WELCOME REV. BRUCE SCHOUP
I am pleased to announce that the board of deacons has called Rev. Bruce Schoup to be the intentional interim for First Congregational Church of the United Church of Christ.
Pastor Bruce, as he prefers to be called, comes to us from Second Congregational Church in Westfield, MA. While there he also served as protestant chaplain at Westfield State College. His references speak highly of his worship preparation, in particular on the message, and his sensitivity to members requiring pastoral care.
A graduate of Ursinius College, Pastor Bruce earned his Master’s of Divinity from Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts. He completed his certificate in interim work from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2007. His “home” church association—since interims do not usually join the church they are serving as an interim—is in Tennessee, in the community his parents, both retired ministers, reside.
Prior to his interim training, Pastor Bruce served as a settled pastor for two churches: He spent 8 years at a church in Lebanon PA. He also served in Steinauer and Tecumsah Nebraska, a “two point” congregation for five years. Pastor Bruce points to helping those churches develop plans for their futures, invigorating the youth, and creating positive worship environments as significant accomplishments. He has had some other experiences teaching English and Christian doctrine in Ghana, and working at a Pennsylvania Children’s Home. All of these positions comprise some 20 years of experience.
As the intentional interim Pastor Bruce’s work will not only be with worship and pastoral care. With his training and experience as an intentional interim we anticipate him providing guidance as we make plans to form a search committee, and continued guidance as the search committee meets to describe and define a vision for our beloved church. Bruce’s covenant will last until one month prior to the arrival of a settled pastor.
During the next three weeks of June, Pastor Bruce will be traveling in Ireland, studying Celtic Christianity. Travel is one of his passions, and he usually combines it with study. In fact, he has already offered to lead a study trip to Germany for a Christian event next May, if our members are interested. Bruce has made one trip to Poughkeepsie already to look for housing rentals. (And I would like to acknowledge the invaluable and gracious help that Carolyn Reynolds has provided in this area.) Pastor Bruce and his two cats plan to move here on July 1st, and his first day in the church office will be July 3rd. I hope many will be able to attend Pastor Bruce’s first service with us on July 5th.
In his statement on ministry, Pastor Bruce has written that:
…I resonate with the disciples who were fishing in the waters of the sea of Galilee
when Jesus approached and called, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”
If we define the word “fish” as a noun, it means “to nourish others.” If we define “fish”
as a verb, it means “to draw others closer to the spirit of the Christ.” Both are excellent
notions, and so, like the disciples, I drop the net and follow Jesus wherever he may lead.
It seems Pastor Bruce has been led to us for his next journey and ours. May we find our time together to be hopeful and spiritually fulfilling.
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