide some context about what I consider to be the highlights of the year.

Most importantly, though, I want to say thank you. I’ve greatly appreciated your support during a year of change and professional growth; I’m grateful to serve such a wonderful congregation.

High School Youth Group

Leading this group also requires a lot of innovation, particularly since the pandemic. In my 2021 annual report, I expressed that the group was in a period of rebuilding. That’s still true, but we had more success this year in providing our youth with opportunities that they were available and excited to take advantage of. A few I’d like to highlight:

In collaboration with our Missions subcommittee, we went on a Mission Day Trip to work with the Fuller Center in New Rochelle. This event was a huge success, and we’re hoping that in 2023, it will become a semi-regular event in the life of our congregation.

Continuing our theme of service, the Basket Brigade was also very well attended this year. In the past, this has been primarily a middle school event, but this time we had great turnout from our high schoolers as well.

As always, our HSYGers enjoyed social events like a trip to a corn maze, end-of-the-year and Christmas parties, and selling popcorn at the church fair.

Fairfield East Association Committee on Church and Ministry

Last year, I was invited to serve a three-year term on the Fairfield East Association’s Committee on Church and Ministry. This committee plays a key role in supporting churches and ministers throughout the Fairfield East Association of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ.

Being on the committee is a professional highlight for me. I have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to be in conversation with local ministers and members in discernment.

The FEA is fortunate to have a CoCM that is committed to innovation and willing to imagine new solutions to the challenges that churches often face in the 21st century. It’s an honor to be a part of that work.

Military Chaplaincy

In June, I announced to the congregation that I planned to begin part-time service as a chaplain in the Army Reserve. This was a big step for me and for our congregation; I knew it would significantly impact the structure of our life together.

From the very beginning, I was overwhelmed by your support. I love being a battalion chaplain, and I couldn’t do it without you.

As I write this, I’m in the middle of packing my bags to go to Fort Jackson for CHBOLC (Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course). I’m going to miss you all here at First Church very much, but I look forward to this opportunity to learn and develop as a chaplain and as a minister. I’ll see you in the spring.

Respectfully submitted, Jane E. Moran, Associate Minister

Report from Our Director of Children's Ministries

2022: The Year of Our Star Gifts & Other Little Miracles

One of my “Priority B” tasks in my job description is tending the seasonal lobby table outside the church office. It’s meant to be a place of presence and liveliness, a highly trafficked space for tactile invitation and inspiration. This humble task ignited unexpected energy in early 2022, and I can’t think of a better way to tell you what the rest of the year meant for our children’s ministries than through this visioning.

It was the season of Epiphany then as it is now, so our table held Star Gifts. For context, you can read more about this from Marcia Lorentzen’s perspective in this month’s Steeple or visit the table yourself. It’s a personal Word of the Year spiritual exercise, but I picked out a word for us, too for our children’s ministry to keep at my desk. It was “Safety.” It is always our responsibility to recognize the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs related to our ministry, but this was the year we received Safety as a timely star

gift from God, signs of grace and goodness to guide us throughout:

Volunteers were swift to step in as substitutes to allow the sick to stay home and recuperate. There were opportunities for older kids to practice not squishing the smaller ones when all ages played parachute games together outside.

Fairs and pageantry stretched across the front lawn. Several teams of youth ran all over campus to solve Live Clue and enjoyed the creative stylings of a dozen adult actors trying not to break character by rooting for the kids. There were hours of sporting activity without emergencies and the gentle learning of one another’s names. We reprioritized consistency and ritual across all age groups for a sense of spiritual safety in Sunday school.

There was the youth leader’s solemn promise that a faithful video project

our youth gifted to one another would not be distributed publicly, and related conversations among teens and tweens about privacy in the digital world.

There were sensory experiences of safety in the placement of soft rugs and well-loved instruments, discoveries of talents, and well-affirmed sharing of art and music.

We conducted adult:child ratio calculations, allergy considerations, and background checks. Our sofa span continues to widen just to create enough floorspace for our growing youth to sprawl out in the same room at once.

There were Sunday school discussions that stretched our comfort zones and service projects that extended material goods to neighbors. There were joyful meals shared and youth who took the initiative to perfect their pancake offerings for the church’s youngest day campers.

Sometimes it was the youth and children themselves who inspired adults to push past what we thought was possible, realistic, and a safe bet: When I was waffling about realistic timelines and our estimated capacity, it was middle schooler Ripley who hoped we’d offer our new-to-us day camp (our version of Vacation Bible School) because she was excited to volunteer with the younger children. Camp happened because of Ripley, and it happened safely and happily because of a dedicated team of adults and youth. That meant we were able to welcome in new friends and tell them: “You are Known. You are

Good. You are Worthy. You are Loved. You are Heard.” Little Myles preached back unprompted, talking about Jesus with joy in his eyes. Sofie’s first words to me in the whole program were, “Excuse me, can I play that piano?” and within hours she was glued to the ukulele and singing her own hymns. Robby, visiting family here from out of state, announced, “I’m coming back next year!” and we hoped so. Sure enough, he and his two younger siblings have moved (back) to Redding. These are just a few of the new friends you’ll be delighted to find at church. What a gift we gave one another!

Dear church, this is how we fed each other. This is how we’ve played, prayed, spoken, and celebrated. This is how we’ve tried to ensure no one is forgotten or left out. This is how we’ve raised our kids in Christian love and fulfilled our baptismal vows this year. This is how we’ve let the children lead us, too, and been amazed at what came of it.

My own word for this year, by the way, is “Rejoicing,” and I sense God’s deep Rejoicing in my joy of you and in our ministry together. Rejoice with me in the photos of our 2022 memories and imagine what more is still to come when we create such invaluable time and space for our community to thrive. Our shared “Priority A” is indeed God’s children of all ages and their flourishing.

Grace and Peace of Christ, Kimberley Fais Director of Children’s Ministries

The Board of Deacons Report

As the final year of my term, as the Chair of the Board of Deacons, ends, I am reflective on, as a congregation, how fortunate we are to have such a giving Board of Deacons. Their gift of time and service throughout 2022 has been a true blessing.

The Board of Deacons exists to support our ministers in performing the pastoral and spiritual functions of the Church’s life. In service to you, the Congregation, our ministers, Church boards and the Council, the Deacons have worked throughout 2022 to support the mission of our church.

The weekly worship service is the most visible duty of the Deacons. We are heavily involved in helping to organize these services. We prepare the Sanctuary, set up and serve our monthly Holy Communion, arrange Lay Readers, and assist in baptisms.

We enjoy supporting special services such as Tenebrae, Easter, Laity Sunday (canceled this year), Christmas Eve, and Memorials.

In the spirit of grace and compassion, these services speak to the diverse needs of our congregation and guests. The Deacons are always honored to be part of the preparation of these services and help to create an environment for thoughtful reflection, peace and prayer

Another important way we normally support the community is to provide refreshments for Fellowship Hour following our services. We strived to help create a time when our congregation, newcomers, and guests could connect with each other.

Outside of the services, our Deacons are also here to support the congregation. Throughout 2022, we provided outreach to individuals and families by offering comfort to people navigating these difficult times by reaching out by phone or a simple “Thinking of you” note. We sent monthly “check-in” emails. We are here to witness your joys and concerns and it is an honor to hold you in our confidence.

Welcome

Welcoming new members to our congregation is always an exciting time The Deacons were active in supporting the return of the Inquirers’ series this fall that Dean hosted to get prospective members familiar with our church.

Sub-committees Serving under the Board of Deacons:

Church Life Committee–Having created the protocols for this once in a lifetime pandemic this committee has disbanded We are confident that we can meet any additional challenges ahead. Our last meeting was held in May

Helping Hands–Margaret Brown and Constance Huebner (Co-chairs) Ushers–Marcia Lorentzen (Chair) “Greening” of the Campus at Christmas–Marcia Lorentzen (Chair) Food for Fellowship–Julie Gorman, Joan DeSalvo, Vicky Taloni (Co-chairs)

Except for Church Life, all these committees could use the congregation’s support by volunteering your time to participate. It’s a great way to be involved and to get to know your fellow members. Please contact the chairs of these subcommittees if you’d like to get involved

This year we welcomed two new Deacons: Andy Heller and Chuck Alte. Completing his extended term of service this year is Bernhard Klein Wassink

Thank you for your service! Betsy Varian has generously agreed to extend her term of 3 years. Anne Stark, Darrell Bradford, and Paula Wiles Sigmon have graciously agreed to continue their service for another year

years. The passion, love and respect of the congregation is the foundation to achieve the “unachievable”. As the Congregation’s journey continues, I look forward to continuing to serve alongside all of you.

Yours in service and respectfully submitted,

Suzanne England

Chair of Deacons

The Church Clerk's Report

ACTIVE CHURCH MEMBERS PASSED AWAY:

Sandra Van Ausdal passed away January 24 Memorial May 21, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Patsy Whyte passed away April 27 Memorial May 15, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Jeanne "Johnny" Sweeny passed away May 8 Memorial June 5, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Gabrielle Hiltunen passed away May 24 Memorial June 18, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

David Rosenbluh passed away September 9 Memorial October 15, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Ina Atkinson passed away September 24 Memorial October 9, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

William Hauck passed away September 25 Memorial October 6, Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Andrew C. Whyte passed away on December 17, 2022 Memorial January 15, 2023 , Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

THERE WERE FOUR WEDDINGS:

Kaitlyn Snyder and Charles Henry Theurkauf on May 28 Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Stephanie Miller and Bill Fow on June 4 Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Pamela Alte and Justin Kenworthy on June 25 Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Stephen Santa and Lauren Dzwil on October 15 Rev. Dr. Ahlberg officiating

Respectfully Submitted, Carolyn Baker, Clerk

Report from Our Church Council

God is using us to do incredible things! In a world of moderate chaos and deeply divided opinions, we remain a haven of peace, fellowship, and service to God and to others around us. For that, Council and I are deeply grateful.

Thanks to all of you, our Church is strong and giving. Through our Outreach Committee, chaired by Antonia Davidson, we extended our hands, our hearts, and our treasures to support local, state, and international charities. Doves flew off the tree at Christmas time. Meals were prepared and delivered month after month to Dorothy Day and supplies and funding provided to the local food pantry. We helped provide disaster relief, microloans, and cookstoves. And will continue to do so.

Thanks to all of you, our Church is nurturing. Our Christian Education programs, more than ably lead by Jackie Dinowitz, inspire children of all ages through Sunday school, middle school and high school youth groups and bible study. Kimberly Fais, our Director of Christian Ministries, who joined us in 2021, has enlivened and expanded our children’s programs. And our Deacons, chaired by Suzanne England nurtured all of us.

Thanks to all of you, our Church is safe. Not only do we provide a safe space from the chaos and confusion surrounding us, but our church itself is safer, thanks to the financial support of all of you to the Bill North Sprinkler Fund and the extreme efforts of Ashley Bishop, Chris Nolan, and Ben Pardee to shepherd through completion of a full sprinkler system installation for the Sanctuary!

"God is using us to do incredible things! "

Special Events

Thanks to all of you we celebrate together and with our community. Who can forget the Spring Fling Benefit and Auction in May where we celebrated fellowship and bid on choice artwork, thanks to the Fellowship Committee, Ashley Bishop aka Pat Sajak, and our own Vanna White, Jen Wastrom; our golf outing in June ably led by Jamie Barickman and Dana Taylor; the Fellowship picnic in August; or our 40th Annual Artisan Fair including a volunteer staff of most of you! Special Fair kudos to our artisan, tag sale, jewelry sale and studio leads (Kara Morgan, Tracy Anderson, Kristi Slater, Rebecca Strang, Luann Stoner, and Judy Juracek). And so many, many others dedicated enormous amounts of time and energy before, during and after each event. Jointly these wonderful special events raised over $75,000 to keep the heat on, staff paid and outreach strong.

As we head into 2023, we give thanks to the many who have cheerfully shared hearts, hands, talents, and treasures. We are so grateful for the faithful leadership of Dean and Jane. We welcome new members to our Church, to Council, and to our dedicated Deacons. And we rededicate ourselves every day. God is using us to do incredible things together. Share the good news! Respectfully submitted.

Kathie

Cyr Chair, Church Council

A Big "Thank You" from our Church Fair Lead

Could there have been a more perfect weather day for the 40th annual Fair on September 24th? What a great gift we all shared with our members and our community!

Please help me thank our Fair committee chairs for their outstanding leadership:

Tracy Anderson, Kristi Slater & Rebecca Strang: Tag Sale

Judy Juracek: Studio

Luann Stoner: Jewelry Boutique

Kara Morgan: Artisan Exhibitors

Steve Bodkin: The Great Raffle

Rudd Anderson and Ashley Bishop: Fellowship Food Booth

Sue Paola & Lee Morgan: Apple Pies

Anne Stark: Baked Goods

Marcia Lorentzen: Soup

Nils Morgan: Pulled Pork Booth

Ginny Wood: Children’s Games

Carolyn Baker: Communications

David Mawdsley: Fair Treasurer

Bruce Lorentzen: Grounds and MC

Steve Bodkin: Poster and Ad Designs

Roger Van Ausdal: Parking

Rebecca Strang: Music

Betty Granata: Office Administrator

Jane Moran: Senior High Youth Group

Reverend Dr. Dean Ahlberg: Spiritual Counselor and Cheerleader

Finally, thanks to the congregation for your help and support, to all those who came out, donated time, money, muscles, and your hearts to this annual event. I hope we never lose this important time of fellowship together.

I look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with you again next year! All Best Thoughts –

Kathie Cyr

Treasurer's Report

In 2022 we delivered an operating surplus of $800. Pledges were on budget and our Golf Outing, Church Fair and Fellowship activities generated $77,000 exceeding expectations by $22,000.Over and above budgeted activities the congregation generously contributed another $59,000 to the Bill North Sprinkler Fund bringing that Fund to $183,000. The fire protection system for the sanctuary was installed for a preliminary final cost of $151,000 leaving a surplus for future building needs. There are several recommended fire-safety improvements for our property, along with yearly maintenance of the new system. The sprinkler committee is in the process of obtaining quotes for this potential work. This income/expense are not included below.

Expenses exceeded budget by $13,000 largely as a result of unanticipated major repairs to our facilities.

2022 REVENUES

2022 Budget 2022 Actual Variance

Pledges $410,983 $412,410 $1,427 Contributions $20,100 $17,980 ($2,120) Rents $28,235 $26,560 ($1,675)

Fundraisers $54,750 $76,858 $22,108

Other Income $25,279 $41,153 $15,874

Total Income $539,347 $574,961 $35,614

Outreach

2022 EXPENSES

2022 Budget 2022 Actual Variance

$40,500 $40,868 ($368)

Ministry $307,236 $305,337 $1,899

Music $47,026 $44,594 $2,432

Christian Education $39,382 $40,035 ($653)

Church Home $123,580 $140,704 ($17,124)

Other Expenses $3,900 $2,594 $1306

Total Expenses $561,604 $574,132 ($12,508)

Thanks again to each of the Committee Chairs for operating within budget during the year. Once again special thanks to Pam Miller and Marilyn Geti for their inspired support of the treasury function and Ashley Bishop and many others who assisted with Stewardship. With our strong balance sheet we are well positioned to continue the Lord’s work in 2023.

Respectfully submitted, Tom Santa, Treasurer

Business & Finance Committee Report

The report of the Business & Finance Committee includes the proposed annual budget for 2023 which is distributed separately.

The members and friends of FCCC stepped up their support through pledges, contributions, special events and the sprinkler capital campaign. The sprinkler project was fully funded through your support of this critical upgrade to our church structure.

We began the year with a final income budget of $539,347 based on a pledge target of $410,983. Thank you to Ashley Bishop for leading another successful pledge campaign.

With these pledge dollars, the Congregation approved a final budget that allowed us to

Fully fund our Outreach program

Increase funding of our Major Repairs Reserve

Maintain our revenue expectations from future fundraising events

The following large fund raisers exceeded our expectations, resulting in closing the revenue gap to meet our income requirements:

The 2022 Golf Outing The Annual Church Fair The Art Auction

On another note, the Montessori school was open and paid rent throughout the year. The town of Redding resumed classes in the Fellowship Hall bringing in additional revenue.

We ended 2022 in good financial condition with a solid cash balance and no outstanding debt. Our 2023 pledge drive has yielded 98.5% of our initial pledge target, so the Business and Finance Committee and Church Council have approved the use of part of the PPP loan to cover the gap.

Endowment:

The balance of our Church endowment was $384,844 at the end of December, a 5% decline from the previous year, which is better than all the indexes. There have been no draws on the income from the endowment.

I’d like to thank the following members of the committee for their dedication and hard work to keep our finances strong; Bill Brown, Jane Moran, Bruce Lorentzen, Chuck Alte, Pam Miller, Marilyn Geti, Roger Van Ausdal and Tom Santa.

Respectfully submitted, Luann Stoner Chair, Business & Finance

Stewardship Committee Report

2022 marked the first “real” year for the Stewardship Committee, as in 2021 it was deemed an ad-hoc committee designed to help us shape our notion of what a stewardship committee at FCCC might be. As such, some of the previous years’ committee members declined to participate on the committee reducing our group to a solid five: Stephen Bodkin, Andrew Cotter, Alexis Gerbracht, Jane Moran, and myself.

Fundraising

One of our biggest tasks for the year was to undertake a fundraising burden of $10,000. We chose to hold a church auction under a combined stewardship/fellowship committee. Auction items were donated by church members. The event was held on our church property with the check-in and coat-check in our lobby and Dean’s office, the silent auction in Fellowship Hall, the live auction in our Meetinghouse, and child care in the middle school youth group room. The event was an effervescent and merry experience and felt cathartic after nearly two years of avoiding social gathering. The event was also a marked success grossing over $30,000.

Spring Fling, May

Stewardship Goal for 2023

The stewardship committee managed this year’s pledge drive which necessitated meetings about messaging, composition of letters, creation of graphics, and the development and distribution of other support documents. The committee held a telethon on December 13. Committee members met at our church, and each called 8 to 12 people who had not yet pledged.

Pledge drive communication is hampered largely by two consequences of our evermore technological society.

The first problem is the increased use of call-screening apps. Unless the caller is in the recipient’s database, calls go directly to voicemail. The second problem is that fewer and fewer people answer their land-line phones. For many families the only phone number in our church directory is a land-line which, it seems, is largely ignored now as people use their cell phones almost exclusively. Calls to these numbers rarely reach their target: they ring unanswered, go straight to a voicemail account, or the line has been disconnected.

Despite this enormous hurdle, calls were made to every number available.

I am deeply appreciative of the hard work, counsel, teamwork, and camaraderie of this year’s Stewardship Committee. Steve, Drew, Alexis and Jane have been immeasurably helpful, encouraging, patient and supportive as we together work to sculpt the model of a Stewardship Committee for our church.

Respectfully submitted by Ashley Bishop, Chair of the Stewardship Committee

Nominating Committee Report

The Nominating Committee is pleased to nominate the following individuals for appointment to Church Council positions and as Committee Chairpersons:

• Chair of Deacons Andrew Cotter

• Clerk of the Church Courtney Cowles

• Treasurer Chris Kopec

The following individuals are nominated to serve as Deacons:

• For the Class of 2026: Stephanie Klein Wassink & TBD

Council asks permission from the Congregation Membership to fill the last Deacon position.

The Nominating Committee is pleased to confirm the following individuals as continuing in their positions on Council or as Chairpersons of Committees:

Chair of Council Kathie Cyr Vice-Chair of Council Kara Morgan

Chair of Business & Finance Luann Stoner Assistant Treasurer Pam Miller

Chair of Christian Education Jackie Dinowitz

Chair of Outreach Antonia Davidson

Chair of Personnel Mike Matsuoka

Chair of Music Annie Evans Fellowship Committee Ashley Bishop, Rudd Anderson

Other, continuing Non-Council Positions:

Chair of Communications Carolyn Baker

Electronic Payment Specialist Roger Van Ausdal

Chair of the Church Fair Kathie Cyr

Chair of Helping Hands Margaret Brown; Connie Huebner Chair of Nominating Roger Van Ausdal

Other, continuing Non-Council Positions continued:

• Dorothy Day

Judie Juracek

• Hospitality Courtney Cowles

• Historical Committee Marc Bono, Michael McKee

• Delegate to So. NE Conference & David Noone Fairfield East Association

• Fairfield East Association Sandy Rice Committee on Church and Ministry

Other, new Non-Council Positions:

• Controller TBD

• Lead for Church Flowers TBD

The following individuals as continuing their positions as deacons:

For the Class of 2024: Paula Sigmon, Darrell Bradford, Mary Ellen Ryder, Irene Reynolds, Angela Matsuoka, Anne Stark

For the Class of 2025: Chuck Alte, Andy Heller

For the Class of 2026: Betsy Varian

Respectfully submitted by the Nominating Committee: The Rev. Dr. Dean Ahlberg, The Rev. Jane Moran, Kathie Cyr, Jackie Dinowitz, Michael McKee, Luann Stoner, Roger Van Ausdal, Chair

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Webmaster/ Communications Report

The website continued to be a central source of information for the congregation and the wider community during 2022. Communication offerings continue to be enhanced, to encourage community participation at our public events. As the world has moved to increasing reliance on electronic communications and social media, FCCC continues to be proactive, including expansion to Instagram as “firstchurchredding” and broader use of the website app. Highlights of the www.firstchurchredding.org include:

• Virtual availability of our worship services

• Event registration including our Spring Auction and Golf Outing

• Details of our Annual Fair

• Weekly announcements

• The monthly “Steeple” newsletter

• Online giving and pledge fulfilment

Respectfully submitted, Carolyn Baker Director of Communications

Report from Our Christian Education Committee

The Christian Education Committee is responsible for providing quality educational programs for children, youth, and adults.

Sunday school:

A new curriculum and classroom model was implemented to accommodate the fluctuations in attendance, which also required fewer volunteer teachers. In September the classrooms were refreshed with a warm and welcoming décor, and attendance rose steadily across the board.

Nursery:

Our nursery has always been a place where infants and toddlers can find nurture while allowing their parents to experience worship. This year the need for nursery care increased, and thanks to our dedicated volunteers, we were able to provide nursery care most Sundays.

Youth Leadership:

Ginny Wood, our MSYG leader, organized monthly events for this enthusiastic group. Parental supportwas outstanding. Jane Moran, our associate minister, continues to lead our HSYG.

Youth Groups: Our youth groups enjoyed getting together for Life Size Clue, the Basket

Brigade, and Christmas parties.

Our MSYG gathered for monthly game night, various activities, and pizza. In September they prepared the Congregational soup for our annual fair, and ran the children’s games that day. Our HSYG enjoyed a fall corn maze, colored Easter eggs for New Pond Farm, and ran the concession stand at our church fair.

Adult Education

In March, Dr. Ahlberg and Reverend Moran led us in an online Lenten Bible series which blended art with scripture. This popular series took place on Wednesday evenings from the comfort of our homes.

On April 24 the CE committee sponsored a second hour presentation by member Candy Wood and her partner to discuss their year long circumnavigation sailing experience.

We gathered on October 30 for a second hour with Barbara Davis, representative of DARA, (Danbury Area Refugee Assistance), for information surrounding their efforts to help settle Ukrainian refugees.

Special Events

With everyone’s health and safety in mind, we did not hold our annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. Our families were able to observe Lent at home with special kits prepared by Kimberley Fais, DCM.

On April 17 we celebrated Easter Sunday with a one room Sunday school in our fellowship hall for grades Pre-K through 4th grade. An Easter egg hunt was held outdoors after the 11:00 service.

Four of our young people were confirmed in their faith on May 1 in a ceremony led by Dr. Ahlberg. Each confirmand received a silver cross from Paltisana, in Bethlehem. Afterward, everyone enjoyed a cake designed by Tom McNulty featuring a dove and the Confirmand’s signatures.

Youth Sunday was celebrated on June 12 in the meetinghouse. Jennifer Wastrom and our MSYG led children’s time with a reflection of the projects created over the years for summer mission trips. This year’s project, a canvas tote bag, benefitted Redding Social Services. Aaron Matsuoka, a high school senior gave a heartfelt sermon, Scarlett Wood, and Maya Cotter were our lay readers, and Sassy Wood and Ripley Robinson sang a beautiful duet during the service. We thanked and named our volunteer Sunday school teachers, assistants, and youth group leaders in our June Steeple, and noted the donation made to the LULAC Institute in appreciation of their support. An ice cream truck provided a refreshing treat for everyone after worship.

We celebrated Rally Sunday on September 11 with a luncheon catered by a local food truck company. Hamburgers and fries were delivered and set up outside for all to enjoy after worship. Colorful balloons decorated the meetinghouse, and children’s lawn games dotted the campus.

On Bible Sunday, October 23, five of our fourth graders received their bibles. Each child was able to choose their own cover design, making their bible more personal.

Special Events, Cont'd.

Advent Workshop was celebrated on November 27 in fellowship hall following worship with a variety ofcrafts and activities designed by Kimberley Fais. Lunch was provided by the CE committee.

On December 10, we gathered on the church campus for the retelling of the Nativity story. Enacted by church members, our live nativity pageant featured angels, shepherds, wisemen and the baby Jesus name a few. Christmas carols were sung between the narratives offered by Dr. Ahlberg. Afterwards, we convened in the fellowship hall for hot cocoa and warm cider, thanks to Cheryl and Dave Armstrong.

New Programs:

Summer Bible Camp: In June Kimberley Fais designed and led a week long Encanto themed compassion camp for elementary aged children with the support of middle schoolers and parents.

Young Families Program: Kimberley Fais, DCM, launched a program designed to bring our young families and their children together. Events included parachute games and crafts in an informal setting.

Our Gallery: Our gallery continues to draw many to the second floor of our Sunday school building. Thanks to Tom McNulty’s stunning photographs, the story of our church life is best told without words. Many thanks to Bonnie McNulty for the installations.

2022 was a year of comfort as we saw the return of the familiar. Special programs were once again held indoors and Sunday school classrooms were lively. We welcomed Chris Kapsaroff to the CE committee, and we met regularly to plan meaningful programs.

I would like to thank my fellow CE committee members for their dedication, support, and friendship; Matt Bedoukian, Grace-Marie Chapin, Sally Duggan, Samantha Heller, Chris Kapsaroff, Tom McNulty, Betsy Priest, and Ginny Wood. My appreciation also goes to Betty Granata for her generous support, to Kimberley Fais for her enthusiasm and thoughtfulness, to Jane Moran for her support and guidance, and to Dr. Ahlberg for his wisdom and encouragement.

Respectfully submitted, Jacqueline Dinowitz, Chair, Christian Education

Report from Our Outreach Committee

Once again, on behalf of our church family, the Outreach Committee continued to extend Christian love, both near and far, to the best of our abilities. Without your overwhelming support and total commitment to helping others in need, we would not have had the opportunity to experience the joy we feel as a group in reaching out to the world. During 2022 we carefully managed a budget of $40,500 in financial support to a diverse group of organizations, with a concentration on those close to the home front.

A list of the various organizations/missions you support through our Outreach Committee can be found on the First Church website (see details for accessing the list at the end of this report). Feel free to speak with any members of the committee (listed below) for further details on any of the organizations on the list.

Also, we are always open to new members joining our committee: Rev. Dr. Dean Ahlberg, Steve Bodkin, Antonia Davidson (Chair), Julie Gorman, Rev. Jane Moran, Katie Rosenfeld, Hugh Sigmon, Paula Wiles Sigmon, and Rebecca Strang (Chair, Mission SubCommittee).

This past year, we accepted the resignation of Michael Rigby although he is still a member of the Mission SubCommittee. Michael served on the committee for 5 to 6 years.

He is still volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, and teaching carpentry skills to adult and youth volunteers. Sadly, David Rosenbluh passed away this past summer. He joined our committee in 2014, and we miss his wise counsel and advice on veterans’ affairs. On a happy note, Katie Rosenfeld joined our committee and has been a liaison with Danbury Area Refugee Assistance (DARA), keeping us informed about the refugees who have recently moved to Danbury.

Respectfully submitted, Antonia Davidson, Chair Outreach

The Cookstove Project

To date, First Church has provided clean cookstoves for two villages in Uganda and one in Nepal, and cookstoves for a third village in Uganda are under construction The cookstoves provide a safe, efficient alternative to traditional open-fire cooking, delivering health and environmental benefits.

Outreach Sub-Committee

A First Church team of youth and adult volunteers made repairs to a home damaged by Hurricane Ida.

Attending the trip were the Rev Jane Moran, Missions subcommittee chair, Rebecca Strang, Deb Rakich, Nick Rakich, Madi Angelico, David Furrer (project leader), Colin Furrer, Madi Furrer and Lyla Micola.

Mission Day Trips

Week long adult/youth mission trips continued to be on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. Eager to do something a missions “day trip” was organized. We gathered at the Fuller Center for Housing’s local division in Mamaroneck New York. Half of the group went to do repairs on a house that was damaged by Hurricane Ida. Others, led by church member and college student David Furrer, worked in the shop to make planters and benches for homes.

This successful endeavor has led the Missions Sub-committee to invest in continuing “day trip” opportunities in the coming years.

Respectfully submitted by

with members: Rev. Dr. Dean Ahlberg, Rev, Jane

Jamie

Rebecca Strang, chair Missions Sub-committee

Moran, Michael Rigby,

Barickman, Sandy Rice and Jeff Carusone

Outreach Highlights

Once a month, volunteers provide breakfast food through the Morning Glory program at the Dorothy Day House in Danbury. We also deliver sandwiches and casseroles once a month.

The Outreach tent at the church fair provides the community at large with valuable information through handouts and visual aids for the varied organizations we support.

Posy, puppy in training for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, greets guests at the fair and helps us tell the First Church story of outreach to the community.

WANT TO LEARN MORE:

The organizations that Outreach supports can be found at the First Church website under the “Church Life” tab, the “Serve the World” tab and the “Partners” tab. There you will find the list of the organizations and links to their websites.

A Message from Our Director of Music

This year’s story begins with me at the height of the pandemic, embracing technology I had been actively avoiding for years. As we’ve tried to return to our pre-covid existence, it’s become apparent that the pandemic has made some permanent changes to how we make music, and the technology I cursed has become a blessing. Some highlights and challenges, or in more biblical terms, blessings and curses:

Blessing: We’re all back together singing in the Sanctuary. Curse: There are still scary viruses floating around, so the choir remains socially distanced in the balcony, with masks optional.

Blessing: Some people think we sound better in the balcony.

Blessing: Some choir members are blessed with talented children. Curse: Those children’s athletic and artistic pursuits often require their parents’ chauffeur/chaperone skills on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings.

Blessing: Some choir members are blessed with adorable grandchildren. Curse: Grandchildren must be adored and cared for, often on rehearsal nights and Sunday mornings.

Mark in the Midst of the Pandemic

“Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.” - Martin Luther

“It can also be a heckuva lot of work sometimes.” - Mark Cherry

Blessing: Some choir members are blessed with wonderful extended families.

Curse: These families must visit, be visited, and/or cared for on rehearsal nights and Sunday mornings.

Blessing: Some choir members are retired and free to travel at will.

Curse: They do. All this means that offering quality music every Sunday can be a real challenge. There were several Sundays in 2022 when I wasn’t s ’d h th i t p h c m fo C S h I v

Our Church Choir Performing in the Balcony

ou ever wished you could join oir, but can’t commit to singing single Sunday or to Thursday ehearsals, you’ve come to the hurch! For more info, please see er church or email me.

Similar blessings and curses abound with our Handbell Ensemble.

Blessing: We try to ring once a month, depending on the ringers' availability. Curse: Most pieces require a minimum of 6 ringers and we only have 7 active ringers. Recently, out of 5 possible Sundays, there was only one where 6 ringers were available.

This “new age” of church music does require a lot more behind-the-scenes work from yours truly, but it also requires our singers and ringers to do some homework. I thank them all for their dedication and commitment, to say nothing of their talent and their heart.

A huge thank you to Karen Perkins, who has wrangled our music library back into order after the chaos that resulted from the pandemic, followed by the sprinkler project.

We’re often blessed by visits from Rick Sadlon. We had half of our traditional brass quartet return for Easter services (two were sidelined at the last minute with COVID), and Ricky Myint joined Rick for our Christmas Eve services. We continue to maintain our instruments in good repair. The choir is grateful for the new choir room air cleaner that maintains a healthy air quality for our in-person rehearsals.

As we continue to explore the ever-changing world of church music after the pandemic, we’ll do our best to keep making "a joyful noise unto the Lord”.

Respectfully submitted, Mark Cherry

“All the best songs are co-written by God, y’know.” - Bono

If you’d like to join in ringing handbells, please email me or see me after church. The time commitment is minimal: I record a rehearsal track, the ringers practice on their own at home (without bells), then we put it together the morning of the performance.

Rick Sadlon, flute, with Masked Piano Man.

The Tasha Tudor memorial choir room piano was moved to the Sanctuary when our grand piano was being refurbished, then to Fellowship Hall for services during the sprinkler project.

Music Committee Report

2022. There was much for us to rejoice about in song and bells.

We remained singing in the balcony where we can spread out safely (and not wear heavy choir robes!).The choir has become very skilled at listening to Mark’s directions from below although Christmas was a bit of a challenge trying to watch his hands conducting high over his head from the organ!

Also, Mark’s amazing growing IT skills gave us multiple ways to practice our music at home. I imagine it takes him hours to make soprano, alto, tenor and bass recordings PLUS a mix recording for us to practice as if we’re all together. He does this with a smile AND we still met on Thursday nights for much of the year.

Our new sprinkler system gave us a grand opportunity to clean up our downstairs choir room (thank you, sprinkler team!) We returned to the room this fall with a new air scrubber and a lovely ceiling to bounce our celestial voices around the room. Solos, duets and a few guest children singers happened this summer while the services were held alongside the coffee and cookies.

The Bradford family also contributed several times this year with their amazing musical talents. Luann Stone stepped in leading the congregation in song when Mark was on vacation. Thank you, all!

Speaking of children singers, we’re still developing ways to bring back more music to our youth.Kimberly Fais is working on this and we’re always looking for adult volunteers who would like to help out.

We raised a record amount of money for our special music at Christmas time. Thank you for all your memorials and dedications. Our 5pm Christmas service also featured more youth performing!

Hopes and dreams for 2023:

Less Covid and colds right before the holidays.

More intergenerational singing with youth and adults

More guest youth musicians at our services Bells bells bells!

And we welcome any suggestions!

Respectfully submitted, Annie Evans, Music Committee

Fellowship Committee Report

With Covid-19 still a very real threat and fear in both our community and nation, our fellowship activities in 2023 have remained hampered by peoples’ willingness and comfortlevel with social gathering. Consequently, the fellowship calendar for 2022 was significantly less robust than it has been in past years.

Our first fellowship event was a fundraising auction held on Saturday May 7th. Auction items were donated by church members and our local community. The reception and silent auction were held in Fellowship Hall which was lavishly decorated by a very energetic volunteer committee. The live auction was held in the Meetinghouse. Within the meetinghouse, a truss was suspended between the balconies and from it was hung a purple Austrian curtain which served as a backdrop and blocked the pulpit area from view. Spotlights and decorations completed the transformation into a lovely auction space. The gross income from the auction was over $30,000.

Our second fellowship event was a church picnic on August 27th held at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club fields on Cross Highway.

The event was potluck, though the fellowship committee provided the hamburgers and hotdogs. Dinner was grilled and served under the pavilion and a myriad of sporting goods were brough, in large part by MSYG chair Ginny Wood. Because of Ginny’s wonderful energy and enthusiasm, the MSYG students made a strong showing at the event and had a wonderful time playing games such as frisbee, cornhole and giant-Jenga.

The fellowship committee organized and staffed the Food Tent at the church fair on Saturday September 24th. The experience was fairly similar to past years and largely unremarkable other than the mention that much of the staff was middle school students who did a bang-up job of selling lunch to Redding.

Fellowship Committee

The final fellowship event for the year was the Daylight Savings Breakfast held on Sunday November 6th. The fellowship committee along with several volunteers served breakfast to the congregation in fellowship hall beginning at 9am. The cost was a suggested $5 per person. This event was, as it has been in the past, quite well attended and a pleasure to host. A note for the future: our congregation has an insatiable love for bacon.

As I write this in January of 2023, it is my opinion that our nation’s collective fear of Covid-19 has diminished significantly over the course of 2022. It is my hope that, barring any new and particularly dangerous viral strains, fear will continue to decrease allowing fellowship events to increase – particularly indoor ones.

On a personal note, I want to thank all of the people who helped with this year’s fellowship events, especially Carolyn Baker, Christie Cotter, Alexis Gerbracht, Caroline Pheeney, Jennifer Wastrom, Amy Whittle, and Ginny Wood. My biggest thank-you goes to my cochair Rudd Andersen for his many years of steady support in our various fellowship ventures together.

Respectfully submitted by Ashley Bishop, Co-Chair of the Fellowship Committee

Meditation and Memorial Garden Report

It is the honor of our committee to maintain and improve the Meditation and Memorial Garden as a place of peace and reflection. As a mature garden, much of our focus this past year has been on the maintenance the various natural and manmade parts of the Garden. Thanks to the caring efforts of the Committee members and Galdamez Landscaping, the frequently re-stained benches offer a welcome place to sit, the newly-planted annuals give a pop of color as they blossom in the spring, the engraved stepping stones are cleared and easy to read as you walk along the path, and the many trees, bushes and plants are well-pruned, offering a naturally beautiful setting to its visitors. We hope that many of you are among those visitors and we invite all of you to enjoy the Garden in the coming year.

This past year there were three interments of loved ones and no scatterings. The Garden is a financially self-sustaining entity, separate from the general church budget and depends upon donations in many forms to stay solvent.

peace, respite and nourishment of spirit

The purchase of a niche in the memorial wall, plants and personalized stepping stones are wonderful ways to support the Garden.

The Meditation and Memorial Garden was created as a place for all to come for peace, respite and nourishment of spirit. Please come and enjoy all that it has to offer!

The

Respectfully submitted,

Meditation and Memorial Garden Committee Deborah DeMarche Carusone, Current Chair and Hollis Barickman ,Onboarding Chair Bob Lucido (Treasurer), MaryLynn Santa (Secretary), Deb Rakich, Jack Cutler, and Sandy Rice

40 Women's Guild Report

Thank you to all the friends and members who have donated flowers for the communion table on Sundays, including Easter and Poinsettias for Christmas Eve during 2022.

Respectively submitted, Lois Shupp Flower Chair

Sunday Flowers

Annual Meeting 2022 Minutes

First Church of Christ Congregational, Redding, CT Annual Meeting Minutes

Sunday January 30, 2022 291st Annual Meeting

The meeting was a hybrid meeting held in person and via Zoom Video Conference. The meeting was called to order by Kathie Cyr, Chair of the Church Council.

The Church Bylaws require a meeting be held in January. Notice of the meeting is to be announced from the pulpit or sent via mail not fewer than 8 days prior to the scheduled meeting. Notice was first published in the Steeple, available 12/31/2021, weekly email since 1/5/2022, and has been announced from the pulpit since 1/16/2022. In addition, the 2021 Annual Report was distributed to membership via electronic means on January 21, 2022, therefore notice requirements have been met. In addition, the bylaws require 10% of the 424 active membership (42 persons) be present to vote. Approximately 70 people were present in person or via ZOOM, therefore Quorum requirements were met.

Kathie Cyr provided an overview of the features of the zoom call.

Kathie Cyr asked for a motion to dispense with the reading of the 2021 Annual Meeting Minutes, which are presented in the 2021 Annual Report. The motion passed with no discussion.

The agenda was presented:

Adoption of the 2022 Annual Budget An update on the Endowment Fund

An update from the Church Life Committee

Election of committee chairs and Deacons Special

Recognitions

2022 Annual Budget

Presented by Luann Stoner, Chair of Business and Finance and Tom Santa, Treasurer

Tom Santa presented the 2021 financial performance. The proposed budget for 2021 was $529,040 and despite the impact of COVID-19, FCCC operated with a $25,000 surplus. Pledges were at budget, with lower than expected contributions being offset by the success of the Golf Outing, Church Fair and Fellowship activities. Over $20,000 were donated to purchase live streaming equipment and for piano refurbishment. An additional, $124,000 was donated to the “Bill North Memorial” to fund the purchase of a fire protection system for the sanctuary. The $51,700 loan received in 2020 under the SBA Payroll Protection Plan was forgiven in 2021.

Two questions were raised:

1.

2.

The Treasurer’s report shows income of $627K and expenses of $550K for 2021. This is an excess of income of $77K. Do the expenses shown reflect the $22k that is to be used as a carry over? Answer –the difference reflects the PPP loan that was forgiven and the surplus. Why are we NOT using some of the excess income of 2021 and putting into reserves for 2022 and beyond? AnswerThe surplus was used to offset the deficient in pledges to maintain funding for 2022 staff, church home and programs.

Luann Stoner presented the 2022 Budget, requesting a $561,604 budget, with a $22,257 shortfall being supplemented by the carryover of the 2021 surplus. Luann Stoner requested a motion to approve the 2022 budget. The motion was passed with no discussion.

Endowment Fund – Presented by Tom Santa

Tom Santa reviewed the Endowment as detailed in the Annual Report. The endowment balance increased $57,1777 from FYE 2021 to $405,361 as at November 30, 2021. No comments or discussion followed.

Church Life Committee – Presented by Suzanne England, Chair of Deacons

Suzanne England reviewed the Church Life Committee and its roles during the COVID-19 Pandemic, providing an overview of the transition of the committee to a guidance driven function. She provided an update as to the transition of church services and mask requirements. In addition, she provided an update as to campus usage requirements.

Change of Officers and Deacons presented by Kathie Cyr, Chair of the Church Council

Council Nominees: Chris Nolan – Chair of Property

Deacons Nominees: Chuck Alte and Andy Heller

Kathie Cyr made a motion to approve the nominees. The motion passed with no further discussion.

Special Recognitions

Kathie Cyr recognized: Charlie Eichhorn was recognized for his role as the director of Communications.

Suzanne England recognized: Deacons: Holly Hill and Eric Cowles, who are stepping down after serving their terms.

Kathie Cyr recognized retiring nonCouncil leaders:

Michele Furrer, Lead for Helping Hands for 4 years.

Carol and Don Conklin, delegates to So. NE Conference & Fairfield East Association for the past 5 years.

Tina Dahm, Dorothy Day 12 years & Artisan Liaison for over 5 years. Courtney Cowles & Lorraine Chilson , tag sale leads for over 6 years.

Katie Rice, Jewelry boutique lead for 7 years.

Lynn Eichhorn, Food for Fellowship Ministry lead for the past 8 years, with Kris Tartaglia’s assistance.

Loreen Bradley, Fair Chair for 14 years.

Sue Paola and Lee Morgan, Fair Pie Bake leads for 20 plus years.

Kathie Cyr recognized:

Continued recognition of: Jackie Dinowitz (CE), Suzanne England, (Chair Deacons), and Ashley Bishop, Tom McNulty and Mark Cherry for their extraordinary efforts. Tom McNulty for dedicating countless hours videotaping and editing our on-line services. Ashley Bishop for her continued efforts with technology, stewardship, fellowship, and our pledge drive.

Chris Nolan, who volunteered as Interim Property Chair, forming a property committee.

Dean Ahlberg and Jane Moran, for continued faithful leadership.

Lois Schupp who, for over 20 years, organized altar flowers and is continuing to do so.

Dean Ahlberg and Suzanne England shared three other special recognitions: Elected by the Deacons to Deacon Emeritus Tom Wetzel, Bill North, and Pam Miller

Final Remarks

Final remarks were given by Kathie Cyr, Chair of the Church Council, with special mention of open leadership positions within the congregation, including:

Church Fair Manager or co-managers Liaison to artisans Pie Bake lead Studio Co-lead Electronic Payment Specialist Treasurer-in-training

Kathie Cyr also noted that most of the Church Council will be retiring next year and new Council members (and deacons) will be needed.

Kathie Cyr made a motion to adjourn. The motion passed with no further discussion.

Respectfully submitted, Carolyn Baker, Clerk of the Church

The First Church of Christ, Congregational 25 Cross Highway – P.O. Box 1055 Redding Center, CT 06875

Telephone (203) 938-2004 or Fax (203) 938-4112 main@FirstChurchRedding.org www.FirstChurchRedding.org

The Rev. Dr. Dean C. Ahlberg, Senior Minister

The Rev. Jane Elizabeth Moran, Associate Minister Mark Cherry, Director of Music Kimberley Fais, Director of Children’s Ministries

Betty Granata, Office Administrator Terry Tatta, Sexton