
See what exciting activities are underway
and how you can join in the journey.
On this Page You will find
The world has changed, the needs of the community have changed. How can our church align with these changing needs? What does it mean to be “church” in today’s world and what might that look like? Where is God leading us?
We are following an intentional process to clarify our Core Values, Beliefs, God’s Vision for us, and our Mission. The process is a collective spiritual practice of listening deeply for God’s Spirit and Wisdom bubbling up in the conversations we have with one another.
On the Vision and Values page you will find further description of our process to date and the results of faithful, fruitful conversations from the last two and a half years.
Houses of Hope

In September we applied to and were accepted as a participating congregation in Austin Seminary’s Lilly Foundation funded program called “Houses of Hope.”
The pilot program seeks to help rural congregations deepen their spiritual practices to be a source of hope in relationship with the greater community.
The year-long, four-phase process engages the congregation in a variety of activities and spiritual practices, including holy listening, contemplative prayer, storytelling, and wonder.
We began Phase I in early November and hosted a community potluck on December 15, which was a joyful success. The food was delicious, the conversations delightful, and four beautiful “secret ingredients” appear in the comments from the congregation:
- Relational depth and authenticity
- Meaningful, participatory, communal worship
- Participatory service with others
- An intimate, safe, and inclusive environment
The team senses that there is a hopeful energy that is bubbling up from within our congregation. We can “lean into our smallness” as a strength, which is a core premise of Houses of Hope. Vitality looks different today than what it looked like in the past. As one participant put it, the same ingredient may be present in the past, present and future, however we need to “adjust the seasoning.”
Phase II begins February 23 and includes four 90-minute conversations that will deepen our spiritual practices related to contemplative prayer, holy listening, and story telling; and build our capability to dream, listen, share, and show up differently.
If you are interested or curious, contact Rev Kev or one of the Houses of Hope team.

The program is a well-timed practical addition and naturally follows the activities already underway to discern our future, explore our values, and seek God’s vision. The following video briefly explains the program. Find out more and watch additional videos at the Houses of Hope website.
Exploring Possibilities

Since October of 2023, our Governing Board has wondered how to engage other congregations to combine our strengths, share resources, serve our community, and “Be the Church” today.
These conversations resulted in the February “Churches Growing Together” workshop where representatives from the various churches shared their hopes and strengths. The Windham Association is reviewing the list and exploring a follow-up gathering.
In April, our pastor, moderator, and vice-moderator began attending a monthly interfaith gathering in Willimantic to explore ways to work more closely with other faith communities to promote justice and build community through open conversations.
Church Connect App
Did you know that you can now update your contact information, choose if and how much of your contact information is available to congregants, and signup for activities and events online?
In September we began moving to a new Church Management System, called ChurchTrac. The video on the left explains how to download the Church Connect App. The Church Connect App allows you to update you contact information, set your preferences for what (if any) of your information can be seen by other FCCW congregants, view our online directory, register for events, and more.
Use of the App is OPTIONAL. You can still sign up and update your information through paper forms as well.
Questions or for more information, please contact Lisa, our Communications Coordinator, by email or calling the office.
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