The Rev. Mr. Alan Bacon Bond died unexpectedly of heart failure on August 23, 2009 in Rochester, Vt, where he was living. Though retired, he was to have preached that morning. Rev. Bond served as pastor of First Congregational Church of Reading for 11 years, from 1987-98. He also served at First Church in Cambridge, Scottsdale Congregational Church (AZ) and at the Rochester Federated Church in Rochester, VT., where he was ordained in 1966 and made Pastor Emeritus in 2001. He was known for his expertise and commitment to stewardship. His book, The Sevenfold Path to Peace: Seven Lenten Sermons, was published in 1986.
Rev. Bond is survived by his wife, Lois, and three children. Services will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 29 at the Federated Church of Rochester.
A full obituary from the Rutland Herald and an article which appeared in The Herald of Randolph on October 25, 2001 at the time of Alan's elevation to the status of Pastor Emeritus follow below.
ROCHESTER - The Rev. Alan B. Bond, 72, died Aug. 23, 2009, at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, after collapsing at home.
He was born Sept. 4, 1936, in Winchester, Mass., the son of C. Lawrence and Barbara (Dailey) Bond.
He attended The Cambridge School of Weston, Mass., and graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. degree in economic theory in 1958. He then served in the U.S. Navy as Lt. j.g. communications officer at Wahiawa, Hawaii.
He was married to Lois Kelley in Derry, N.H., in 1961 and then attended Andover-Newton Theological School and received his master's of divinity in 1965.
Rev. Bond was ordained into ministry by the Windsor-Orange Association of the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ in 1966 and served the Rochester Federated Church from 1965-1974. He then served at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Congregational UCC from 1974-1987 and First Congregational UCC of Reading, Mass., retiring in 1998. He was stewardship associate for the Massachusetts Conference of UCC, chair of the board and president of the Vermont Conference of UCC and had served on the board of directors of Interfaith Counseling Service in Scottsdale.
He served as Rochester town moderator, on the Rochester cemetery commission and was pastor emeritus at Rochester Federated Church. He was instrumental in the building of "Habitat for Bovinity" at Liberty Hill Farm.
He was a "Trekkie," an avid Star Wars fan, enjoyed charcoal drawing, skiing, and was an avid Red Sox fan.
Survivors include his wife, Lois Kelley Bond of Rochester; daughter, Margaret Bond of Billerica, Mass.; son, Seth Bond of Scottsdale; brothers, Charles Bond of Jefferson, N.H., Nathaniel Bond of Glenburn, Maine, and Jonathan Bond of Orr's Island, Maine; and a grandson.
Rev. Bond was predeceased by a sister, Priscilla Goff.
The memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Rochester Federated Church. There are no calling hours.
Memorial contributions may be made to Vermont Conference United Church of Christ, Mission Activities, 36 North Main St., Randolph, VT 05060; or a charity of your choice.
Bond Honored as Pastor Emeritus
The Rev. Alan Bacon Bond, former pastor of the Rochester Federated Church, was honored by the church congregation Sunday, Oct. 21, when they bestowed the title "Pastor Emeritus" on him at their morning worship service. The service was a celebration of his ministry upon the 35th anniversary of his ordination, which took place at the Rochester church 35 years ago to the day, Oct. 21, 1966.
Rev. Bond was pastor of the Federated Church from 1965-74. Now retired, he lives on Clay Hill in Rochester with his wife, Lois.
The present pastor of the Federated Church, Rev. Bill Daniels, read greetings received from the Scottsdale Congregational Church in Arizona, where Rev. Bond was pastor from 1974-87. A number of friends from the First Congregational Church of Reading, Mass. were present to extend their good wishes. Rev. Bond was pastor there from 1987-98. Another special guest was Verna Harvey, who was chairman of the search committee that called Rev. Bond to the Federated Church in 1965.
During last Sunday’s service, Rev. Bond was presented with a framed certificate officially recognizing his status as "Pastor Emeritus."
After graduating from Middlebury College in 1958, Rev. Bond went to the U.S. Naval Officer’s Candidate School and served at the U.S. Naval Communications Station in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1959-62. It was while he was in Hawaii that he met and married the former Lois Kelley in 1961.
Following his Navy service, he entered Andover-Newton Theological School in Mass. and served in a "field work" position for three years at First Church, Cambridge, Mass. as director of Christian Education and advisor to their youth fellowship program. It was from Cambridge that Rev. Bond was called to serve at the Rochester Federated Church.
Bob Leister of Bethel was master of ceremonies at a reception held in Fellowship Hall following the service; where as guest of honor, Rev. Bond was the recipient of some "toasting and roasting" from the friends gathered, He was also presented with some surprise gifts and an impressive autumn-theme cake created by Priscilla Baker.
By Martha Slater