December 2018 marked the last month of the Rev. Dr. Arthur Suggs’ pastorate with us, and so starting in January 2019, F.C.C. embarks on the next cycle of our adventure and growth.
Rev. Suggs was our Senior Pastor here at F.C.C. for 11 years, and we wish him very well as he retires from ministry to pursue the callings and interests on his life adventure.
The Transition Team has organized a Celebration meal and event for Sunday, January 13th, 2019, following that Sunday’s service.
(We opted out of doing the Celebration in December, given the hectic nature of Christmas and the year-end flurry of activities.)
After the Sunday service on January 13th, we’ll head to the social hall to share a meal and offer any gifts, cards, and stories to celebrate Rev. Suggs’ time with us and send him on his way with well wishes and love.
Members can share thoughts and memories of Art’s time at First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ.
While Art has joined our congregation as a member, protocol requires him to stay away until a new pastor is settled in with the congregation, so we’ll welcome him back as a member of our congregation then.
If you’re not able to attend the Celebration meal following the service on January 13th, you can send along any cards, letters, or gifts to the church office with the designation, “Art’s Celebration”.
Speaking of the Transition Team & the Search for an Interim Minister
The Transition Team has been interviewing candidates to serve our church as an interim pastor. They will present their suggestion to the Board of Deacons when they are done.
As of this posting, it looks very good that we’ll have our interim pastor in place by February 1, 2019.
Interim Pastoral Care and Who’s in the Pulpit in January
Although our Transition Team is close to making a recommendation for our Interim Minister, we enter January without a pastor for our congregation.
In the meanwhile, we have four different worship leaders for Sundays in January:
• January 6 – Rev. Lisa Heckman, who recently completed a successful interim pastorship in Owego, N.Y., where she served for just shy of three years.
• January 13- Clare Price, a lay preacher who was a licensed interim pastor in Newark Valley, N.Y.
• January 20- Zach DuBord, a Minister in Discernment with the Susquehanna Association.
• January 27- Rev. Jim Dunn, a retired minister in the United Church of Christ.
If you have questions or need pastoral care, just ask Clare Price, any of our deacons, or simply contact the F.C.C. office:
Phone: 607 723 8981
Email: fcc ‘at’ binghamtonwireless ‘dot’ com
Jazz Vespers in January
Rob Weinberger will be performing at Jazz Vespers on January 13th.
Rob has performed and recorded for 10 years in the NYC’s Lower East Side music scene with groups as diverse as The Worms, Blues Traveler, and Joan Osborne. He has also been the music director aboard cruise ships based out of Hawaii.
Since he relocated to upstate New York, he has been active in the regional musical community as a composer, arranger, teacher and performer.
Rob is a musical chameleon! At the time of this printing is deciding in what incarnation he will appear for this Jazz Vespers.
No matter what it is, I can guarantee you will love the sound he offers and the ambiance he creates. Join us on January 13 at 5:00 PM in the F.C.C. church sanctuary.
More F.C.C. News & Activities
You’ll find news on upcoming events, our most recent new members, the Trustee’s Report, the Church Directory update, the abundance of Christmas gifts (more than 50!) donated to students from the Woodrow Wilson school, and more, in the full edition of The Forecaster.