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First Church in Jaffrey’s Labyrinth Is Open for Walking in Circles
JAFFREY First Church in Jaffrey’s Labyrinth Is Open for Walking in Circles The First Church in Jaffrey invites you to walk in circles in its Peace Labyrinth and meditate in a neighborhood of 18th and 19th century historic buildings and houses. The Labyrinth is at the back of the 1831 red brick church, which is next to the 1775 Jaffrey Meetinghouse on the Jaffrey Center Common. Built in 2005 with stones brought by members of the congregation and the wider community, this non-denominational...
ANNUAL MEETING
Shortly after the Sunday service, First Church in Jaffrey held its annual meeting. Carol Hess, Sylvia Hamilton, and Janet Grant were re-elected as Moderator, Clerk, and Treasurer. A plan to rotate membership on the board of Trustees was approved. Gwen Gundlach and Sylvia Hamilton continued as Trustees through 2020, Ken Campbell and Jane Jontz will continue as Trustees through 2021, and Sam Greene and Tom Warren will serve as Trustees through 2022. The Annual Report was accepted and noted for...
Rev. Dr. Luther P. Durgin
In Memoriam Rev. Dr. Luther P. Durgin August 28, 1932 – December 16, 2020 Luther and Diane Durgin came to First Church in 2000 after a long career of settled ministry and interim ministry, occasionally as co-pastors. Together they mentored our intended minister Debbie Hill while she finished her studies at Andover-Newton Seminary. In addition to providing guidance to the minister-in-training, our congregation thoroughly enjoyed Luther’s leading worship one Sunday a month, with Diane doing so...
Rev. Dr. John Hasbrouck Van Ness
Rest in Peace, John Van Ness As some of you may already have heard, after several months under hospice care, John VanNess, 90, passed away quietly in his sleep the morning of January 4. We are very saddened at the thought of his absence in our lives; we hope and pray, John, that your much-anticipated exploration of “the other side” is bringing you all the delight and wonder you had imagined. There will be a private memorial service for the family video-recorded live at the church on Sunday;...
Christmas 2020
The Rev. David Felton of the First Church in Jaffrey. Ben Conant / Monadnock Ledger-Transcript Christmas is one of the most significant holidays in the Christian religion and often draws larger-than-usual crowds to services — not ideal when COVID-19 guidelines still call for limiting contact with large groups. As a result, some churches are being creative with their services and many of the traditions that surround them this year. Others are holding in-person services without social...