2018 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PASTOR AND TEACHER
The Rev. Kelly Thibeault
January 2019
It was a wonderful year of worship, working together and wondering in Oldtown as we looked for joy in each moment and did our best to live out our faith in our everyday lives!
We spent the season of Lent “Digging through the Mess,” as we reflected on difficult topics like tempting, rebuking, destroying, condemning, and dying. Our daily Lenten email devotional helped us to dig through the negativity in our world looking for the glimpses of goodness that are all around and within us.
On Palm Sunday, our communion class helped to serve communion, and on Mother’s Day, we celebrated the Confirmation of five of our young men. During the season after Easter, we looked to children’s storybooks to help us reflect on scriptures, and on Children’s Day, we had an amazing celebration of Pentecost!
During the summer, we took time to breathe and to slow down a little, and Flat Jesus went on all kinds of adventures with us, helping us to remember that we are never alone.
In the fall, we started Household Huddle, inviting families to learn about faith together and encouraging all ages to learn to breathe, share, reflect, and thank.
Finally, during Advent, we celebrated the 200th anniversary of Silent Night and allowed the verses of the song to lead us in our worship while our daily Advent email devotionals helped us to look at how we could be shining stars in the world.
As a church family, we said farewell to Lisa Fitzpatrick, Betty Grant, Karen Healy, Sandy Singley, Ann Botsford and Frank Sawyer, who are all now singing together in the heavenly choir. We baptized one adult, confirmed five young men, welcomed nine new members into our church family, and celebrated the weddings of three couples. Jenn and Jim Lumi, along with Jenn’s father Frank, took the love of Oldtown with them to their new home in Tennessee. Hope Cahill worked as our administrative assistant, sharing her talents in organization and graphic design, and Amie McCarthy came on board in July as our Pastoral Intern.
I would like to take a moment to thank all of our members and friends for their hard work and support this year. So many of you go above and beyond, generously sharing the gifts that you have to strengthen our church family. As always, I am honored and blessed to serve as your Pastor and look forward to continuing our journey together.
Blessings to all of you and see you in church!
Pastor Kelly