Pastoral Message

“Wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” I am overjoyed to join you as your interim minister and to share with you God’s extravagant welcome to all who seek God’s goodness and love. I am honored to journey with you during this interim season in Amicable’s history, which this year reaches its 275th anniversary. Amicable has always been special to me because your retired minister, Bill Sterrett, mentored me through the ordination process more than 15 years ago. 

A little about me—I grew up in Wilmington, DE. Both my parents were church musicians in Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopal churches. I attended public schools in Wilmington and graduated with a BA in history from the University of Delaware. After undergraduate studies, I went to the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, where I received my MDiv.

For many years, I was a writer/editor in international and multicultural institutes/centers at Harvard and Brown Universities. During this time, I was drawn to the study of human rights and pursued a MA from Boston College in modern European history with an emphasis on the formation of human rights norms. Currently, I am completing a DMin at Hartford Seminary on how religious organizations intervened in modern humanitarian crises.

I was ordained in 2009 at Brown University’s Manning Chapel where I served on the University Chaplain’s staff. Subsequently, I was the University Multifaith Chaplain and Director of the Office of Spiritual Life at Roger Williams University for eight years. In 2019, I left Roger Williams to complete my DMin and to serve at Edgewood Congregational Church in Cranston.

I love congregational ministry and the opportunities it promises for building multigenerational community. Specifically, I want to learn more about how we can support the spiritual journeys of youth, especially as they prepare for the years after high school. 

My spouse, Ricky Brightman, and I live in Warwick’s Gaspee area. She is a permanent deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, serving the Church Beyond the Walls ministry. We have a dog named Nellie Gilles, who is a PBGV. I am passionate about all things rowing and belong to the Narragansett Boat Club.

I am eager to learn more about you as the days proceed.

Blessings to you, Rev. Nancy

Welcome Back to In-Person Worship

Worship Themes

For Everything There is a Season

June 6 - Our First Communion Together: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) The first Sunday of June marks the monthly gathering for Holy Communion, and we begin a new season in the life of the congregation. Together, we join in a period of discernment as Amicable explores the richness of its past and considers directions for its future. 

June 13 - God’s Time: Let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no. (James 5:12b) “What is in God’s time and what is in our time?” As we live into a new season of ministry within the walls of the church and beyond, how do we discern what parts of the journey we can map and what parts are mapped by the life of the spirit?

June 20 - Father’s Day: A service to celebrate Fathers and those who father us. 

June 27 - A New Beginning: “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19a) As we celebrate Amicable’s past, we celebrate its future. What “new thing” is being born within and around us? How will we recognize signs of newness, and how might we respond?

Thank you!

The Amicable Church Council would like to extend its sincere appreciation to the Interim Minister Search Team. The team members are Julie Lohr, Ray Medeiros, Kimberly Poulton and Kristen Zeiser. The team came together in November, 2020 and worked seamlessly for the next six months to identify and recruit our Interim Minister, The Reverend Nancy Soukup. We thank them for their heartfelt dedication and hard work in identifying interim ministry candidates and finding just the right Interim MInister for our church family. Below you will find a “screenshot” of the IMST at work.

We Have a New Custodian!

Please welcome Caron Medeiros as our new custodian! 

Caron started with us on Thursday, May 20th and has been hard at work preparing the church building for our reopening on June 6th.

Employment Opportunity

There is a Church Secretary position available, which is a part-time 10 hour per week role. If anyone is interested please send an email to office@amicablechurch.org or call the church office at 401-624-4611.

Pentecost Celebration

With a Happy Birthday Banner, noise makers and red, orange, and yellow streamers, members and friends felt the Spirit as we were all together in person for an outside coffee hour celebration complete with The Rev. Leslie reading “The Wind and the Dwarfs” to children and grown-ups alike!  Treats and drinks were enjoyed, but definitely the company of one another was the highlight of the morning.

Volunteer Opportunity

Financial Notes of Interest - June 2021

• 2021 remained in a general “Church Closure” mode, with weekly Worship Services still being presented via Zoom and/or Amicable’s Facebook page.  However plans are being made for real Sunday Services to start up in June.
• Cleaning, maintenance, and utility expenses remain lower than budgeted during this period.
• We are still operating without a Secretary so that these normal expenses are not accumulating at present. 
• A new Custodian began in May so these charges will begin again, especially as plans to reopen for Sunday Services are being planned for June, which will entail some extra cleaning activities.
• Lower expenses will help offset income losses since the 5K Event for 2021 has been canceled and Summer Festival activity planning has been on hold so far.
• With the continued closure of church activities and services, regular pledged and general donations have been degrading from budgeted plans in May as well as some in April.
• The Thrift Shop has continued to have good receipts again in May – an income bright spot.
• No big expense surprises occured in May.
• As we await the June 1st start of our new Interim Minister, again there were no ministerial expenses in May, although Guest Minister expenses were higher than planned, but of course nothing approaching typical full-time ministerial expenses.

Respectfully Submitted:  Treasurer, Roger Gauthier

Milestones

Scott Correia                      06/01         Debby & Franklin Scheel                   06/15

Paula Becker                    06/04         Jean Galipeau & Sandra Lovley        06/17 

James Aiello                      06/09        Julie Lohr & Tome Andrade                06/18

Laura Busenbark              06/09         Kathy & Brian Aguiar                          06/19

Maryellen Castro               06/11         Paula & Ken Becker                          06/24

Carolyn Melbourne            06/12

Chris Pyne                         06/20

Aubrey Messenger            06/20

Patricia Atkinson-Santos    06/21

Rowan Obolensky              06/21

Ariel Galipeau                    06/24

Virginia Messier                 06/26