First Church Middletown, UCC

06/02/2026

DEACONS

Howard Thody and Paula Bedding, Co-Chairs
Laura Timmons, Therese Nivison, Bill Foster, Riana Parker, Geneva Wiliarty, Ellen Green

Overview of 2024-2025
A continuing discussion throughout the year has centered on security during services, while being mindful of our charge to welcome everyone. As a result, both the Middletown Fire Department and the Middletown Police Department have conducted walk-throughs to discern potential areas of concern. A result of these discussions is that the side door will be locked at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday to safeguard the Wonder Garden. Additionally, the Board of Deacons will work with the trustees to determine other security measures.
The deacons have been discussing the language on the plaque in the Narthex and considering its historical significance. This is an ongoing conversation.

Howard Thody and Paula Bedding were elected as Deacon Co-Chairs

Month by month synopsis of events

JUNE 2025
Deacons joined the Executive Committee at Mercy by the Sea in Madison, CT for a day-long retreat. The worship calendar for the year was discussed, and a general plan was agreed upon.

JULY 2025
No Meeting

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2025
A potluck dinner was enjoyed by all. We thanked MJ McCarthy for her service and welcomed new deacons Ellen Green and Geneva Wiliarty. It was agreed to set aside some time during meetings for a spiritual discussion or practice. Deacon duties were discussed.

OCTOBER 2025
Began planning for the Christmas Eve Barn Service at Sunny Brook Farm. Also discussed shortening the time spent on announcements prior to service on Sunday. It was agreed that all announcements should be given to or mailed to Pastor Will no later than Saturday evening and he will make most of the announcements before service. In addition, Pastor Will and Kortney will ensure that they are included in the bulletin.

NOVEMBER 2025
Reverend Dennis TeBeest will serve as interim pastor while Will is on family leave (1/5/2026-2/1/2026, and 4/6/2026-5/31/2026). Began discussing ways to better serve people with special needs. Planned for the Advent season.

DECEMBER 2025
Jim Silver discussed the need for confidentiality of prayer requests given to the prayer team. Will consider using peg dolls for the nativity next year and invite congregants to add a doll representing themselves.

JANUARY 2026
Advent reflection. Barn service was well attended (approximately 70 people). Finalized plans for Lent and decided on the theme “The Way Knows the Way”. Discussed asking the Middletown Fire Department to give a demonstration on the proper use of fire extinguishers.

FEBRUARY 2026
Discussed Lent, Easter and Palm Sunday. Continued discussion of the Narthex plaque.

MARCH 2026
Geneva Wiliarty reported on a neurodivergent conference she attended along with Sarah Wiliarty and Jim Silver. Decided to address ways we can better serve the community during the deacons retreat in June. Pastor Will reported that we were invited by United Churches of Durham to participate in an Easter sunrise service at the apple orchards on Powder Hill Rd. In Middlefield. Will consider this for next year.

APRIL 2026
Easter reflection. Continued discussion of repairing and displaying the banners in the Sanctuary next autumn. Continued discussion of security questions.

06/01/2026

Décor & Store Committee - 2026 Committee members:
Pam Hartz Miller, Chair
Hanna Chace
Cory Cullen
Joyce Weybright

This committee is a subcommittee of the Trustees. Our purpose is two-fold:
We are responsible for the decoration and beautification of the church building and implementing the organization of various areas in the building.

Decorating for Advent
Advent is the biggest season for this committee. There are several areas of the church that are decorated: the Parish Hall fireplace, the sanctuary, the balconies, the narthex and the front doors.
The new automatic door openers for the front entrance and the new ramp create a very narrow space and the wreaths we had do not fit. We purchased 2 large green velvet bows and added green swags with berries to the front doors.

Side Porch
This area needed to be more welcoming so we hung the 2 wreaths (that used to hang on the front doors) and added a small round table with cloth and topped it with a vase and flowers. This will change 2 times a year to reflect the seasons.

Office Hall Closet
This closet was under utilized and had been filled with miscellaneous items. It was emptied and Jim Miller added some shelves. Now it is used for storing handmade lap blankets and prayer shawls to be distributed to congregants in need of comfort. There is extra room for extra candles/décor that the deacons use for special occasions.

Coffee Hour Supply Closet
There is an area of the old library (just inside the doors to the right) created to hold extra paper supplies to be used at coffee hour. We also emptied and organized the coffee hour cabinet and shelving unit that is in the hallway just outside of the kitchen. Shelves have been neatly organized and labelled.
In addition, we designated a cupboard in the kitchen (next to the coffee supplies) for extra boxes of crackers, cookies, etc. to supplement coffee hour donations.
Organizing the church is an ongoing task. It is a large building being used by many people. It is our intent to continue to monitor how each space is used and how things are stored to honor the building and make it as efficient and user friendly as possible. If you see an area that needs attention, please contact someone on our committee and we will try to address the problem.

Please note:
First Church is a large building and we ask that someone on Trustees or the Décor & Store Committee be contacted if you have any items to donate to the church. We want to be sure that they are needed and have a specific purpose and place to be stored, to avoid adding to the clutter in the building.

Respectfully submitted,
Pam Hartz Miller 860 604-9521

06/01/2026

The green envelopes for June will benefit the Middlesex United Way Homeless Prevention Fund. Working through existing agencies, the fund covers essential expenses like back rent and utilities to ensure that families in crisis can remain stable and secure in their homes.

Since its inception in 2008 as part of the Middlesex County Coalition on Housing & Homelessness, the Prevention Fund has provided approximately $400,000 in assistance—helping hundreds of local families and individuals avoid homelessness. By covering essential expenses like back rent, utilities, ca...

05/30/2026

Music Committee 2025
Annual Report
Paula Bedding, Chairperson

The Music Committee endeavors to support the music ministry by organizing and advertising the annual Candlelight Christmas concert, as well as providing support for other special musical events and church programs.

The annual Christmas concert was well attended with approximately 175 people in attendance and 126 online views. A large reception followed the concert and attracted many for food and fellowship.

In addition, the Music Department hosted the Easter Sunday coffee hour to allow Ann Marie Foote and Cheryl Fogg a well-deserved day of rest.

This year we have moved to assigned Sundays so everyone can plan on when they will be performing.

Our choirs have continued to thrive under the leadership of Shari Lucas. We continue to be challenged to develop our skills and try new things.

05/29/2026

Minister of Music Report
Shari Lucas

Our music program had another wonderful year of music making. Our music groups - The Faith Ringers (our beginning bell group), Heart in Hand Bells (advanced music group), First Church Choir (our mixed SATB vocal group) and Treble Choir (SA group) all began weekly rehearsals

in September 2025 as they usually do. We continued the schedule we began last year of First Church Choir on the first and third Sundays, Heart in Hand Bells on the second Sunday and Faith Ringers on the fourth Sunday. The rare fifth Sunday would be filled with special music. Sometimes that schedule was altered during holidays but overall that system has worked well so our members know what Sundays to set aside for performing in worship.

Our Christmas Concert was again a success. We had 146 people in attendance, and that’s with it snowing earlier in the day. All our groups performed, we had some guest singers, church members participated in readings, Michael Cho played trumpet for the hymns, and a very large reception followed in the parish hall. The joy of the season was palpable and celebrated!

Easter was also a joyous celebration with the choir singing “Jubilate Deo”, John McGowan playing trumpet and Robert Grant playing violin during the hymns, the congregation coming forward at the end to sing the “Hallelujah Chorus” and the service ending with Widor’s “Toccata”.

Our Heart in Hand Bells had the honor of playing at Chuck Bates’ memorial service this May, which was held at the Spring Glen Church in Hamden which is his wife’s church and where he attended for the last few years. We joined with the bell ringers of Spring Glen to present a gift of our talents. Chuck was a huge presence in our Senior Choir, Celebration Singers, the Court Street Singers and Heart in Hand Bells for many many years. He will be missed and will live in our memories.

The pianos were tuned in the fall and spring by Chris Haberbosch, as was the organ by the A. Thompson Allen organ company.

Thanks to others not mentioned yet who have contributed their musical talents on occasion, notably Steve Nivison, Susan Fusso and Laura Wargo. Also many thanks to Paula Bedding, head of our Music Committee, who has done a wonderful job.

I always feel blessed to work at First Church, with welcoming members, great staff and choirs that are a joy to work with. I am truly grateful to be here.

05/28/2026

The 2025-2026 program year was rich with God’s presence and blessings both here at First Church Middletown and our wider community.

It is undeniable that national politics and the actions of the US Government continue to diverge from the ministry and gospel of Jesus Christ. First Church has responded by leaning into worship and prayer for solace, community relationships for strength and solidarity, and public witness for justice.

Sunday worship attendance continues to be strong with attendance often meeting pre-pandemic participation. This year's worship themes have included a summer series on the principles of community organizing, our stewardship campaign lifting up God’s Dream for our church and our world, Advent insisting on hope, and Lent meditating on the life and way of Jesus to lead us through this present time. Worship has been our time to come together as a community to bind up broken hearts, restore our spirits, and return to the world beyond the church to love and serve again.

Faith formation and education opportunities this year included Wonder Garden, Youth Group, and adult education. Wonder Garden has experienced growing pains this year related to adult participation. We have not had enough adult volunteers to support multiple classrooms. Meanwhile one, all ages, classroom does not meet the needs of our children and families. In the fall Executive Committee approved funds to hire two additional Wonder Garden Teachers. Hiring efforts are ongoing.

Youth Group experienced a transition this year from Rev. Tracy Gormley’s ministry to volunteer leadership. Based on the ages of children and teens at First Church, we can anticipate that there will be a natural lull in our need for a Youth Group program. This presents us the opportunity to discern and plan for the next chapter in First Church's youth ministry. This process ought to include looking at the Religious Education budget, Wonder Garden staffing needs, and funds previously allocated to the regional Youth Group to discern if a part time children and youth minister position is possible and sustainable.

Adult faith formation this year included Second Hours, a book study and a film series. The book group read “Reading the Bible Again For the First Time” by Marcus Borg, and had 21 participants. The film series included three documentaries shown over lent, also with strong participation.

Our “Beyond the Bake Sale” work to identify new ministry opportunities for the church that make good use of our building, contribute to the Just World for All in Middletown, and generate new income for the church, continued this year, moving into the Feasibility Study phase. The Feasibility Team met several times this winter. They identified that the church’s ability to plan, market, and host successful fellowship and social activities is a key component in two of the ideas being studied. This has led to the revitalization of the Fellowship Committee which is already blessing the church with new opportunities to gather. We plan to experiment with different events, fee structures, and marketing avenues this year. We expect that this will reveal more to us about the ministry God is bringing forth among us.

First Church members and friends continue to bear witness to Jesus’ message of care for the vulnerable and welcome for the stranger, via social action demonstrations downtown. First Church is well represented at Indivisible Middlesex meetings, No Kings rallies, and, new this spring, Community Sing for singing resistance.

Perhaps the thing that set this year apart the most, was my 12 week family leave for the birth of my son, Simon. The church weathered this leave with grace, kindness, and love. The success of the leave period included securing a half time leave coverage pastor, Rev. Dennis TeBeest, and on-call coverage for Christmas Eve, Rev. Chris Horvath. My leave was broken into two sections, 4 weeks covering early January into February, and 8 weeks beginning after Easter through May. I believe that this time apart has richly blessed my family as we grow, and First Church as the church receives the gifts of new leadership.

In the coming year it is my hope and expectation that we will give our energy and attention to the following:

• Spirit: Our primary function as a church is to worship and serve God. In a time of political and social upheaval it is easy to become distracted and drawn into a cycle of reactivity and response to each news headline. It is vital that First Church keep at our core an unwavering commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and our call to love one another with the same love that God has for us. We must stay rooted and in love with God, and attentive to that Spirit alive within and among us.

• Community role & ties: First Church is the oldest church in Middletown. That history is a legacy, not a guarantee of continued relevance or importance to the city and our neighbors. What role does our church feel called to play in our city? What is our voice and where does it need to be heard more clearly? Which partnerships need attention & strengthening?

• Staffing: As First Church continues to grow and evolve, our ministry will require more from its staff, and, potentially, more staff. Now is the time to look carefully at:
o Our current staffing model and job descriptions to best meet the church’s needs with the staff we have already.
o Our church’s unmet needs that are preventing or slowing growth, and whether adding staff or reorganizing responsibilities would help.
o Our finances for opportunities to expand hours, and/or create new staff roles to resolve unmet needs.

In closing, I want to thank First Church, its lay leaders and every member for another meaningful year of shared ministry. Thank you for allowing me to step away and return. Thank you for trusting me and each other with the sacred stewardship of God’s ministry on Court Street. While the challenges of our time are many and often beyond our control, we love and serve a God who calls us together, who gives us to one another, and then journeys by our side.

What a gift and blessing beyond measure to have shared this year, and face the future with you!

Blessings & peace,
Pastor Will

05/28/2026

The outreach committee needs your help. Food insecurity is growing. Once school lets out it will ramp up even more. We will be collecting food every Sunday for Amazing Grace to help fill the need.

The following items are in high demand:
Any pasta EXCEPT elbows
Any type of beans for protein
Canned tomatoes
Of course, any type of food contribution will help and will be appreciated.

Look for the wagon which we affectionately call “meals on wheels” at the front of the church.

Breakfast with hot coffee is served Monday through Saturday, from 8:30 AM until 10:30 AM. Lunch is served from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM. We offer sandwiches and snacks to take home too!

05/27/2026

Annual Report 2026

First Church would not be First Church if everything went smoothly all year long. There was plenty to be thankful for in this past year, and also some difficult challenges, now resolved. We’re very thankful for our growth this year, as we’ve welcomed new people, new families, and new kids. Word around town is that we seem to be the “cool church!” We’re averaging around 70 attendees at Sunday service, and pledges and income are up as well. In a time when many churches are shrinking, we’re moving in the opposite direction.

Our “Beyond the Bakesale” brainstorming or “BlueSky” group got to work last summer and early fall. A number of us met over potluck dinners in the parish hall to dream out loud. After discarding a number of really out-there ideas (think goat cheese),we coalesced around three ideas (detailed elsewhere.)

We then moved on to the Feasibility Group, whose job it was to assess how realistic our ideas actually were. This group was smaller than we had hoped, but they were unified in their assessment that we had aimed a bit too high. Although our ideas were good, each of them called for more resources and more volunteers than we currently have.

The Feasibility Group pivoted quickly to looked at how to pare down the big ideas and build up some smaller ideas. We decided to resurrect the Fellowship Group and work together to plan events for the church and community. Of course this isn’t ‘new’ – but what is new is our thinking about how each of our events could be scaled up over time to become a Big idea.

During the summer and fall of 2025, The Executive Board, Finance and Personnel focused a lot of time and energy on the payroll issue which we discussed at the meeting in October 2025.We had discovered problems with Pastor Will’s paycheck back in the spring of 2025, and untangling that took us to the fall. We wrote an account of the problems and proposed solutions for the whole congregation and had an open discussion on October 26, 2025. As challenging as that was, it’s resulted in our making some improvements and updates to our procedures, which should protect us from similar mistakes in the future.

On another front: In the current political environment, a number of us had expressed concerns about the safety and security of the building on Sunday mornings. We invited representatives from the Middletown Fire Dept to do a thorough inspection of the building in the spring and they had a number of suggestions and improvements that the Trustees have taken under advisement. We also had the Police Department send someone in recently to do a security inspection and they left a list of suggestions for us to consider.

Trustees have been unusually busy this year with other matters as well. Under their leadership all of the projects related to becoming a Historical Site have been completed. Please see Jim Miller’s Trustees report for more details. This has been a big deal which we were able to celebrate together on Palm Sunday. During our Palm Sunday service we all went outside and Pastor Will blessed the new ramp, with moving readings about being able to fully welcome any and all who want to join us for worship and other activities in our building.

In the early fall, Pastor Will announced an upcoming addition to his family, and a 2-part leave time for him. With a new baby expected in early January, he planned to take family leave for the month of January and the months of April and May. He was with us during Lent through Easter. The Personnel Committee interviewed several retired clergy and found Pastor Dennis TeBeest to be the best fit for us. Baby Simon Romeo Tanner made an early entrance before Christmas, but we had planned ahead for that possibility. Pastor Dennis joined us in January and quickly got up to speed with a blizzard and church closing to contend with. He rose to the occasion(s) and we enjoyed having him during January and now again through April and May.

As you will notice at the meeting today, we are enjoying using the brand-new parish hall sound system, graciously funded by Jim Silver in memory of his wife Janet. This fills a need we have had for some time and we greatly appreciate Jim’s generosity.

I’ve enjoyed my second year as your Moderator and feel I’m beginning to understand all – or at least most - that it entails. It’s with mixed feelings that I pass it on to MJ McCarthy. MJ has been our Vice Moderator this last year, meeting weekly with Pastor Will, then Pastor Dennis, and me. It’s proved to me once again that having two people working together in this role is better for those people and better for the church as a whole.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Nathiel,
Moderator

05/26/2026

Join us for Second Hour on Sunday, May 31st. A representative from the Red Cross is going to come and talk about the new inclusive guidelines for giving blood. We will be hosting a blood drive at First Church on Pride Saturday, June 6th.

First Church of Middletown Blood Drive
Memorial Room
190 Court Street, Middletown CT

Saturday, June 6th
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Free Pride T-Shirt!

Visit redcrossblood.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS 1-800-733-2767 or use the Blood Donor App and enter sponsor code: FirstChurchMiddletown.

Come to give blood for a $15 e-gift card to your choice of merchant PLUS automatic entry for a chance to win one of two $7,500 gift cards.

Blood donors report feeling a sense of great satisfaction after making their blood donation. Why? Because helping others in need just feels good. Donate blood today to help those in need.

05/13/2026

Green Envelopes for May
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is a Special Mission Offering of the United Church of Christ that supports partners worldwide with ministries that fund health, education, and agricultural development, emergency relief, refugee ministries, and both international and domestic disaster response.