REV. DIANNE E. ARAKAWA TO JOIN FIRST CHURCH AS TRANSITIONAL SENIOR PASTOR

First Church of Christ Simsbury is pleased to announce that Rev. Dianne E. Arakawa has accepted the position of Transitional Senior Pastor. Dianne is a graduate of Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and holds a M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School and a M.A. in the history of religions from the University of Chicago Divinity School. She brings to First Church her extensive experience as both a called minister in New York and Chicago and as an intentional transitional minister, having served in transitional roles at UCC churches in Westford, Belmont, Somerset and Milton, Massachusetts from 1999 to 2008. Most recently, she held the role of Transitional Senior Minister at King's Chapel, an ecumenical church in Boston, from 2009 through March of this year.

 Dianne brings a deep understanding of the role that the transitional minister plays in helping to lead a congregation to examine its history and shape its future as it prepares to call a new settled pastor. Her pastoral and administrative skills and experience will help navigate First Church through this challenging but exciting time.

 The congregation warmly welcomed Dianne to the church community at the First Church annual Fall Festival on Sunday, September 15 through both worship and celebration with great food and fun for all ages.

First Church is an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.