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Congregational Study Committee Report Congregational Study Committee Report First Presbyterian Church of New Haven 704 Whitney Avenue New Haven, CT 06511 fpcnh.org 2016 – 2017 Mission Statement First Presbyterian Church is a worshiping community of progressive Christian believers in the greater New Haven region. We are a broadly diverse and welcoming congregation, and include people from the city of New Haven and many of the surrounding towns, as well as many from the university communities. We gather on Sunday morning to worship God, and throughout the week to be about the work of God in the world. We are a part of the Reformed tradition, which means that we value the Word of God in Scripture, and as we understand it in the midst of today’s world. In the Word of God read and proclaimed, in music which stirs the soul, in the nurture of children and adults alike, we seek to serve God together. Report submitted August 22, 2016 1 Table of Contents 1. Background and Purpose of This Report 3 2. FPCNH Church History 4 3. FPCNH Organizational Structure 6 4. Survey Process 8 5. Demographic Snapshot and Comparison 9 6. Findings from Survey and Small Groups A. Theological Stance 12 B. Christian Education 13 C. Worship and Nurturing our Church Community 14 D. Mission and Social Justice 16 E. Community Interviews 17 F. Traits of an Ideal Pastor 19 7. Our Vision: Who We Are and Who We Want to be as Christ’s Community in this Place 21 Appendices: 1. Statement of Financial Position, End of Year 2015 23 2. Statement of Activities with Budget Comparison, End of Year 2015 25 3. Racial Diversity 27 4. Family Composition Compared to Neighboring Community 28 5. Educational Levels 29 6. Income 30 7. Age Distribution 31 8. Survey Questions and Summarized Responses 32 Congregational Study Committee Co-Chairs: Lynn Autry and Dick Hasbany Members: Mary Beth Decker, Brian Gray, Daniel McCloskey, Jean McCloskey, Sadako Ohki, Mary Porterfield, Tyler Wadzinski, Elizabeth Williams Advisor: Rev. Susan Reisinger, Interim Pastor Contact Information First Presbyterian Church Web site: www.fpcnh.org 704 Whitney Avenue Email: [email protected] New Haven, CT 06511 Phone: 203-562-5664 2 1. BacKground and Purpose of This Report First Presbyterian Church of New Haven (FPCNH) is a loving and active church, dedicated to the gospel and to service as God is calling us. Recently, the co-pastors of the past 18 years (Maria LaSala and Bill Goettler) responded to a different call and left us. They were much loved, and the church grew in their pastorate. The church is currently blessed with the leadership of interim pastor Susan Reisinger, in the preparation and search for a new permanent pastor. The information in this document aims to perform two important functions: first, this information should support the FPCNH search committee in its quest for a pastor who can lead the church forward in its preferred directions; and second, this information should support potential candidates for our pastor vacancy in deciding if our church provides a good fit for their current skills and directions of growth. To that end, the Congregational Study Committee (CSC) at FPCNH has made great efforts to collect meaningful information. CSC members conducted a church-wide survey; led small group sessions available to all members of the church community; collected and analyzed area demographics; and held interviews with engaged members of the larger community around us. The results have been summarized and themes have been developed in the following report. Detailed data are available in the appendix. Further insight is provided in the body of this report and on the church’s web site: www.FPCNH.org 3 2. FPCNH Church History Pastors: Rev. James G. Rodger, Founding Pastor (1886-1889) Rev. Dr. F. A. M. Brown (1889-1917) Rev. Dr. Samuel Taylor Foster (1921-1926) Rev. Dr. Albert F. Von Tobel (1927-1929) Rev. L. Craig Long (1930-1932) Rev. Frank Alvin Hosmer (1936-1944) Rev. Douglas Buchanan (1944-1945) Rev. Clifford Chaffe, Stated Supply (1945-1947) Rev. Dr. Donald Craig Kerr (1947-1948) Rev. Allen Vannin Collister (1949-1952) Rev. James Daniel Glasse, Stated Supply (1953-1954) Rev. Thomas Keenan, Stated Supply (1954-1955) Rev. Dr. Douglas Nelson (1955-1978) Rev. Ronald Kittle, Interim Pastor (1978-1979) Rev. Blair Moffatt (1979-1996) Rev. Mary Thies, Associate Pastor (1981-1996) Rev. Lincoln Richardson, Interim Pastor (1996-1997) Rev. Stewart Pollock, Interim Pastor (1997-1998) Rev. Dr. William Goettler and Rev. Dr. Maria LaSala , Co-Pastors (1998-2015) Rev. Susan Dee Reisinger, Interim Pastor (2015-present) Westminster Presbytery Commission met February 19, 1886 to establish First Presbyterian Church (FPCNH) in New Haven. In April Rev. James Rodger was called to be the first pastor and was installed December 5, 1886. The church began meeting in the lecture room of Third Congregational Church on Church Street. In May of 1887, it purchased that building. In 1905 it was decided to build a new church building. A lot was purchased on Elm Street east of Orange Street. The new church, with Italianate architecture, was started on August 25. Money soon ran out and after a delay, Mrs. Helen Benedict Manson pledged to supply the rest of the money if the congregants could raise $12,000, and if the new church would be called Benedict Memorial Presbyterian Church. A new baptismal font was purchased in October 1927 and inscribed with the name “Dr. F.A.M. Brown.” FPCNH still uses this baptismal font. In the summer of 1932 under Rev. L. Craig Long a portion of the congregation split off from the main church with him to form Calvin Presbyterian Church (Indep.) There was much turmoil in the church under Rev. Allen Vannan Collister. The church was having financial problems, having too little money coming into the church and depleting the endowment. The large church building was aging and was in need of many repairs. The Trustees threatened several times not to pay the pastor’s salary. Session defended him and demanded that he be paid. This went on 4 for some time. Finally, in November 1952 Presbytery ordered the church to dissolve the relationship between Mr. Collester and the church. In 1953 as the church was decaying and there was little money to repair it, it was decided to sell that church building and look elsewhere for property to buy. In 1954 the property of William R. Shaffer was purchased. The house was torn down and the carriage house was used as an assembly hall and recreation center. The last service on Elm Street was September 27, 1954 and the first service in the carriage house was October 1, 1954. The Elm Street property was sold in 1955, torn down and made into a parking lot by the City of New Haven. From that building FPCNH still has a communion table, hymn board, shards of stained glass from the windows, and the marble baptismal font. In the 1960’s, plans began for a new larger church building. John Dinkeloo and James Owens were the architects who designed the plans for the sanctuary, offices, Sunday school rooms, and fellowship room. Services were moved to Marquand Chapel in Yale Divinity School while building was underway. The building was dedicated on November 24, 1968. A new Hillebrand organ was dedicated in June 1969, a gift of Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Nelson. In 1967 the church changed its named to First United Presbyterian Church of New Haven by a certificate signed by Robert Taylor, Clerk of Session. In 1973 a group of Korean Americans began meeting on Sunday afternoons in the sanctuary and continued to utilize FPCNH for 20 years until they bought a church building of their own in Spring Glen in the town of Hamden. In 1984 the church manse was purchased. It was used as a rental property and church meeting rooms until 1998, when it was occupied by William Goettler, Maria LaSala, and their daughter Anna. In March 2004 ground was broken for a new fellowship building. It was completed in 2005, and named the Owens Community Building and the Miller Gathering Hall. 5 3. FPCNH Organizational Structure Organization & Budget The organizational structure at FPCNH is Presbyterian, with the session as the governing body. Work and activities are managed by committees. Session There are usually 12 Elders plus a Clerk of Session and the pastor, who serves as moderator. Members serve in three-year terms. Demographics of the congregation are considered in choosing members of the session. The members represent a wide range of ages, sometimes including a youth representative. FPCNH sees the inclusion of young elders as an opportunity to nurture and develop leaders within the church. Staff Staff positions are: the Pastor (currently Interim), the Music Director, the Christian Education Director, the Church Administrator, and the Campus Chaplain. Committees All committees of session are overseen by at least one active member of session. The pastor is generally available as a resource. Christian Education Committee: FPCNH has enjoyed excellent programs for children and youth. At present the church seeks more children and youth. The nursery is thriving. Community Life and Outreach Committee (CLOC): CLOC does most of what a Board of Deacons would do, as FPCNH does not have a Board of Deacons. In addition, this committee organizes social activities that nurture community relationships. Finance Committee: The Treasurer does the bulk of the accounting and reporting to session. Specific assistance comes from an Assistant Treasurer for Disbursements and an Assistant Treasurer for Receipts. These are all volunteer positions. Mission Committee: FPCNH actively supports local, denominational, and global efforts related to social justice issues, missionary, and emergency or disaster needs.
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