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For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to embrace,
and time to refrain from embracing.
Ecclesiastes 3
Along with the high energy and expectations of this new program year, we are also in a time of significant change. After four faithful and effective years at First Church Guilford, Susan Murtha is moving on to First Church Greenwich. We grieve our loss, but rejoice that she has found a call that fits her growing edge. We will express our gratitude and say goodbye to her on Sunday, October 3rd.
A brief word about the transition: The Rev. Mike Penn-Strah, the Associate Conference Minister for our region of Connecticut, is helping us to find an Interim Associate Minister and will then continue to help us in the search process for a new Associate Minister. In August and September, the Deacons and I will be interviewing interim candidates with the hope that an appropriate interim can be found and be on board by the time Susan leaves. Once an interim is secured we will form a search committee and begin that eighteen-month to two-year process. While we are saddened by Susan’s leaving, we are also assured in knowing that we have passed this way before: over the last twenty-three years Peg Stearn then Elaine McNally Fitzpatrick and then Susan, have each blessed us with their compelling and unique blend of faith, love and hope. We, therefore, have every confidence that with God’s help we will again find an Associate Minister who will be a good match for our family of faith.
Sunday, September 12th at 10:00 AM (no 8:30 service) is “Welcome Home Sunday.” This will be a joyous time. Susan will be sharing a message for all ages and all of us, young and old, will receive communion of grapes and bread. At the end of the service the church school children will meet their teachers and get settled into their rooms. All this will be followed by an All-Church Picnic (see notice inside this Landmark for what you can bring).
Looking ahead there is one important event that I strongly encourage you to attend. Our annual Wilcox Lecture Series is something that you will not want to miss. Diana Butler Bass, Ph.D. is an expert in what makes a highly successful mainline Protestant Church. She will be with us Friday evening, October 15th through Sunday afternoon, October 17th to share her findings and inspire us to take a next step in our own journey as a church. Come to hear her sermon and hopefully some of her presentations on Friday evening and Saturday as well.
In this bittersweet time of saying goodbye to Susan and welcoming one another at the beginning another productive program year, we introduce our theme of “Let mutual love continue” (Hebrews 13:1). We know that we are the beloved daughters and sons of God, held in God’s palm, completely known, eternally loved, and called to be God’s family in this time and place.
In Christ’s love, Kendrick
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