By Rev. Nancy McHugh
On behalf of the congregation of Waitsfield United Church of Christ, we want to thank The Valley Reporter for the article in last week’s paper. The mission of Waitsfield United Church of Christ is “Living, serving and walking by faith for the benefit of the local and global community.” This mission of serving others near and far is something we are deeply committed to developing. Our desire is to find ways we can open our doors and facilities to the wider community in creative partnerships. We believe the future of the church needs a wide berth and a clear message of welcome to all people no matter where they are on life’s journey.
When I arrived here as pastor, nearly eight years ago, I would frequently go to the Church Council to ask if we could provide a particular program or host a community event within the church building. Repeatedly I was told “No, our septic system is too old and fragile to handle programs with large numbers.” It was my first experience in serving a church where the number of flushes determined theprograms you could offer. That was a big surprise for me and chronic constipation for the church (so to speak). But, at last, we have rectified that problem with a new septic system and other significant upgrades to our infrastructure. Since these initial upgrades we have also installed a new lift so we are accessible to all. We havepartnered with the library for their septic system, partnered with the Festival of the Arts to have monthlong art exhibits in August and have for nearly three years now hosted a free monthly supper where community organizations, farmers and community members have functioned as hosts or food providers.
The future is wide open for us as we feel a great deal of excitement about being able to serve the community in new and different ways. We have explored the possibility of after school classes in the arts or cooking or just providing a drop-in space for kids in the winter. We have explored the possibility of providing space for special services for people in need. We hope to create more flexible space for meetings, concerts and the arts. The possibilities are really endless. We have this beautiful, iconic building right in the center of the village which sits empty many days a week when it could be the hub of lots of activities and opportunities for the wider community. Yes, it is a church and some folks have had difficult experiences with the institutional church in the past. But the future of this church is open to new understandings and possibilities. We are a faith group that strives to embody our faith through our work and our words.
We don’t know exactly what the future will hold, but what we do know is that we have a commitment and desire to serve our neighbors and community in ways that make a difference in this valley and in all of our lives. We believe that no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome in this place for a multitude of reasons and purposes. We hope that as we embark on increasing our energy efficiency, updating our facilities so they are more welcoming and creating flexible space for community use, you will find reasons to be in partnership with us. Thanks, Mad River Valley; we love being one of your partners and sacred places. We will keep you posted on our potential capital campaign and possibilities for the future.
Rev. Nancy McHugh is the pastor of the Waitsfield United Church of Christ congregation.
