The Villager Voice
This weekend is the UCC’s Southern New England Conference Annual Meeting in Worcester, MA; United Church delegate Torrey O’Connor will attend virtually and I will be there in person most of today (Friday) and tomorrow. Among the agenda items is the legal finalization of the merger of the Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island Conferences which created the SNEUCC seven years ago. One of the important pieces of this vote is the disposition of the Missionary Society of Connecticut, which oversees the Silver Lake Conference Center. I’ve had discussions with many of you about the issues surrounding this, and I will let you know on Sunday what is decided. If the online chatter leading up to this weekend is any indication, it promises to be a feisty discussion.
Both Sally and I will be away on vacation next week. In case of pastoral emergency, my cell phone number is on the church answering machine, and I have three (three!) colleagues who have agreed to provide pastoral coverage in my absence. As I have said on multiple occasions, I have wonderful colleagues! (I provided coverage for one of them in August.)
Since I won’t be writing next Friday, I’ll remind you now that a week from Sunday we welcome our new Music Director, Corbin Beisner. The Revs. Eileen Sypher and Toni Smith will be leading worship that day, October 4, so I know Corbin will be received into our fellowship with warmth and enthusiasm! Come lend your voice to the chorus of welcome that morning.
As you know, the nor’easter headed for southern New England this weekend will bring fierce wind and rain; please use caution when you decide whether to attend this Sunday’s service in person or online. (A few prayers to the internet gods wouldn’t hurt either…) Links to this Sunday’s service and bulletin are here: