We hope that all were able to appreciate the full range of Holy Week services, whether in person or virtually.  We are all one congregation, gathered together, whether physically or in cyberspace.  God welcomes all, however we choose to meet these challenging times.

Church Council met on April 12, 2022.  Highlights from the consent agenda and the brief meeting include:

  • A number of events have been planned by the Spiritual Care Support Board / Deacons and others to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Hills Church. On Sunday May 1 after worship Susan Walton will lead an Historical Tour of the Hills Church.  On May 11 Professor Laurie Maffly-Kipp, a church historian, will host a Zoom meeting.  She will give an overview of Congregationalism in the 1840’s when Hills Church was founded, and especially its active engagement with abolition and temperance.  On Sunday May 15 after worship, Margaret Bendroth, former Executive Director of the Congregational Library will talk about the founding of Hills Church.  Many may remember Peggy from her previous visits to the Hills Church as well as our Adult Education tours of the Congregational Library and historic church sites in Boston.

  • In June the Church’s Birthday will be celebrated the weekend of June 11 and 12th. There will be a Deacon sponsored event on Saturday, June 11th with food and live jazz music provided by the group that plays for Old South’s Thursday Jazz service.  Sunday, June 12th there will be a special celebration worship service followed by the annual church picnic sponsored by Parish Life.

  • The Christian Service Support Board is thoughtfully considering how the Church can focus our talents and resources in supporting local, national, and international outreach.  They have surveyed local houses of worship and are in dialogue with our UCC conference.  In parallel, the Board has arranged Mission Moments in worship with the Wellesley Food Pantry and City Mission in Boston.  They are planning a June Moment around the service of our Youth in support of Common Cathedral in Cambridge.

  • Faith Formation Support Board and clergy, collaborating with the Deacons and Church School Director are focusing on ways to engage families, including participation in worship, acting as greeters, and bringing back acolytes.

  • The confirmation dinner will be held on May 4th.  In addition to this year’s confirmands, the classes of 2020 and 2021 will be invited since the traditional dinner was not held in those years.

  • The Strengthening Church Governance Implementation Task Force has begun rolling out a number of new communication pieces such as banners and fliers in the Sanctuary and on the website.  These efforts will continue through May and June.

  • Mary Hill Canavan represented the Hills Church as a Delegate to the Southern New England Conference Super Saturday Conference on March 19th.  She provided a report to Church Council highlighting resources such as those provided by the Super Saturday Conference and the SNEUCC that could more broadly inform our strategic thinking in the months of transition to come.  Mary also participated in a stimulating “You’re ONA: What’s Next?” workshop.  The resources and insights she harvested have been provided to the Hills Church ONA Task Force.

  • The Clergy and staff worked tirelessly to make Lent and Holy Week a deeply meaningful season at the Hills.  They also provided inspiration and guidance on the 175th Anniversary Celebration and the transitions of our Senior Minister and Music Director.  This in addition to the usual Clergy activities of pastoral care, meetings, and weekly faith-filled opportunities.

  • Council elected Linda Thomas to the Personnel Special Ministry Team and Lori Janiuk and Barbara Farmer to the Safe Church Special Ministry Team.  Council thanked all three for stepping forward and the Participation & Involvement Team for their tireless efforts in discerning and recruiting the volunteers needed to carry out the Church’s missions.

  • An Inter Board Planning and Calendaring meeting will be held the evening of June 1st.  Support Board Chairs, Clergy, Moderators, and other leaders will meet to coordinate activities, provide a road map for the new Senior Minister, and start the new year with a bang in September!


In closing, we would like to lift up activities Reverend Judy Swahnberg reported to Council relating to two long time members:

  • Judy authored a resolution that was read at Wellesley Town Meeting to honor the memory of longtime Hills Church and Town Meeting member Stanley Hodges. The Hodges family was touched and expressed their appreciation at this remembrance.

  • Judy thanked 95-year-old George Rockwell for his past generosity and showed him the plaque on the library door in his family’s honor. His current project is working to end the use of nuclear bombs. He is working with 2 Nobel prize winners.

May their examples be an inspiration and call to action for us all!