Please welcome Susannah Bales, Central’s new Director of Religious Education! Susannah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Religion from Pfeiffer University and a Master’s in Divinity from Emory University. She was Director of Nurture and Children’s Ministries at Embry Hills United Methodist Church for ten years, leading programs and events that included 50 children. More recently, she was Assistant Youth Minister at Oak Grove United Methodist Church, serving more than 100 youth and 50 volunteers. Susannah is also a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

May Grant

A paper written by Central member May Grant was presented at “The Mission and Transmission: Walking in the Congregational Way,” a virtual conference held on Wednesday, July 17. May’s paper discussed Agnes Fenenga. Born in The Netherlands and raised in South Dakota, Fenenga (1874 to 1949) worked for 40 years as a missionary of the Congregational Church – spending 30 years in Turkey and ten in Syria.

July 13 to 21 

This year, CCC Youth will be sticking close to home for its annual week of service, assisting local charities. You can help them collect donations for Friends Way (Rhode Island’s only children’s bereavement center): Camp supplies such as markers, crayons, glue sticks, stickers, and Play-Doh;  Rhode Island Community Food Bank: Grape jelly, soup, cereal, oatmeal, canned vegetables, and juice; and Better Lives Rhode Island (programs addressing homelessness and food insecurity): Hydration station supplies, especially liter- and gallon-size water bottles.  Please place your contributions in the donation boxes that will be on the Chapel Hall stage through July 21.

Central congratulates its 2024 high school and college graduates:  Jack Armstrong, Boston Conservatory, Berklee School of Music;  Nobel Brigham, Brown University;  Jackson Chambers, Franklin High School;  Henry Hebb, Gordon College;  John Lalli, Brown University;  Madeline S. Lee, Bates College;  Amelia Lynch, La Salle Academy;  Thomas Lynch, La Salle Academy;  Coco Maranjian, Brown University;  Phoebe Maranjian, Brown University;  Alex Mirrer, Yale University;  Adam J. Morrissey, Suffolk University, Law School;  Stephen Moss, University of Michigan, School of Public Health;  Sophia Mott, University of Vermont;  Molly O’Hara, Pitzer College;  Benjamin Thornton, Brown University; and Lily Thornton, Wheeler School.

Central is a longtime supporter of Rhode Island PrideFest, which took place on Saturday, June 15. Thanks so much to the volunteers who staffed our booth:  Paul Armstrong, Eric Bennett, Catherine D’Avanzato, Michael Fournier, Beverly Haviland, Elizabeth Howlett, Jaime Lavoie, Morgan Lavoie, and Temi Sonubi. PrideFest, which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community, is one of the oldest celebrations of its kind in the country. This year, the event welcomed more than 125,000 attendees and 250 nonprofit organizations, businesses, and food vendors.

Central is seeking a Director of Religious Education – who will create and direct children’s ministries, while fostering healthy child-development habits and ensuring age-appropriate, fully inclusive faith development for all families in the Central community. Programs include nursery, church school, CCC Youth, confirmation, and summer mission trip. If you would like more information or know someone who might be interested, please contact the Church Office.