Rev. John Danner Bids Farewell to Saugatuck Church

Saugatuck Congregational Church senior pastor, the Rev. John Howard Danner, gave his final sermon in Westport Sunday morning.

Danner is leaving the parish to take the position of senior pastor at Sanibel Island Congregational Church of Christ in Sanibel Island, Fla.

The move to Florida will bring the reverend and his wife, Linda, closer to their children and four grandchildren in Fort Meyers and Orlando. He will begin his work  in Florida on Jan. 25.

Danner, who hails from New England, notes that the weather in the Southeast might take some getting used to. "I will miss the cold, but not the slush or the mush or the slipping or the sliding," he said in an interview Sunday.

Danner arrived at the Westport congregation Sept. 10, 2001. Due to the atrocities that occurred the following day, he was forced to hit the ground running.

"Two days after I arrived here, I was part of a town-wide interfaith event that occurred at Staples High School," he recalled. "I barely had time to dust off my suitcase."

While serving this community, Danner was integral in creating a series of youth mission trips in which teenagers from the church traveled to impoverished communities to lend helping hands.

"We have had nine trips so far and I expect that to continue," Danner said. Trips have been made to West Virginia,  Mississippi, Kentucky, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, San Francisco and New Orleans. "A fair amount of the trips took place to assist following national disasters," he explained. "We were there to help after Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Katrina."

Although he is looking forward to spending time with family and becoming involved with a new congregation, he is not without remorse. "I am sad to leave Westport. There are lots of good people here," Danner said. "It's a beautiful place to live but I am trading it for another beautiful place to live. This is a good solid congregation with a good community commitment and involvement."

He added, "Saugatuck Church, in particular, and Westport, in general, have demonstrated the ability to be aware of a wider world and to be generous in their support of others. My prayer is that that continues."

During his final Sunday at the church, a special service took place in which Danner gave a sermon that applauded  the Saugatuck congregation. "You have all taught this preacher, teacher and student a thing or two about church, faith and God," he said during his remarks. "It has been an honor and privilege to be here. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

A luncheon honoring the pastor took place following the 10 a.m. service. Songs were sung by church choirs and choristers, tributes were made by congregation members and gifts were presented to the Danners in thanks for their work with the church.

An interim pastor will lead the congregation at Saugatuck Church as a search is under way to find a replacement.

Before coming to serve in Westport, Danner was the pastor of the First Congregational Church in River Edge, N.J., from 1991-2001.