From Our Minister

Let’s face it. Life has its ups and downs. The wonderful thing about belonging to a church is that you have a whole community of witnesses to share life’s ups and downs with. This is why I wanted to become a minister to begin with-- in order to hear people’s stories and to be a witness for them upon their journeys.

At First Church in Dedham we have a wonderful supportive caring community led by the Parish Community Network which works to meet the needs of our congregation. Sometimes it takes just a ride to get someone to church in order to lift their sprits. Sometimes it takes just a phone call. At other times a visit in the hospital from a fellow parishioner or help with meals during an illness makes all the difference. There are many ways to reach out in our community.

As the Minister I am also available to offer a listening ear or a supportive hand and I hope you will call on me at times as well-- but I cannot do it all myself and it requires many caring hands and hearts to maintain this supportive caring community.

This Thanksgiving I want to express my gratitude for the efforts of the Parish Community Network and to anyone who has ever offered a ride, baked a casserole, visited a hospital or called a friend in the parish just to see how they are. If you are interested in supporting the Parish Community Network’s efforts or need a helping hand yourself please fill out the survey in the Parish Record this month or simply give me a call and let me know.

Here is wishing everyone a thanksgiving full of love and caring.

Rali