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| 1790 Ellington Road South Windsor, CT 06074 |
860-644-0833 info@wappingchurch.org |
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THE WAPPING COMMUNITY CHURCH STAFF  Senior Pastor: Rev. Mark B. Abernethy We called Mark to be our Senior Pastor in 1998. In Mark, we found someone who believes that "through God, all things are possible." We also found someone who is committed to the family mission and ministry of Wapping Church. "I am committed to a ministry that brings people together in a church that brings people together..... Out of our own joys and triumphs, ministry unites people and binds people in a circle of shared commitment and shared discipleship. Church is a place you should call home, where people know your name. Mark believes in pastoral care and that caring for one another is one of the most important purposes of our church. "There is nothing more powerful, profound or sacred in ministry than sharing with someone the most joyous, most lonely, most challenging, most painful, or most peaceful times in their lives." Mark enjoys visiting with the congregation and sees ministry during life events - birth, baptism, marriage, death - and ministering to hospital and home-bound as most important. Lastly, Mark has a strong commitment to social justice ministry around issues of housing and homelessness, AIDS, race relations, economic justice, peace, and non-discrimination. We need to love the unlovable and the church can be a vehicle to help this happen." Yet, Mark doesn't take himself too seriously. "I draw strength from a sense of humor. It helps me not to take myself too seriously and relate easily to other people." And, above all, "I consider myself a student and disciple committed to an ongoing process of learning, reflecting, seeking, and understanding along my Christian journey of faith," says Mark. Mark's Bio
Contact Mark: mark@wappingchurch.org or (860) 644-0833, extension 11 Associate Pastor: Rev. Kristen J. Kleiman Kristen came to Wapping Church in 1999. She has been a member of the United Church of Christ for most of her life, having grown up in a UCC community in Glastonbury. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and her Masters of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology. Kristen has been Moderator of the Hartford East Association and a General Synod delegate. Kristen works closely with the youth ministry of Wapping Church and has her certificate in Youth and Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary. While on sabbatical, Kristen studied Biblical Greek and walked in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, touring Greece, Turkey, and Italy.
Contact Kristen: kristen@wappingchurch.org or (860) 644-0833, extension 12 Christian Education Director: Heather Eaton Heather came to Wapping, after serving as Director of Christian Education at other churches in CT, thoroughly excited about helping our church school make the transition to the Workshop Rotation Model. After a year using the model, children, families and Board of Christian Education members can't imagine going back to the "traditional model." Heather hopes that everyone involved in the church in any way will take one week during this coming year to visit God's Garden and see all of the exciting ways that God's love is demonstrated to everyone participating in God's Garden - children, youth and adults alike! Heather's background is in education, having earned both a bachelor's and master's degree in Human Development and Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College in Boston, MA. Heather has experience as both a teacher and a director in programs for children from infancy through high school ages. Heather's office - with it's enticing collection of puppets, books and toys - is open to all parents and children in need of conversation, a listening ear, private nursing space, play time, support or a friend.
Contact Heather: heather@wappingchurch.org or or (860) 644-0833, extension 15 Director of Caring Ministries: Lisa Wallace Lisa came to Wapping in 2005 after serving in a variety of caring and teaching ministries, with 17 years of Christian ministry in UCC churches. She knows without a doubt that the Holy Spirit led her to Wapping Church, and is thrilled to serve God as the Director of Caring Ministries. Lisa believes that we are the hands and feet of Jesus, so she is fervent about role modeling the caring, as well as equipping, encouraging, and inspiring others to serve one another. With Christ as our example, pouring out His life for others, Caring Ministries is a personal ministry, beginning and blossoming in the hearts and actions of individuals. Therefore, Caring Ministries reflects a passion for reaching out to each other in response to the love and daily relationship we find with the Lord. As we open our hearts to God, and give every aspect of our lives over to God with praise and thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit moves in miraculous ways. Always what follows is a tenderness of heart, eyes that open to see and feel another person's struggles, and God-inspired actions that bring healing, peace and joy. God's movement in this way, through every person here at Wapping Church, is the ultimate goal of Caring Ministries. God is calling us to walk with Him and each other in hope, faith and love. Caring Ministries at Wapping Church is the umbrella for numerous outreach programs and initiatives to friends and members, as well as outreach to those who have never experienced the comfort and warmth of being part of our close-knit church community. Caring Ministries nurtures and oversees opportunities for individuals to become active in the life of the church, so they can: Lisa earned a BS in Communications, Magna Cum Laude, from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. She completed The Hartford's Leadership Training Program for Developing Recognized Leaders, as well as MBA courses with Marketing concentration at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Hartford Graduate School. Lisa has held number communications and management positions. In addition to serving Wapping Church as the Director of Caring Ministries, she is also a Managing Director for People Management based in Avon, CT, a Christian international consulting organization, specializing in giftedness for personal and organizational effectiveness. Contact Lisa: lisa@wappingchurch.org or (860) 644-0833, extension 24. Interim Director of Music Ministries: Michael Crowley Michael Crowley is in his senior year at Coventry High School in Coventry, Connecticut. Currently Michael studies piano at The Hartt School of Music with Dr. Paul Rutman and Carol Gould, and is also a recipient of Hartt's Performer's Certificate program for young artists. In addition, he is in a piano trio coached by Maggie Francis. As well as solo pianist, Michael has been accompanist for soprano Jolie Rocke Brown, Coventry and Bolton Public School Choirs, The Charter Oak Music Festival Chorus, Uconn and Hartt music departments, and pianist/harpsichordist for The Connecticut Youth Symphony. Office Administrator: Christine Carlson Contact Christine: christine@wappingchurch.org or or (860) 644-0833, extension 10 |
