traditional worship

progressive theology

welcoming community

FIRST CHURCH IN JAFFREY

WELCOME

SUNDAY WORSHIP 10:30 A.M.

Upcoming Events

Ash Wednesday Service with
United Church on February 22

Once again, this year we will honor the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday (2/22),
with a joint service with our friends from the United Church of Jaffrey. The service
will be held in the sanctuary of First Church at 5:00 pm and will feature songs,
prayers, reflections and the imposition of ashes. We hope you will join us as we
begin our Lenten journey.

Lenten Study Series:
The Character of Faith

Steve will be leading a study series on Wednesday afternoons during Lent. These
educational gatherings will be held at 4:00 pm in the Parish Hall beginning on
Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The theme of the series is the ‘character of faith.’ Using
simple biographies from biblical and historic characters of faith, we will explore and discuss how we might live as people of faith in our day and time. If there is interest, the series will also be available on zoom with links emailed out via eblast each week.
Connect With Us
First Church in Jaffrey Weathervane
January – February 2023

First Church in Jaffrey, UCC
Annual Meeting January 29th 2023

At 11:37 a.m. January 29, Sam Greene, Moderator of The First Church in Jaffrey, opened the congregation’s 2023 Annual Meeting. Promptly half an hour later, after laughter, attentive discussion of financial affairs, and celebration of Sylvia Hamilton’s 21 years of service as First Church’s Clerk, the meeting adjourned. True to its heritage as a “Congregational” body, members of The First Church in Jaffrey actively participate in decision-making, planning, activities and care for members, friends and the wider community. Annual reports had been distributed in advance of the meeting. Explanations of financial affairs were provided by the Treasurer and chair-person of the Trustees. We sang, and we voted a number of times.

The business of the day was dispatched efficiently, effectively and promptly.

 

Gathering for the Annual Meeting Rev. Steve Miller
Memorial Candle Moderator Sam Greene

Clerk Nancy Elder-Wilfrid		 Honoring Sylvia Hamilton’s 21 years of service as Clerk of First Church

 

Rev. Steve Miller
And Wife Dr. Jill Tyler

The Rev. Steve G. Miller started his ministry at The First Church in Jaffrey in January 2022, after a unanimous vote of approval by the congregation in October of 2021 when he visited and conducted worship. His wife, Dr. Jill Tyler, will join him in the First Church parsonage after she retires in May as professor and chair of the University of South Dakota (USD) Communications Department. Currently Leah and Luke Summit (Steve and Jill’s daughter and son-in-law) and the Summit’s two boys are staying with Miller while the young family looks for a house in the greater Boston area.

“I am very excited about getting to know all the people in Jaffrey, the church and the wider Jaffrey community!  I’ve met neighbors walking my dog and playing in front of the parsonage with my two grandsons, who are ages 2-1/2 and nine months.”  Miller confessed: “I’m a bit of a schmoozer.”

For the past 26 years Miller was the senior pastor at the United Church of Christ-Congregational in Vermillion SD.  Originally a New Englander, Miller grew up in  Worcester, MA, in what is now the United Congregational Church.  Miller shared, in his first Sunday leading worship at First Church: “I used to come up here to climb Monadnock as a kid.  It’s like returning home.  I love the mountains, the trees, the ponds and rivers – it’s beautiful here.”

A man of many interests, Miller spent five years studying Lakota spirit, language and music. He invited the Lakota community to hold sacred ceremonies at the UCC church. Speaking for the Lakota community during a farewell gathering honoring Miller, one participant observed that he and Steve have been friends for years and call each other “Kola,” the Lakota term for brother.

At this same event Miller was honored by the Vermillion Community Theatre with a poster of six photos of him in community theater productions that was headlined “Actor, Playwright, Songwriter, Musician, Director of Spirit” in appreciation of his and the church’s support in helping the theater build a center for performing arts at the Vermillion high school.  A devoted baseball fan, Miller was a leader of the Vermillion Youth Baseball Association for players 5 to 12 for many years.

The title of teacher also belongs in Miller’s repertoire, as demonstrated by his popular “World Religions” course at the University of SD.   The University’s provost Kurt Hackemer observed that an important Miller offering was titled “The Pipe and the Cross,” about the intersection of Christianity and native spirituality. “So many students considered this THE great class, the best class that they ever had at USD,” the provost added.

Steve Miller graduated from Springfield College in 1981. He began studying at Yale Divinity School and transferred to the Pacific School of Religion, where he received his Master of Divinity degree in 1987.  He served churches in Bethlehem, CT and Gilman, IA before going to Vermillion in 1995. Rev. Miller has also been involved with Shem Center for Interfaith Spirituality in Oak Park, IL for more 30 years through retreats, conferences, and classes.

Please come to First Church in Jaffrey at 10:30 on Sundays and meet Steve Miller!
Gene Faxon
Minster of Music

Gene brings his experience with teaching music and his expertise on the organ, piano, and harpsichord. He leads the choir as well as organizes special musical worship and other church events. Gene is also an accomplished recorder player.  During the pandemic Gene and three ladies have become a harmonious quartet.  We enjoy their offerings on multiple occasions during our services.  The congregation joins this group in singing Taize chants and hymns selected from the Pilgrim Hymnal and the New Century Hymnal.

Judy Lessard
Administrative Assistant

Judy brings her corporate experience. Working with our pastor and music minister, she creates the worship bulletins, sends out e-blasts, and monitors phone calls and church email. Working with our treasurer, she maintains the QuickBooks database and generates financial reports. Working with the communications team, she creates, prints, and distributes the church newsletter.

Officers
In late January 2022, First Church heartily welcomed (bottom row)  Roy Lake, Pam Hill,  David Bliss and Janet Grant as new Trustees.  Nancy Elder-Wilfrid is the new Clerk and in the top row is Ann St. Cyr Gordon (Treasurer) and Sam Greene Moderator.

Officers:

Sam Greene, Moderator
Ann Gordon, Treasurer
Nancy Elder-Wilfrid, Clerk

 
Trustees:

David Bliss
Janet Grant
Pam Hill
Roy Lake
Tom Warren
Dan Wilfrid