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| Rev. Darrell Goodwin and Rev. Pat Kriss |
In another episode of Go Tell it On The Mountain, Executive Conference Minister, the Rev. Darrell Goodwin interviewed Rev. Pat Kriss, pastor of First Congregational Church of Danbury, CT.
Rev Goodwin began by asking Rev. Kriss to share her journey to becoming a pastor. Rev. Kriss said she had spent 34 years as a professional fundraiser, but learned her true calling when Rev. Bob Naylor, former pastor at Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, CT, ask to train her as a lay preacher.
"He got me up and train me and it was while I was up there, I realized that this is where I had belonged all these years," said Kriss.
When asked about what excites Rev. Kriss about the 325th anniversary of the church, she shared an interesting tradition. The church has a silver bowl that has been used to baptize everyone who is baptized in the church since 1753. When someone in the the church dies, the pastor takes the bowl to the grave and pours water from the bowl to symbolize the rebirth to life.
Later in the interview, Rev, Kriss tells of a unique partnership that has developed between the church and the town of Danbury. Facing some difficult decisions about the cost of a large building, and seeing needs in the town for the type of space the church could offer, a deal was made with the town that benefits both.
"[The building] is a landmark for the city, so they keep their landmark, but they also get their beautiful concert hall for, for concerts and comedy shows and everything else. And we get to worship. We get to continued to baptize, we get to continue to marry people and send them off from this church."
Those who wish to worship with Danbury can join them in person or watch online. Details can be found at www.danburychurch.org.
Watch the full interview here:
Rev Goodwin began by asking Rev. Kriss to share her journey to becoming a pastor. Rev. Kriss said she had spent 34 years as a professional fundraiser, but learned her true calling when Rev. Bob Naylor, former pastor at Second Congregational Church in Greenwich, CT, ask to train her as a lay preacher.
"He got me up and train me and it was while I was up there, I realized that this is where I had belonged all these years," said Kriss.
When asked about what excites Rev. Kriss about the 325th anniversary of the church, she shared an interesting tradition. The church has a silver bowl that has been used to baptize everyone who is baptized in the church since 1753. When someone in the the church dies, the pastor takes the bowl to the grave and pours water from the bowl to symbolize the rebirth to life.
Later in the interview, Rev, Kriss tells of a unique partnership that has developed between the church and the town of Danbury. Facing some difficult decisions about the cost of a large building, and seeing needs in the town for the type of space the church could offer, a deal was made with the town that benefits both.
"[The building] is a landmark for the city, so they keep their landmark, but they also get their beautiful concert hall for, for concerts and comedy shows and everything else. And we get to worship. We get to continued to baptize, we get to continue to marry people and send them off from this church."
Those who wish to worship with Danbury can join them in person or watch online. Details can be found at www.danburychurch.org.
Watch the full interview here:
Author
Drew Page
Drew Page is the Media and Data Manager for the Southern New England Conference, and a member of the Conference's Communications Team. He writes and edits news, blogs, and devotionals, produces video, and spends a week each summer as a Dean at Silver...