The Congregationalist June 2019 : simplebooklet.com

Table of CONTENTS Features 6 10 14 16 18 20 22 24 From the Archives ON THE COVER School of Hope drummer boys The Precious Gift of Remembering Pastoral Care to the Memory Impaired Preserving the Past by Building the Future Mrs Peabody and the 12 Bibles A Ministry for All Departments Fall Silent Retreat Convocation Coast to Coast 4 8 12 23 25 26 27 OUR VOYAGE TOGETHER The Congregational Advantage ALONG THE WAY NEWS AND NEEDS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NECROLOGY PASTORATES AND PULPITS CALENDAR EDITORIAL STATEMENT All content in The Congregationalist appears by the authority of the editor We reserve freedom of expression to our authors and freedom of opinion to our readers Except for service information clearly sponsored by the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches NACCC or its component parts content does not necessarily reflect policies and opinions of the NACCC Neither The Congregationalist nor the NACCC has a creed or holds positions on social or theological issues but we recognize the authority of each local church to do so for itself if and as it wishes and we encourage thoughtful and respectful discussion of our agreements and differences

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OUR Voyage TOGETHER By Michael Chittum Executive Director National Association of Congregational Christian Churches The Congregational Advantage 1 Congregationalism has advantage over other polities in being more scriptural than they In Dexter s perspective this is patently obvious because the New Testament endorses the simple propositions of a democratic polity 128 Henry Martyn Dexter 2 Congregationalism has advantage over other polities in being more practicable than they Dexter asserts It is the only polity that can form and run a church regularly without external authority and help 129 I n 1880 The Congregational Publishing Society published a small volume written by Henry Martyn Dexter The title is A Hand Book of Congregationalism Dexter stated his reasons for writing this book in his preface He indicated that first of all he saw a need for a brief introduction to Congregationalism that would be easily accessible and comprehensible Secondly he wrote he had learned so much since he published his multi volume work The Congregationalism of the Last Three Hundred Years as Seen in Its Literature that he wanted to put some of his new discoveries into print In this handbook Dexter provides an overview of a number of Congregational topics including discussions of history polity doctrine and worship among others One of the interesting chapters is titled The Advantages of Congregationalism Let me share with you his major points in this section 4 3 Congregationalism has advantage over other polities in that it more promotes popular intelligence Dexter commented It teaches its members that equal responsibility and privilege rest upon them and it treats each as if he were a man sic full grown to whom Christ has assigned a specific work and from whom He expects a specific and intelligent obedience 130 4 Congregationalism has advantage over all other polities in the United States in that it more exactly than any other comports with and favors our republican form of government His explanation is The seed principle of a Congregational church is the republican principles of the State 131 5 Congregationalism has advantage over other polities in that it better guards its adherents against the ill effects of spiritual error In Dexter s view The experience of the world has proved that there is under God no safeguard against false doctrine so efficient as the Christian common sense of the mass of believers enlightened purified and led by the indwelling Holy Spirit 132 6 Congregationalism has advantage over all other polities in that it more tends to promote the religious life Dexter states It puts nothing between the heart and its divine Lord and this humbles purifies and stimulates 134 7 Congregationalism has advantage of all other polities in its outlook toward the future While other polities will bend to popular will Dexter believes I may say with all my heart it Congregationalism can only need to perfect itself in the line of its own philosophy and be all which its own normal possibilities suggest to fit it for the fullness of that brighter day 135 That was the view of one of the scholars of Congregationalism in 1880 As we look ahead to the 400th remembrance of the landing on Plymouth by our spiritual ancestors it is good for us to consider why we remain in the Congregational tradition Our understandings may differ from Dexter s but we should be able to give our own statements on the advantages of Congregationalism Grace and Peace Michael

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From the Archives From THE CONGREGATIONALIST February 1958 Volume 1 Issue 1 By Reverend Harry R Butman Los Angeles CA Chair Executive F or the first time since September 1935 the name THE CONGREGATIONALIST appears at the masthead of a journal of religion In Milwaukee January 22 1958 the Executive Committee of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches in accordance with the directive given by the Hartford meeting elected a Commission on Mission and Church Extension These two events are facets of a single truth of first importance for all Congregationalists The National Association has now taken the bold but inevitable step of evangelizing By means of these agencies by word and by deed the Christian Gospel will be proclaimed and spread in the Congregational way This is a strong step forward For almost a quarter of a century seminary professors have taught powerful ecclesiasts have promoted and docile ministers have echoed the doctrine that the Gospel is a summons to submission and that the Kingdom of God is an ecclesiastical super state The word ecumenicity that Baal that Golden calf of Protestant officialdom has ben the cantrip the spell that has ensorcelled preachers and laymen alike although the word never fell from Christ s lips nor is its advocacy to be found in his teachings Urged by the same compulsive craving for conformity which has led to the totalitarian state in the world of politics men of religion have cried for chains and this is a cry which goes unheard or unanswered 6 Liberty is Viable But liberty is a hard growth and the drought of Gospel truth in these years has but stunted not killed it With the reappearance of a name once most honored in all religious journalism and the establishment of a commission to build free churches and to spread the free church faith we are seeing spiritual renaissance Not without reason did Dr Daniel Poling elder statesman among the Christian editors in the United States call the Hartford gathering of the National Association the most prophetic meeting in American Protestantism in the last fifty years The statement was ignored by the religious reporters of the major newspapers for they too have fallen under the spell of the Circe of ecumenicity But it was made and it was true The tide of tomorrow is with the individual not the many In the days to come How long O Lord how long men will move forward out of the gray pall of conformity which now befogs them The whole life process works toward freedom and individuality and today s sad stagnation by which the group is glorified is but a back eddy in the mighty stream of life force Man dare not lose his individuality in the herd only in God can that loss take place to the soul s profit Let us rejoice therefore that we are fearlessly thrusting the craft of our movement out into the rough strong current of that stream disdaining the safety of the marshy backwaters THE CONGREGATIONALIST and the Mission and Church Extension will make religious history as they reclaim an ancient and presently tarnished treasure by proclaiming the good news of the freedom of the Christian man with all the daring and wholeness which true Congregationalism so abundantly possesses

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February 1958 By Chris Surber Committee NACCC The Reverend Harry R Butman was a Congregational minister for 72 years and a prolific writer on the topics of theology and the spiritual life He helped found the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches NACCC and was editor of The Congregationalist in the late 1960s The Trumpet Sound For we have a message to proclaim and that message is freedom Consider the good words the Holy page has for us 0th the 40 h c a o r p outh s we ap f Plym ural a o t a g n in d is It foun nd the y of the to ry a r is a h s r e e h t ins anniv rica the o rig in Ame r e m s id li s a n to co n gation nt It ca Congre e f o lg t u c d a imp the self in rd with can be a w ia r o lg f a t g d Nos nimate us goin a e t t a a h iv t t o r pose also m an and pu r o v r e past c e h f t f t o a d g kin ookin eading ture L bears L e u r f o e f h g r t o ou l Meetin way int a e u h n t n s A show u ACCC e The 020 N 2 e Main h d t n la t r from up to o ce in P articles n e e r r u e t f a n Co t will fe nalists tionalis regatio a g g n e o r C g y y Con re toda ritten b a w e s w e e iv h whe r the arc g us to in r b d e lp who he Edito r Proclaim liberty throughout the land and unto the inhabitants thereof With a great price obtained I this freedom The glorious liberty of the children of God Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free Brethren these and many like words should be to us as the shouts of strong men going forth to righteous battle and as the songs of Deborah hailing the returning victors An army charges best when a trumpet is sounded e King nn Maria There are those of us who recall the name of the paper in the great days when it was the voice of free Congregationalism The full and all but forgotten title was THE CONGREGATIONALIST AND HERALD OF GOSPEL LIBERTY God grant in the days to come that all who cherish freedom and toil for its triumph may be cheered in reading this reborn paper by words of truth and challenge and chronicles of achievement and comradeship May it be a silver trumpet which will with no uncertain sound forever blow the brave music of freedom Continued 7

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THE Along WAY Drying out the fellowship hall Hosanna Industries Assists Damaged Church D Hosanna workers and volunteers gather in front of the AME church The First Congregational Church of Yarmouth Yarmouth Port MA Following Christ We Proclaim the Gospel Teach God s Word And Serve with Love We are searching for a full time Senior Pastor to guide us on our Christian journey sharing God s Word and His love with our church and the local communities 8 More information about our church may be found on our website www fccyarmouth org as well as on our Church Information Form at www naccc org uring the week of March 11 2019 Hosanna Industries was led by the Lord to the town of Burgaw North Carolina where Hurricane Florence had caused severe damage We were able to help a local AME church that had lost the use of its building since the Cape Fear flooded the town There was a recorded eight inches of water that had damaged the interior of the building We renovated the fellowship hall to provide a place of worship for the church members After the completion of the project Hosanna gathered with the volunteers that had traveled from far and near alongside the members of the church and participated in Holy Communion together It was yet another miracle that took place because of the Lord and his people that were willing to be his servants Thank you to all that supported our efforts and continue to do so We are grateful Katie DeJournette 29 is a mission worker at Hosanna Industries in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania She has served at the mission for seven years and is dedicated to the Lord s work

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YOU HAVE A The Congregationalist celebrates the voices of Congregationalism unique in our thinking and unified by our heritage DONATE TO THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES Please cut and send to The Congregationalist NACCC PO Box 288 Oak Creek WI 53154 Yes Please use my our gift to support the Congregational Way through The Congregationalist Editor s Round Table 1 000 Henry Martyn Dexter Society 250 499 Elias Smith Connexion 500 999 Edward Beecher Society 100 249 Sustaining ___________Other A check is enclosed made payable to the NACCC Please charge my credit card MasterCard Visa Amount ________________ Card Number _______________________________ CVV Code _________ Expiration Date ______ _______ Name____________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________________________________________ City __________________________________________________State ___________________ Zip ________________ Phone ____________________________________________ E mail Address __________________________________ Church ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank You For Your Generosity All Gifts Are Tax Deductible To The Fullest Extent Allowed By Law 9

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THE PRECIOUS GIFT of Remembering By Rev Casey vanderBent T o say that people appreciate it when they are remembered by others is hardly a radical new concept We know it to be true and when we are at our best we engage in that remembering in beautiful ways We are trained to respond to the needs of others in our families our churches or simply by the prodding of our own hearts People in hospitals or care centers folks who have lost a loved one or experienced a tragedy the aging or infirm they are all remembered at least for a time in the midst of their need Where we sometimes fail in remembering is when we stop reaching out to folks too soon We might make a special effort to contact a friend after 10 a loss perhaps even seeing them or helping in some way for a week or two What happens to them though when a month has passed and they are still submerged in grief but everyone else has moved on It can get pretty lonely The other way we fall short of being present to people in need is by failing to recognize their need in the first place I find this to be especially true of those who have had a life transition for good or bad that suddenly plucks them from regular participation in a community to little or no interaction with the people who had been so much a part of their lives Retirement in particular can do this So too can changing jobs or moving to a new place It can be especially painful for those with chronic illness who have to deal not only with their failing health but with the loneliness that comes from no longer being able to be involved in the activities and communities that once gave meaning to their lives I have had the great privilege of being the NACCC s minister to its retired clergy for over 10 years except for the two years I served as Interim Executive when Rev Cindy Bacon Hammer took over for me I took on the task from George Brown who invented the position but found he could not continue the work I can tell you with certainty that a great many of our retirees feel very keenly the loneliness and lack of connection that comes with the transition from active participation in our churches and Association to little or no involvement It isn t just that the time needs to be filled It s that people with whom they worked for years are suddenly gone from their lives Relationships that were deeply meaningful forged through shared work and experiences fade away quickly This ought not to be so Another group that might escape our notice are those who participated in the life of our Association as clergy or lay people whose lives eventually take them outside of our body Perhaps they are lay people who move to a new place where they can no longer attend an NACCC church Perhaps they are clergy who take on a call in a non NACCC church Whatever their reason for departing they deserve to be remembered They deserve to know that the relationships they d developed sometimes over many years of service mean as much to those of us who remain actively involved as they do to them This is not about acting out of a sense of guilt at our inactivity but out of a sense of thanksgiving for the people whom God has placed in our lives In the spirit of full disclosure and not at all to generate attention for myself I must confess that I am one of those who have felt keenly the intense isolation and loneliness that can come from a departure from active NACCC participation in my case due to declining health I know personally the feeling of having been forgotten that I have heard expressed by retired clergy folks who have moved on to other places or jobs and those whose health or other personal issues make it impossible to participate in the ways they might wish There s a simple remedy for all of this First of all if you are feeling any

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The Reverend Casey vanderBent has served NACCC churches in Minnesota and Ohio as well as taking part in leadership positions with CFTS Executive Committee Annual Meeting Planning and most recently as the Interim Executive Secretary for the Association He lives in St Croix Beach Minnesota with his wife Teresa and though he is no longer able to work he continues to serve as our minister to the Association s retirees pangs of regret from what I ve written I encourage you to offer yourself the same forgiveness you would offer to another person Then take some action Is there somebody with whom you were once close in the NACCC who has for whatever reason had to limit or discontinue their participation Is there a retiree who made a difference in your journey with whom you have lost contact Is there even perhaps someone who was important in the life of the Association whom you never met but would like to know If God places somebody on your heart I urge you to reach out to them Our database has contact information for many of those who were once more active in our Association I m sure that we can help you reach out to that person Please take the time today to offer that precious gift of remembering Thank you and God bless you 11

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AND News NEEDS of OUR DRUM ROLL PLEASE On February 11 2019 Mission School of Hope in Cameroon Africa participated in the 53rd National Youth Day part of a week long celebration of youth This day is dedicated to getting the nation s youth involved in constructive activities and to help them learn to take leadership and participate in the culture and society The youth plan the activities including parades learning workshops public music performances planting trees community service and sports competitions For the past six years Mission School of Hope children were among the best from all the primary schools competing in the area parade School of Hope drummer boys is needed The Rev Charles Nyane of Word Alive Missions Association Ghana traveled to Baltimore Maryland for cataract surgery He has responded so well to medication that surgery was not necessary Thank you for your prayers Political unrest continues in Haiti Please pray that God s Word and work prevail amidst the chaos For more information on any of these missions or to make a donation to any of the above projects please contact Mission Administrator Julie Robie at 1 800 262 1620 or jrobie naccc org 12 Rev Jim Owens Love Worth Sharing reports that the long awaited supplies arrived in Haiti Pilgrim Center for Reconciliation At a recent Training Retreat for South Sudanese Leaders in Mayo 21 leaders from six different tribes were trained to bring the message of reconciliation to multiple regions These leaders will help influence the future of this beautiful country in the name of Jesus Christ As one leader testified Little did I know that it was God s plan for my breakthrough on January 26th 2019 During one of the reflection times I came out with my bottle of water my Bible and my books to a place under the mango tree Then the Lord spoke to me you need more of me and need to be rooted in me When it came to the group prayer time I then presented my burning issue to Jesus Christ and as the group prayed for me God healed me immediately Now I have been relieved restored and renewed and I am so grateful I can hear God again John South Sudanese Leader

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For more information on any of these missions or to donate to any of the these projects please contact Julie Robie Missions Administrator at jrobie naccc org For a complete listing of NACCC Mission Projects please go to our website www naccc org and click on the Missions tab Mission and Outreach Ministry Council NACCC PO Box 288 Oak Creek WI 53154 Panamerican Institute Tijuana Mexico presented their 19 future graduates and asked for prayers as they prepare for their graduation ceremony in June ECHO International Inc ECHO just celebrated Southwest Florida s premier festival Thousands of people tasted exotic foods experienced life in a different country explored the 55 acre Global Farm toured a tropical rainforest saw the 300 variety seed bank and learned about alternative energies There were also activities for kids of all ages to touch taste and experience their way around the world while learning about world hunger and ways that they can make an impact Fishers of Men Delivers Services Julie Claassen informed us that the latest crusade team is back home at Fishers of Men Mexico After nine days away from home including six days of giving free medical care and sharing the Word of God they provided 1092 services A reported 145 individuals prayed to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior MissionNEEDS Christ to the Villages Nigeria needs a four wheel vehicle for the mission Word Alive Mission Ghana requires construction materials for the Ghana Guest House and hospital The guest house will be used to house visiting missionaries work teams and eventually pregnant women who are close to their delivery date and must travel from their villages for care It will be just across the street from the hospital Annual Meeting Conference 2019 Cleveland Ohio The invited missionaries for the NACCC 2019 Annual Meeting in June will be Rev Harding Stricker Association Civil Cristiana Congregational Argentina and Rev Julio Santana Bread of Life Florida There will be many other missionaries attending who are eager to meet their friends and thank their supporters More information is posted on the NACCC website www naccc org 13

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Pastoral Care to the MEMORY IMPAIRED By Michael W Glidden I n twenty six years of pastoral ministry I ve encountered people within church life that have significant memory issues such as Alzheimer s or dementia I ve witnessed the interactions of family and the family of faith with those affected Growing up I ve seen how my family dealt with a loved one living with profound memory loss All these experiences have impacted how I provide pastoral care I would like to offer some of these experiences to you I hope at some point that we ll be able to dialogue on this topic My Great Grandfather John died right before I was born in the late 1960 s I heard tales of his service in WWI and being a folk hero of sorts I have a picture of him in his military uniform dating back to the early 1900s He looked like a very determined and proud man yet his eyes spoke of a life different than mine 14 My mother tells the story of how John had to come live with her two brothers and their parents Some of the stories are comical yet sad There was the time Grandpa John was home alone and put so many logs on the fire that all the knots in the walls were blown out by the time the kids got home Can you imagine in the middle of the summer all the walls had gaping holes We joked that he created some Downeast Maine air conditioning On another occasion Grandpa John took a wheelbarrow down the middle of the highway thinking that it was a car Yes he was in the middle of traffic on famous Route 1 He even wore one green sock and one red sock as he rode his car to some destination The family often chuckled with the memory of these events but there was a sad ending John left their home after living with them for 20 years According to my mother the last straw was when Grandpa dumped a whole bucket of paint over her brother s head for no apparent reason He may have mistaken the paint for shampoo Grandpa John couldn t be alone anymore Grandpa defined my mom s and her sibling s childhood memories It didn t matter that he had dementia he was still Grampy He was loved for just being himself However he was getting more difficult and agitated as the years went on which took a toll on the family John went to live with relatives in another state and died shortly after arriving I remember Grandmother telling me how important those sustained relationships with Grandpa were Relationships that were broken by his moving As a young child I heard about

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The Rev Michael Glidden D Min is Supply Minister at North Deering Meeting House in Portland Maine He has been pastoring since 1993 Rev Glidden earned his Master of Divinity Degree in 1995 from Bangor Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in 2002 He was ordained in 2000 Mike lives in South Portland with his wife Rhonda Grandpa John over and over again not knowing that one day I would be a pastor and encounter folks in the church that also have struggles with memory I m sure glad that I heard these early stories of Grandpa All I have is a faded picture and a relationship that I have only through stories Grandpa John still speaks to me today in some of my pastoral encounters I don t believe that anything happens by chance God uses past experiences and life circumstances to teach us something And that is what happened to me Many years ago when I was pastoring in Upstate New York I met an elderly woman living with severe memory issues Doris always came in with her family Never alone She had a shuffle as she walked She had a constant deadpan expression on her face She was usually mumbling Her family was always clarifying what she was saying or meant to say Most of the time they spoke for her Doris had lost her voice and not just literally Church folks kept her at a distance as if her condition were contagious It was like she was a walking plague I wondered how she would ever connect with anyone in the church if folks always kept her away I had an unusual relationship with Doris God uses unusual people to bless us and that s what happened with me At that time over 20 years ago I was struggling with my weight Doris looked me straight in the eye and said I was a very fat man while she pointed at my round stomach I looked at her with horror My wife said my eyes looked like they had seen a ghost Yeah she was right and honest and I did lose the weight She actually motivated me Doris was aloof with family never really connecting to any of them almost ghost like She was always blunt She called things as she saw them in the moment Her emotions were real and raw laughing when I was acting silly or giving me a scowl if I forgot to shake her hand Doris nonsensical words had a way of reaching my heart In some ways she was the wise fool able to confront me at always the right moments In a sense she was a walking parable teaching us all life lessons I made it a sacred point to always call Doris by her name The scriptures spoke to me when I read about Adam naming the animals and giving them an identity Doris had an identity and I didn t want her to fall through the cracks in the church floor This story would go on Many months ago I was called to the hospital to provide pastoral care to a man who was dying Surrounding the bed were the children wife and friends His wife had been struggling with advanced dementia for many years She was a member of my church She sang in the choir and was always giving a helping hand when needed Family said that Debra had dementia for years yet her husband was able to keep it quite hidden He was good at interceding very quickly to answer questions directed to his wife This intercession allowed her cognitive abilities to appear somewhat normal We were all fooled for many years It seemed like an unending torment for Debra who continually asked me what happened to her husband She had to relive over and over again his sickness and death Each moment was as real as if she were just learning about the story anew The family was getting frustrated because they had to re grieve as they retold the story They wanted to move beyond the story of their father s death but Doris kept them anchored in the grieving process without even knowing it In a funny way she was the mysterious pastoral care giver to them It was a never ending loop She truly lived in the moment without any real connection to past or future events living exactly one moment at a time Where did I hear this before Maybe the Bible It was like literally being in an eternal now During that hospital call I saw Debra struggle to understand why she was at the hospital how she got there and what would happen in the immediate future I realized that dementia diminishes a person s context of linear time But it cannot diminish the time that God sets in our hearts God can use humor in unexpected places A couple of minutes after her husband passed Doris began to look at him I thought hers was a tender loving glance and touch as she caressed his mouth And then she said very sternly Boy what happened to your teeth they are really crooked My wife and I haven t had a good laugh like that for many years That humor broke the tension in the room allowing a fresh air of vulnerability and honesty to blow in The paradox is that somehow dementia keeps us bluntly honest I was reminded of the human condition and I could hear the words but for the grace of God go I 15

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Preserving the Past byBUILDING THE FUT By Margaret Bendroth Exciting New Plans at the Congregational Library and Archives L Books sermons and personal papers are among the library s collection The Congregational Library was founded in 1853 16 ibraries have a reputation for being very very quiet places where time stands still and no one talks above a whisper After living through all the changes taking place in the Congregational Library over the past 15 years I m more mystified than ever by that stereotype True our high ceilinged Victorian reading room is fairly serene and yes it does overlook a cemetery Boston s famous Granary Burying Ground But the world of books and archives has changed a lot since the Library was founded in 1853 In 2019 we have all kinds of new ways to serve researchers scholars and churches anyone wanting to know more about the Congregational story We ve been the memory keeper for the Congregational churches for more than a century and a half Thanks to our founders and the many wonderful people who took up the challenge after them we have a rich and often astonishing array of rare books sermons personal papers and of course scores of records from Congregational churches Researchers can come to the Library and read a Sunday school lesson from the 1890s or letters from missionaries posted anywhere from Colorado to Japan South Africa to China They can see pages from Cotton Mather s diary or read what The Congregationalist had to say about the Spanish American War and the Panama Canal or newfangled inventions like the radio and the telephone We are a home for curious minds The Library s founders wanted people to know the story of the Congregational Way and to understand how it has shaped American religious life civic society and democratic ideals The founders also cared deeply about the Congregational churches They wanted them to know what made their tradition important and distinctive and to remember the men and women from John Robinson on down who kept it vital and relevant The Library s founders gave us a mission not just to protect and preserve the past but to keep it alive in the present They d be surprised and pleased I hope to see all the ways that modern technology has helped us extend our welcome to more and more people many miles beyond our home in Boston Our online catalogue now with over 90 000 items allows anyone within reach of a computer to search through our collection The Library s webpage www congregationallibrary org gives instant access to information about Congregational history tips and resources for researchers and practical helps for churches celebrating anniversaries writing a history or caring for their records The webpage includes an obituary database we call it Find a Congregationalist with the names of over 30 000 ministers and missionaries from the seventeenth century to the present and direct links to digitized yearbooks and annuals

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TURE Margaret Bendroth has been the Executive Director of the Congregational Library and Archives since 2004 A historian of American religion her most recent books include The Last Puritans Mainline Protestants and the Power of the Past and The Spiritual Practice of Remembering We create public programs that bring noted scholars and popular authors to the Library widely available through livestreaming and in some cases C SPAN We ve also partnered with other major cultural institutions from universities and colleges to the US Park Service and the Old South Meetinghouse Our free app Puritan Boston Tests Democracy provides direction for walking tours and quick information about the people places and churches of New England s first founders Through our signature program New England s Hidden Histories 130 sets and growing of rare colonial era church records are freely available on our website digitized and in many cases transcribed The project has been featured on the front page of the New York Times and supported by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W Mellon Foundation So what s next The Congregational Library Archives has come a long way and we re grateful for all of the many friends and supporters who have made all these changes possible Now we are taking on a new challenge The Library has a unique and long awaited opportunity to expand and renovate its space making it more inviting for visitors and researchers more efficient for Library staff and safe and secure for our collection We are extending a new welcome with an expanded and updated entrance to our historic Reading Room complete with an information kiosk and secure lockers for researchers We re also providing office space for independent scholars using our collection Library staff will have a much needed break room and kitchen which will also be used to facilitate catering and hospitality at public events The new design will also include a handicapped accessible bathroom We are caring for our collection Our project will expand our sprinkler system and includes a new state ofthe art security system equipped with cameras and keyed access all necessary for a modern wellequipped library We are getting ready for 2020 We will have new signage for our Beacon Street entrance and we are upgrading our space for exhibits classes and seminars We have important work ahead All of this will put us in great place for the upcoming 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims arrival in Plymouth which we ll be marking with major public events programs and educational resources for local churches Reading room at the library We are creating better work spaces for our staff Instead of the cramped divided quarters they now occupy our librarians and archivists will have a large open workroom as well as dedicated space for digital projects and an in house scanner The design also includes offices for the library director and executive director and for development and outreach So much for quiet and sleepy This summer the Library will be undergoing a transformation by far the most ambitious and important project we ve ever taken on and that s saying something We will be the open efficient secure and above all welcoming place our founders envisioned more than a century and a half ago We will be a Library the Congregational churches can be proud of a place for preserving memories and creating new ones as relevant and vital as the tradition we represent 17

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Mrs Peabody THE 12 BIBLES and By Justin J Nierer W hen you were young you might have had an imaginary friend A person or character of some sort that encapsulated all the good stuff you thought would make a great friend someone to spend time with a figment of your inner thoughts you wanted to share life with Mrs Peabody is imaginary but she is not a friend I have created her as an illustration for a number of sermons and public speaking engagements She is all the negative experiences I have had in ministry while dealing with difficult people If Mrs Peabody actually existed I would consider her probably one of the most trying yet cunning church members you would ever have the immense displeasure to come across I present to you first in a series of articles about this notorious woman Every story I share is true except of course the names and an artistic embellishment here and there While you read you might start to shake your head and tell yourself that there is no way this happened or that there is no way a person could actually do this I assure you what you are about to read happened almost verbatim We have all known Mrs Peabody She is that person you smile at during a Sunday morning worship service but when the song gets a little loud the sermon gets a little long or the choir is a bit off you know exactly what she and her friends will be talking about during lunch I present to you dear reader for your enjoyment and hopefully encouragement as well as a reminder that you are not alone the story of Mrs Peabody and the 12 Bibles I was young quite young It was before our son was born and I was an inexperienced pastor ready to change the world ready to reach people for Jesus ready to be the guy What I wasn t ready for was Mrs Peabody It was during my first couple of months at a church and I was having the time of my life The church seemed happy my wife was encouraged the parsonage was nice the community welcoming etc One Sunday I felt like I was really in the zone when it came to the preaching time Have you ever been there I am sure you have if you have ever preached It s that moment when you are sharing and everything just seems to fit and you know this is what God has called you to and you are exactly where God wants you to be doing exactly what God wants you to be doing 18 I was feeling so good that during the message I made the following statement please feel free to follow along and take notes in your Bible If you don t have a Bible just take the one in the pew in front of you home please We have many so no worries First thing Monday morning I get a phone call Pastor Justin this is Mrs Peabody I was at the service yesterday morning of course and you told the people that if they needed a Bible to simply take one from the pew in front of them I wholeheartedly disagree with this I have paid for twelve of those Bibles in memory of my mother who went to be with the angels almost 30 years ago and my father who built the pulpit which you have the honor to preach from with his bare hands nearly 80 years ago I don t want anyone just to take one of those Bibles They have our name in it I will be in later this morning to pick them up Click

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The Reverend Justin J Nierer is the lead pastor of Sandstone Congregational Church in Jackson Michigan He absolutely loves being a Congregationalist adores the NACCC and enjoys spending time with his wife Seneca and their six year old son Wesley He can be reached any time via email at theoutreachguy hotmail com A few hours later Mrs Peabody shows up to the church I inform her that I have no idea which Bibles are hers What else could I say I was numb with disbelief I never thought never in a thousand years that someone wouldn t have wanted people to have Bibles They just don t teach you in seminary about Mrs Peabody For the next two hours I would come into the sanctuary from time to time and watch her I watched her go row by row pew by pew and open up each Bible each and every one If it had her name in it she would put it on a nearby pile and continue her search I watched as she would stare at some of the Bibles for a bit possibly reminiscing about the name she saw there In a couple instances after she read the name she put the Bible back in a huff There was a story behind that I m sure I quickly found out as you will find out in future issues dear reader that Mrs Peabody burned more bridges than she ever built and it was usually because she in her own unique way felt that her name belonged in those Bibles more than others After she was finished she found her 12 Bibles an exact dozen that she carried to her car in three trips I asked her if she needed help but of course she declined Some of you readers would have taken this as an opportunity for a teaching moment life lesson between you and this saint of the church I was not of that mind set I was still trying to figure out if this was actually happening Did this woman just come to the church and take away twelve Bibles Quite awhile later our dear Mrs Peabody became quite ill and I visited her in her home Of course as was with every visit unfortunately she reminded me about how other pastors seemed to visit more often and one even sang hymns with her I of course always politely smiled and tried to change the subject On her shelf I saw them there lined up neatly all in a row There were those twelve Bibles those twelve identical pew Bibles Oh how I wondered what she thought she would do with them knowing that she would never give them to anyone Later that afternoon I donated twelve Bibles in her name through the American Bible Society I considered that a victory Yes a silent victory but a victory nonetheless I wish there would have been a much better ending to this story that she saw the error of her ways and gave the Bibles back or bought all new Bibles for the church or gave a huge financial gift to the Gideons Alas human nature is a fallen one and sometimes people are well people And Mrs Peabody was quite the person And my dear friend this is only the beginning My journey with Mrs Peabody is in many ways endless and this has just been the first of many lessons we can learn from my experiences with her Arbor Grove Congregational Church 2621 McCain Road Jackson Michigan Since Arbor Grove Congregational Church was founded in 1950 there have been four pastors The Pastoral Search Commi ee is actively seeking applications Caring for our from interested Community candidates For more information regarding this position candidates may apply online at www naccc org or contact Laura Wright at NACCC 800 262 1620 ext 1614 lwright naccc org or contact us at AGCCSearch gmail com www arborgrovechurch org 19

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FOR ALL A Ministry By Lawrence Balleine T he worship bulletins of many churches reserve a space to list various responsibilities in the life of their congregation such as pastor accompanist liturgist and choir director Some bulletins also identify the congregation as ministers of the church an indication that this church affirms a rather basic and extremely important principle called the ministry of all believers We often think of some highly visible ministries including singing in the choir teaching a Sunday School class leading folks on a mission trip or even serving as a church officer when we consider the ministry of all believers Providing transportation to and from doctor appointments knitting mittens and caps for children in need distributing food at the local food pantry or delivering meals to the elderly may also come to mind There is however another fundamental ministry of the church that ought never be neglected It is the ministry of encouragement This essential ministry is mentioned in Paul s exhortation given near the end of his first letter to the Thessalonians the first written document of the New Testament Paul instructs these early followers of Jesus For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through 20 our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him Therefore encourage one another and build up each other The need for followers of Jesus to practice a ministry of encouragement may well be as critical today as it was when Paul first made this request The word encourage comes from the Greek word en meaning in and the Latin word cor meaning heart When we encourage another we PUT HEART into them How specifically does encouragement occur And how can we practice it First encouragement can be spoken Comments such as I believe you ve got what it takes to do this or You ll be able to get through this I ve seen strength in you that you probably don t even realize you have Such remarks can be tremendously encouraging for having another believe in us helps us to believe in ourselves And such encouragement certainly puts heart into us Another form of encouragement is demonstrated by showing up that is when we seek to be present with others and are there for them For someone s presence with us at critical and important times in our lives is not only a demonstration of caring such an act can also be tremendously encouraging putting heart into us That s why visitations after times of death are so important Twenty three years ago we moved to Monticello Wisconsin to begin our ministry with the folks at Zwingli Church Our son Travis did not want to leave Terre Haute Indiana He was half way through high school involved in the marching band and other school activities He had friends and had found his niche To say that he was a sullen fifteen year old from the time we made the decision to move until a couple of months after we arrived in Wisconsin is an understatement John entered our lives shortly after our arrival in Monticello and simply took Travis under his wing John was in his early sixties and a rather quiet non assuming fella who had farmed all his life Whenever he saw Travis he would ask him how he was doing or how things were going at school He showed a deep and genuine interest in our son When Travis joined the wrestling team John showed up at his matches He even accompanied me one bitterly cold winter night for a 200 mile round trip to a wrestling meet that lasted a mere 45 minutes When John had a crop of hay to be taken from his fields to his barn he would invite Travis to help load the bales onto the wagon and paid him extremely well John was an encourager and I will be forever grateful for what he did for Travis in his quiet but steady sort of way About ten years later at John s funeral meditation I said John was one of the finest examples of the ministry of encouragement I had ever seen He was one who certainly put heart into our son and all who knew him Thus when we encourage others their fear or hesitancy to attempt something is often lessened or diminishes and is replaced with confidence and assurance to face the challenge before them We need to remember that all the while we are seeking to encourage

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Lawrence H Balleine is a 1975 CFTS graduate and past contributor to The Congregationalist Now retired he served as a pastor with Congregational and United Church of Christ congregations for over forty years others there is one who is encouraging us The Lord An example of such encouragement recorded rather early in the Hebrew scriptures is in the first chapter of the Book of Joshua The story concerns the children of Israel who have fled from Egypt and have completed their sojourn in the wilderness They stand ready to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land when tragedy strikes Their great leader Moses dies and Joshua is appointed to take over that role It is at this critical time the Lord speaks to Joshua saying Now proceed to cross the Jordan you and all this people into the land that I am giving to them to the Israelite As I was with Moses so I will be with you I will not fail you or forsake you Be strong and courageous for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them Only be strong and very courageous being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you And a moment later the Lord repeats the message I hereby command you be strong and courageous do not be frightened or dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go And with this promise of God s abiding presence Joshua is encouraged and assumes the leadership of his people This role of the Lord or God the encourager continues in the person of Jesus Consider the gospel story recorded by Matthew in which the disciples are crossing the sea when a treacherous storm arises The disciples become frightened as they notice what appears to be a ghost coming toward them walking on the sea It is Jesus He shows up in their time of peril Recall that showing up is one form of encouragement Jesus says to them Take heart it is I What a powerful and remarkable comment Jesus then continues Do not be afraid This is an important lesson for the church of Jesus Christ which has always been symbolized as a ship or a boat Its message of encouragement is extended to the persecuted first century church that is to those who were the first to receive the written Gospel And it continues to speak to us For as we travel the seas of faith and encounter rough times it is Jesus who comes to us saying Take heart be encouraged It is I He is with us accompanying us through the storms we face in life encouraging us each step of the way And joining us if you will on our boat Note also what Jesus says to his disciples at time of his ascension You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem in Judea in Samara and to the ends of the earth And while Luke is recording these closing words in his Book of Acts Matthew is offering Jesus Great Commission wherein Jesus says to his disciples Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of God the Father Son and Holy Spirit And teach them to observe all that I have commanded you I wouldn t be surprised if these first disciples as with Joshua were feeling a little overwhelmed by this great responsibility Jesus concludes And remember I will be with you to the close of the age Nearly the exact same words the Lord spoke to Joshua when he said For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go In these closing scenes of Jesus with his disciples he was not only entrusting his ministry to them he was also encouraging them putting heart into them and saying he believed in them If the underling story of the Bible is the salvation of the world a companion message of scripture is God s encouragement of his people with the assurance that He is with them Consider then the ways the Lord has encouraged you directly Consider also how the Lord has spoken or acted through others to put heart into you They may include parents siblings grandparents aunts and uncles friends teachers pastors Sunday School teachers others in church or the community Consider how that encouragement has strengthened you to face challenging circumstance with greater confidence and assurance or maybe even helped to shape and maybe transform you into the person you are today Such recollections can be humbling and move us to offer our thanks for that encouragement But let s not stop at gratitude We need to discern where we can offer this important ministry of encouragement to others Practicing a ministry of encouragement does not require a great intellect one doesn t need a good singing or speaking voice to offer it Neither specialized training nor money is necessary Neither does it matter if you are male or female young or old Even your political preferences do not matter All that is necessary is a desire to practice it For it is certainly a ministry for all 21

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2019FALL SILENT RETREAT Reverend Dr Charles Packer in Honor and Memory of the Rev Donald Mullen T he Fall Silent Retreat organized by the Congregational Retreat Society each year will be held Monday September 30 2019 starting at 5 00 pm with dinner and concluding after breakfast on Wednesday October 2 2019 at the Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center 9601 Union Road in Plymouth Indiana 46513 This year the retreat is in memory of the Reverend Donald Mullen frequent retreat guide and attendee at innumerable events sponsored by the Society over the years For this special program there will be four guides each sharing a brief meditation on topics dear to Rev Mullen There will be opportunities for many hours spent in the quiet of the tranquil setting that includes areas for walking and a lake outside the guest room buildings The cost to be determined will include five meals and lodging Please contact the Chaplain Director the Reverend Dr Charles Packer at drcapacker gmail com or by calling 734 755 4131 to get registration materials or to inquire further ICF Quadrennial Conference The Voyage Continues SAVE THE DATE July 22 28 2020 LOCATION Curry College 1071 Blue Hill Ave Milton Massachusetts 02186 The year 2020 is the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower and marks the establishment of Congregationalism in the New World Therefore we are excited to announce the United States will host the ICF conference in 2020 at Curry College in Milton Massachusetts MARK YOUR CALENDARS for this wonderful opportunity to fellowship with Congregationalists from around the world We want you to attend We hope to have many churches send pastors delegates to the meeting Curry College in Milton Massachusetts is a four year liberal arts based institution located on a wooded 131 acre campus just seven miles from downtown Boston Approximately one hour from Plimoth Plantation and the town of Plymouth Curry is also within train distance from many historical sites in Massachu setts Lodging will be available on campus Cost to be determined For more information www internationalcongregationalfellowship org 22

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TO THE Letters EDITOR We greatly appreciate readers who take the time to share their reactions suggestions and desires regarding The Congregationalist Two recent letters have been excerpted below Dear Ms King Dear Marianne It was good to read Edith Bartley s article on the success of the The March Congregationalist has come and seems brighter more Providence Endowment in the last issue The endowment began colorful and thus more inviting Dr Chittum s column was his best in 2004 when the Association met in Providence Rhode Island short appearing and easily grasped His also easily approached and and worshipped at Beneficent Church a United Church of Christ apt poem was a good contribution also I believe too long appearing congregation I was pastor there at the time and glad to share an article is not inviting given the attention span of the average person in good fellowship and in the same spirit enjoy reading each Similarly the article not written in jargon FREE language is a mis issue of The Congregationalist addressed missive But there was one item in the article that l would like to correct It Jon Clifton said that in relation to gay people the UCC compels its churches to at least say they are open and affirming The United Church does not compel such statements In the late l980 s the United Church General Synod encouraged local congregations by their own action to indicate to their communities and potential Correction In the March issue Speaking of the Annual Meeting and members that they are open and affirming to all people regardless Conference Brett Younger is listed as Senior Minister of Plymouth of among other things sexual orientation Beneficent Church gladly Church of Boston He serves Plymouth Church Brooklyn voted to do that some years before the National Association met New York Our apologies to Rev Younger and our readers there But now three decades since the request less than one third of United Church congregations have taken such a vote hardly what would be the case if they were compelled ln this world of prejudice and discrimination members of minority groups often fear new settings that could be filled with hurt Churches can broaden understanding by specifically indicating fIrST congrEgATIonAL chUrch roScoMMon MIchIgAn their welcome I know of National our christ Centered church is seeking Association churches that have done that An energetic senior pastor who exhibits integrity morals and a strong faith Thank you for the work you are doing on your interesting and thoughtful magazine Sincerely Richard H Taylor A leader with compassionate qualities and good communications skills who will be able to help grow our church by reaching out to a younger generation Located in roscommon Michigan a close rural resort community offering Beautiful natural resources including lakes rivers and forests Excellent local medical facilities schools and a community college Year round recreational activities FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH ROSCOMMON MICHIGAN If you believe god is calling you please contact us EMAIL ellen48653 gmail com or munchkin_dj yahoo com 23

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Convocation COASTtoCOAST F Top West Coast ministers Middle Midwest ministers Bottom Northeast ministers or many years the NACCC s Minister s Convocation was held at a single location This past spring the Minister s Convocation celebrated two exciting firsts Instead of one event there were three well attended regional gatherings Northeast Midwest and West Coast They took place simultaneously on April 29 through May 2 This was the second annual convocation for the Northeast group and the first for the West Coast ministers With the aid of video meeting technology the attendees at Cathedral Camp Retreat in East Freetown Massachusetts Weber Retreat Center in Adrian Michigan and Zephyr Point Retreat Center in Zephyr Cove Nevada joined in one communion service broadcast on large screen monitors The new format for the Regional Minister s Convocations sprang from the creative vision of NACCC s Vitality Council Reports from coast to coast indicate that it was a great success The Central Congregational Church of Galesburg Illinois announces their opening for a part time minister We worship in a historic traditional setting with full inclusion and a selfgoverned style of worship The minister will be responsible for liturgical development for Sunday morning and the general operational oversight to lead the church forward and growing our membership Our social media includes our website galesburgchurch org or facebook com centralcongregational or instagram centralcongregational Interested candidates are encouraged to contact the moderator at moderatorccc60 gmail com to confidentially request additional information 24

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Necrology 2019 The Reverend Donald C Mullen 1938 2019 The Reverend Donald C Mullen 80 died on February 7 2019 in South Bend Indiana He was active in the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches NACCC serving on the Credentials Committee 1990 1992 Spiritual Resources Committee 1978 1982 and 1984 1988 Women s Committee 1994 1997 and Program Committee 2004 2005 Rev Mullen was a passionate advocate of the practice of silence meditation and mindfulness often leading prayer and healing services at annual meetings of the NACCC as well as silent and spiritual retreats and workshops Rev Mullen served Congregational churches in Pennsylvania including Beaver Falls the Fourth Congregational Church of Chicago Illinois First Congregational Church of Saugatuck Michigan Oakwood Heights Community Church Staten Island New York and First Congregational Church of Terre Haute Indiana and Flower Mound Lewisville Texas In addition he served as interim pastor for several other churches Rev Mullen was especially concerned about the issues of mental health and chronic homelessness in Terre Haute and with the spiritual support from his congregation at First Congregational Church worked for solutions As efforts to seek funding for the needed housing grew Mental Health America of Terre Haute became a working partner In mid 2000 a 10 unit apartment building was constructed followed by a 30 unit apartment building and in 2017 another apartment building exclusively for military veterans who are chronically homeless and with disabilities He is survived by his wife of 41 years Barbara and her children William Bill K Carlson Jr Eileen and daughter Samantha and Laura Burgess Keith Harlan Metzger brother Richard Madeline and sisters Nancy and Linda Don s life was celebrated on March 4 at the Olivet Congregational Church in Olivet Michigan Memorial contributions may be made to Community Congregational Church 19671 Cleveland Rd South Bend IN 46637 or National Association of Congregational Christian Churches 843 S Howell Ave P O Box 288 Oak Creek WI 53154 0288 Nancy and Harry Holz Harry Holz 1934 2019 Harry Holz died peacefully on February 23 2019 at age 84 He was an active member of First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa Wisconsin He enjoyed contributing to the National Association of Congregational Churches serving as First Church s YearRound Delegate to the association He was a member of the NACCC Executive Committee 2007 2011 and member of the NACCC Board of Governors from 2007 until his death Holz was a lifetime member of both the Wisconsin and Illinois Bar Associations He practiced law in Chicago before moving back to Milwaukee He was a partner at Quarles Brady in Milwaukee until his retirement He loved to teach first as a Lecturer in Securities Regulation at the University of Wisconsin and then as an Adjunct Law Professor at Marquette He became a fellow of the American Bar Association and the Wisconsin Bar Association in 2004 and 2013 respectively Holz was a founding board member of the SHARP Literacy foundation and served in a multitude of roles including corporate secretary He was preceded in death by his parents and his loving wife of 54 years Nancy Lee Heiser Holz He is survived by daughter Pamela Christopher Rupright son Bradley Holz and daughter Erika Kyle Pond and his seven grandchildren Services were held March 3 at First Congregational Church of Wauwatosa Memorials may be made to First Congregational Church 1511 Church Street Wauwatosa WI 53213 or the Lutheran Home 7500 W North Avenue Wauwatosa Wisconsin 53213 Rev Frederick Elder 1936 2019 The Reverend Dr Frederick M Elder formerly of Dighton and Taunton Massachusetts passed away February 16 2019 in Burlington He was a graduate of The Ohio State University and earned a Bachelor of Divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary He served as associate minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Maumee Ohio before further study at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley California From 1966 to 1968 he attended Harvard Divinity School where he was a research assistant for the Center for Population Studies He also received his Th M and conducted research for his book Crisis in Eden A Religious Study of Man and Environment He then served as minister at Faith Presbyterian Church in Minnetonka Minnesota and later earned his Ph D in Religious Ethics at Harvard In 1988 he became minister of the Pilgrim Congregational Church in Taunton until his retirement in 1998 After retirement he remained active at the church as Pastor Emeritus He was a lifelong student teacher and advocate of the preservation of the balance of the natural world and the role of human beings impact on that balance He is predeceased by his wife Barbara B Elder He is survived by a son Dana Elder and his wife Nancy Mehegan and grandchildren Liam and Julia Elder of Winchester a daughter Allison Elder and her partner Britton Boughner of Lowell A memorial service was held on May 20 at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Taunton Donations in his memory may be made to the National Wildlife Federation or Mass Audubon 25

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Installations Pastorates PULPITS Recent Calls Congregational Church of Bound Brook N J has called Pastor Rev Andrew Smith as Senior Minister First Congregational Church Crown Point N Y has called Rev Josh Mancini as Senior Minister First Congregational Church Peterson Iowa has called Pastor Tyler Thomsen as Senior Minister Plymouth Congregational Church Racine Wis has called Rev Chris Bryan as Senior Minister First Congregational Church Wayne Michigan Rev Christina Murphy Horton Congregational Church Horton Mich March 2 2019 Rev Dr Chris Surber Mount Hope Congregational Church Livonia Mich March 16 2019 Pastor Rev Andrew Smith Congregational Church of Bound Brook Bound Brook N J March 16 2019 Rev Jeff Larson Ozaukee Congregational Church Grafton Wis March 23 2019 Rev Dr Elizabeth E Bingham Congregational Church of The Chimes Sherman Oaks Calif March 31 2019 Rev Norman Erlendson First Congregational Church Stonington Conn April 6 2019 Rev Chris Bryan Plymouth Congregational Church Racine Wis April 13 2019 IN SEARCH Senior Minister Arbor Grove Congregational Church Jackson Mich Cheney Congregational Church Cheney Wash First Congregational Church Interlachen Fla First Congregational Church Rochester Mass First Congregational Church of Yarmouth Yarmouth Port Mass First Congregational Church of Roscommon Mich First Congregational Church Wayne Mich Flatbush Tompkins Congregational Church Brooklyn N Y Founders Congregational Church Harwinton Conn Gahanna Community Congregational Church Gahanna Ohio People s Congregational Church Bayport Minn Pilgrim Congregational Church Pomona Calif Second Congregational Church Jewett City Conn Second Congregational Church Warren Maine St Jacobi Congregational Church Richfield Wis Tinley Park Community Church Tinley Park Ill Third Congregational Church Middletown Conn Part time Minister Central Congregational Church Galesburg Ill Associate Minister SEEKING FULL TIME SENIOR PASTOR Our pastor is retiring from full time senior ministry and we are looking for a new guide to lead us on our Christian journey deepening our love of Christ and serving with open minds open hearts and open hands See our Church Information Form at www naccc org Visit our Church Website at www fccow com 26 Pilgrim Congregational Church Green Bay Wis United Church of Marco Island Marco Island Fla Assistant Minister Minister of Youth Amelia Christian Church Clayton N C Non NACCC Church First Congregational Church United Church of Christ Springfield Vt

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2019 CALENDAR JUNE 21 2019 Treasures Quiet Day Retreat Jesuit Retreat House Parma OH JUNE 22 25 2019 65th Annual Meeting Conference of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Cleveland Airport Marriott Cleveland OH JULY 28 AUGUST 2 2019 Boston Seminar in Congregational History and Polity Boston Massachusetts Contact Rev Dr Charles Packer Dean of CFTS at drcapacker gmail com SEPTEMBER 30 OCTOBER 2 2019 Fall Silent Retreat in Memory and Honor of the Rev Donald Mullen Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center Plymouth Indiana Rev Dr Charles Packer Chaplain Director Congregational Retreat Society Contact SAVE THE DATES JULY 22 28 2020 International Congregational Fellowship Quadrennial Conference Curry College Milton MA NACCC Advertising Inquiries Editorial Inquiries Subscription Inquiries 8473 South Howell Avenue Oak Creek WI 53154 naccc naccc org Marianne E King 800 262 1620 ext 1624 editor naccc org Carrie Dahm 800 262 1620 ext 1612 cdahm naccc org Tracy Bernhardt 800 262 1620 ext 1615 naccc naccc org Articles and editorials in The Congregationalist are by the authority of the editor and do not necessarily reflect policies and opinions of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches The NACCC reserves freedom of expression to its authors as well as freedom of opinion to its readers Editor Marianne E King Publisher Carrie Dahm Contributing Editor Linda Miller Graphic Design Goes Studio Editorial Advisory Team Rev Dawn Carlson Rev Dr Barry W Szymanski Randy Asendorf Rev Dr Michael Glidden Miriam Bryant Subscriptions Policy One subscription is provided free of charge to each individual requestor who is a member of a church in fellowship with the National Association One complimentary Newcomer Copy will be sent to any person one time only upon request by a church in fellowship with the National Association A subscription to The Congregationalist is provided free of charge to each church in fellowship with the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and one to each accredited theological seminary on the magazine s mailing list Single copies may be purchased from the National Association office for 3 75 plus 3 20 to cover shipping and handling We seek and gratefully accept voluntary donations to help keep this magazine in print Donations are tax deductible except for the first 15 of donation per subscription received by the taxpayer per year The Congregationalist ISSN 0010 5856 Postage paid at Madison WI 53714 9998 Published quarterly by the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches 8473 S Howell Ave Oak Creek WI 53201 0288 Periodicals postage paid at Madison WI and additional mailings offices POSTMASTER Send address changes to The Congregationalist 8473 S Howell Ave Oak Creek WI 53201 0288 The Congregationalist Online Our Web site congregationalist org features PDF files of the current issue plus back issues and a searchable index of all articles Each new issue is posted on the Web when the printed version is mailed so you can read it online days or even weeks before the printed copy reaches your mailbox Enjoy SUBSCRIBING CANCELING MOVING Email us at naccc naccc org Copy deadline for each issue is noted in the previous issue s Calendar section Letters to the Editor are welcome All letters may be edited for clarity and length We regret we cannot publish or respond to all letters The NACCC reserves the right to refuse any advertisement 2019 The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches All rights reserved The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches Mission Statement To nurture fellowship among Congregational Christian Churches and to support ministries of the local church in its community and to the world all in the name of Christ 27

The Congregationalist June 2019

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