103 1st Street, Riverhead, New York 11901, United States
Beacon Light Newsletter
September/October 2026
BEACON LIGHT NEWSLETTER
~ September - October 2026 ~
Dear Friends and Members of our First Congregational Church,
There’s only one place to start this, my last BL article,
and it’s with a big “Thank You.” Thank you for the opportunity to serve a beautiful church of welcoming souls. Thank you for the generosity of compassion that was extended my way. Thank you for your continued service for the betterment of our local church, our local community, and of the wider church in a world that needs the witness we provide.
We’re just a few months shy of what would mark my 14th anniversary here in
Riverhead. I am grateful for the friends I’ve made, the opportunities for service not just with our church but with the community, and for a genuinely good chapter in the journey of my life. Riverhead will long hold a special place in my heart.
As for the immediate plans, here’s what is on tap. I’ll return to the pulpit for communion on September 6. The hope is that despite it being on Labor Day weekend, many of you will be able to attend. As a number of our not-yet-members have expressed interest in joining our church during my tenure, I would like to meet with them following worship.
The following weekend I have been asked to officiate a wedding in Michigan, so I won’t return to the pulpit until my last Sunday, the third Sunday of the month, September 20. That service will include both the Reception of New Members and the Rite of Farewell. As I know there will be many very ripe tomatoes by then, I am hoping that people will refrain from hurling them at me in the sanctuary. However, if you’d like to offer a word or two of parting, that would be welcomed. There will also be a bit of a reception in the Fellowship Hall after that service.
To bring you up to speed with my life of late, in short, it’s been quite the whirlwind.
We’ve had painters at the house for weeks, but now they’re done with most of the work, and on pause until the finishing touches are needed after I move out of the parsonage. We’ve also had at the house, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, oil, heating and cooling reps, the cable guy, and even window-treatment folk, so that now most everything is set… except, of course, for the unpacking and arranging of all the furniture and art and “stuff.”
Meanwhile, back at the parsonage, my life is in boxes. Boxes upon boxes, with more
stuff to be boxed. Fortunately, we’ve also got helpful friends who have pitched in to
help. And, after 35 years of living in a NYC one-bedroom apartment, the apartment is
empty with the lease due to expire at the end of this month. Miguel, too, had help there. The main move from the parsonage will be on Tuesday, September 8. We should be able to get most of everything out, yet the garden stuff and perhaps some more kitchen stuff may need to wait for future trips.
It’s certainly been an exciting time with days that evaporate quickly with the pace of
doings. But God is good, and has really guided us well and blessed us with fine people throughout.
As my parting gift to our community, I hope to have published a report on the local
hunger-action programs (soup kitchen and pantries) which can serve as a resource to coordinators in the future. They may well decide that communication and cooperation with one another is a viable and beneficial way to go. Or so goes the hope.
May God, our Shepherd, our Shelter, and Sustainer, bless us all with a spirit of peace
and strength as the new days ahead unfold, and may hope always abound in the
confidence of Jesus’ holy love that embraces us all. Be blessed by God…and do have a good time while you’re at it.
With love, as a brother in Christ,
Your grateful Pastor Sean
Our Pastor, the Rev. Dr. Sean Murray, who has served for thirteen years, will be
retiring on Sunday, September 20. You are invited to join us for a special goodbye
worship service at 10 a.m. and/or the luncheon and program at 11 a.m. Please RSVP
to Rev. Bonnie Miller at bonni333@aol.com or 631-779-2560 by September 13.
Trustee's Report: The Trustees continue to monitor and look at ways to save money. With the church finally painted and minor repairs made to the soffits and steeple, it looks
amazing in the midday sun standing tall on Main St.
The sudden wind and rainstorm on July 4th created havoc at the parsonage with
downed trees and power lines. We contracted with a local landscaper to clean the
property and remove the tree. As of now, a potential threat remains with a tree leaning towards the house. We are awaiting an estimate to have that remedied.
We are entering into a contract with the Rev, Lorraine DeArmitt who has agreed to
take on the role of interim minister as our congregation forms a Search Committee to investigate candidates for a settled position.
We rely heavily on trusts and special accounts to help with unforeseen maintenance
expenses. Pledges and plate collections are both behind, which is somewhat typical in the summer months. We are hoping the fall will be more fruitful. We feel confident that the Lord will provide and that our Church will continue to be the beacon of light in the Town. ~James Wooten
Treasurer's Report: The church has faced expense increases for all our utilities and supplies. In addition, there have been numerous repairs which have reduced our finances. Attendance this summer at Sunday services has been low which has decreased our income. Please keep your pledges up to date so we can meet the needs of our congregation. The Portuguese Presbyterian Church which has used our sanctuary on Saturdays for over 4 years has found a new home in Hampton Bays. Their financial support and donations will be missed. We currently have eleven AA meetings and one Alanon group using our Parish Hall each week. Each group makes a donation to our church every month.
We welcome Barbara Parsons as our new bookkeeper. A huge thank you to Lorraine
DeArmitt for serving as our bookkeeper for many years. Welcome back to Elaine
Booker, our secretary, who has returned following knee surgery. Thank you to Barbara Parsons for filling in while Elaine was out on disability. ~ Nancy Repp, Treasurer
Buildings and Grounds Report: The summer months have been filled with repairs and work to keep our beautiful church in shape. The exterior of the entire building was scraped and stained and repair work completed on the steeple. Thank you to JIm for coordinating the job. The rear church exterior door was recently repaired after months of problems. Thank you to Melinda for arranging for a locksmith to fix that issue. In addition, we have had continuous problems with our newly installed parish hall air conditioner. Unfortunately, the installer was injured on a job and hasn’t been able to fix the problem. We have a new repairman and hopefully, by the time you read this it will be up and running. Although there are two other air conditioners in the area, they are not powerful enough to keep the room cool for our soup kitchen volunteers. Our gardens have flourished this summer and continue to look beautiful. The parsonage had a huge tree in the front yard fall down early this summer during a storm. This required a company to come in and remove the tree and clean up the debris. ~ Allan Repp
Thrift Shop Report: Thanks to our hard-working volunteers, the thrift shop continues to do a thriving business, bringing much needed funds into our church. Donations have been steady and many new customers have visited. We welcome new volunteers on any day.
Hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-2 and Saturdays 9-1. You don’t have to stay
the entire time. Please consider giving a few hours each month. It is a time of
friendly fellowship and good company among others while helping our church
continue to meet our missions. ~ Nancy Repp
Fundraising Report: There are currently no fundraising events scheduled for this year. We always welcome suggestions for raising funds. If you have an idea for a group event as a time of fellowship, we would also love to hear from you. Thank you to Janet O’Hare for organizing the well-attended concert this summer. The musicians were very talented and everyone enjoyed the concert. ~ Nancy Repp
Music and Worship Report: Our wonderful Music Director, Kim Kang, invited friends who play guitar and flute to play a concert in the church on Sunday afternoon, July 26th.There were more than sixty people in attendance. Kim was so pleased with all the positive comments received. While Kim was on vacation, John returned to play on August 23rd. The congregation really enjoyed his clarinet performance. Kim informed us that she would like to start choir rehearsal on September 13th. This would help us to be ready to sing for the service on the 20th. Much gratitude to those who contribute flowers for our altar and usher each Sunday. There is always a need for more volunteers. Sign-up sheets are posted for this purpose. Thank you in advance for your help! ~ Jeanne Vecchio
Christian Education Report: There was no Sunday School over the summer vacation. We will ask the girls to either write a story or draw a picture for Pastor Sean’s memory book.
The Reverend Doctor Bonnie Miller taught a three-session adult Bible study at her home over the summer. The focus was on becoming closer to God’s amazing creation through nature. The themes were Rocks, Trees, and Shells. Each session included biblical and scientific information, an art project, a word search puzzle, and a dessert to fit the topic. If you would like to receive a copy, you may text Rev. Bonnie at bonni333@aol.com and she will send you one.
Our Interim Pastor, Lorraine DeArmitt, has graciously agreed to do an adult Bible
Study. Details to follow. ~ Sandy Gruner
Social Report: There is no coffee hour on the once-a-month Sundays that our Joint Board Meetings are held. This is usually the third or fourth Sunday of the month. However, we welcome volunteers to host coffee hours on the other Sundays. There is a sign-up sheet posted
We are planning a barbecue for Pastor Sean’s last Sunday, September 20th. Jim
Wooten is bringing the grill, hamburgers, hot dogs, and rolls. The sign-up sheet for side dishes will be on the kitchen wall. ~ Barbara Parsons
Prayer Shawl Ministry: Our Prayer Shawl group continues to meet every Monday
night by Zoom starting at 7:30 p.m. The ID number is 72398798990. The password is Hookers (with a capital H). New members are welcome to sign in . . . the more the
merrier! I look forward to seeing everyone each week. We are spread out over several states, so it is wonderful to be able to connect through Zoom. Please feel free to join us. ~ Barbara Parsons
Visitation" Janet Sanford continues to keep in touch with members and friends who may be in need of spiritual support. A card or phone call to anyone you may know who needs support extends the work and goal of this Committee. If you need a current church directory please call the church office ~
Sandy Gruner
Pastoral Relations: The members of the Pastoral Relations Committee are Jim Wooten, Trustee, Sandy Gruner Deacon; and Jane Kulesa and Susan Hubbard, Members at large. It is the job of this Committee to serve as a liaison between the Pastor and the Congregation. Any issue or concern that affects that relationship should be brought to the Committee so it can be resolved.
This Committee is anxiously awaiting the start of the Search Process. We look
forward to working closely with our Interim Minister, Lorraine DeArmitt, helping to
support and guide her along the way. We also look forward to reading Pastor Sean’s
report on his work with local soup kitchens and food pantries during his sabbatical. The congregation will be receiving a questionnaire to help the Search Committee prepare our church profile. Thank you to everyone who filled survey which was sent to the New York State Conference to be compiled and evaluated. The results will be helpful in developing our profile. ~ Sandy Gruner
Missions and Benevolences: This spring brought an opportunity to help others through our collection - Strengthen the Church. This offering was collected on May 24th. It goes to the United Church of Christ nationally and includes several different aspects of church development. This program helps in the founding of new churches and includes help in training and encouraging people to step into leadership roles in churches throughout the UCC. Also, a portion of this collection helps to promote involvement of youth in the UCC. In June, our church sent $250.00 to support their work.
Our next benevolence offering will be Neighbors in Need on October 4th. This
offering goes out to communities here in the United States and promotes social justice, advocacy for the disadvantaged and also provides basic necessities. ~ Melinda Topping
Bread and More Soup Kitchen: Bread and More Kitchen continues serving takeout dinners which include hot soup, a complete meal, dessert, and water on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:00. Recently the number of guests has been in the 80s. Guests are most appreciative of the meal received. St. Mark’s Church in Shoreham continues to supply peanut butter and jelly sandwiches twice each month. Anderson’s Farm and Northville Farm have been providing fresh vegetables. Beach Bakery in Westhampton and the Riverhead Stop & Shop donate baked goods. Much appreciated financial support comes from grants, organizations, and individuals. ~ Jane Kulesa
Ladies Night Out: Our group enjoyed a wonderful dinner together on Thursday,
August 26th at The Modern Snack Bar. Our next get-together will
be on Thursday, September 24th, place to be determined. That will
be our last time to meet in the evening. Starting in October, we’ll
meet at lunchtime for the remainder of the year. If you are interested in joining us,
please call me. ~ Janet Sanford (H) 631-591-1063 (C) 516-507-7897
