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Special Info MAINE CONFERENCE LOCAL CHURCH PROFILE
Church name: First Congregational Church of Scarborough Street address:167 Black Point Rd., Scarborough ME 04074 Website: fcchurch@fccscarborough.com Phone: 207-883-2342 Conference: Maine Association: Cumberland Conference Staff Person: Rev. John Fiscus
Position: Full-time Settled Pastor
Summary Ministry Description:
Over these last few years of transition, we demonstrated to ourselves a willingness for change. We have broadened our outlook and enthusiastically became fully covenanted members of the UCC. This reach “outside of ourselves” has brought new energy and optimism. We are building on our strengths which include mission and outreach, and empowering our discipleship by spreading the word and love of God. We are seeking a person filled with the Holy Spirit, who offers strong loving leadership skills, and who preaches wisely and knowledgeably about both the Scripture and current life challenges. We are looking for a leader to join us and guide us on our journey towards a just and joyful world.
First Congregational Church of Scarborough Purpose Statement (as in our by-laws)
“God is able to provide you with every blessing, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) 1. WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US?
EXPECTATIONS: _x__ Worship Leadership, Preaching, Service Preparation (coordinating with our music minister) _x__ Maintain collegial and denominational relationships. _x__ Mission and service involvements _x__ Church Administration, Newsletter, Communications, Staff Supervision _x__ Other expectations: (see below) _x__ Leadership with Church governing body and committees. _x__ Pastoral care, visitation of hospitalized, homebound, and members in care facilities. _x__ Special services (weddings, funerals, liturgical year services) _x__ Teaching – Bible Studies, adult education, confirmation, other (please provide a list of any other teaching items).
We are looking for a settled pastor who is warm and caring, and enjoys being with and caring for people of all ages and backgrounds. This person should have strong interpersonal skills, and be an effective leader and role model.
We are looking for someone who has good preaching skills, and who brings the Biblical text into the current lives of the congregation and world. We value our freedom to interpret the Gospel for ourselves, and with the help of God, expand our understanding of God’s Word.
We would appreciate a pastor who actively participates in the ministries of the church, attending monthly meetings, and offering advice and ideas. We look forward to one who empowers our laity to provide help with pastoral care, scripture reading, faith formation, and other duties as needed.
A good sense of humor would be very welcome. Experience with children’s ministry is a plus.
Describe the ministry goals you envision your next minister co-collaborating with the congregation to achieve.
Working with us to imagine a vision for ministry that encourages greater church vitality, inspiring congregants and others to become more involved.
Helping us through an anticipated future building project, managing conflict that may arise, discerning God’s Will through the transition.
Working with us to reach out into the community, as time allows.
Helping us to write our mission and vision statements.
Helping us to streamline our organizational structure to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
2. SUPPORT AND COMPENSATIONWhat is the expected living situation for your next minister?
We do not have a parsonage and will offer a housing allowance.
Describe all buildings owned by the church: The First Congregational Church of Scarborough was founded in 1728 and is among the oldest churches in Maine. Our old New England style church has beautiful stained-glass windows, beautiful wooden pews with cushions and a two manual Austin Pipe Organ (built 1979 in Hartford, CT). The current church building was constructed in 1892. The Parish Hall was constructed in 1952. The Annex was purchased in 1999 to house the church offices and provide additional meeting space.
Which spaces are accessible to wheelchairs? (worship space, pulpit, fellowship space, facilities, etc.) The Church has the sanctuary and a daylight basement that houses a kitchen, meeting/fellowship space, a bathroom, and storage. We are working to improve accessibility, by exploring the addition of a lift to the church. Currently parishioners using mobility aids enter the sanctuary with assistance through the side ramp and side door. The pulpit is not accessible, nor is the balcony. Parishioners must exit using the ramp and use the driveway to enter the vestry through the kitchen and to access the bathroom.
The Parish Hall is a split designed building with an entry into the vestibule with a stairway up to the second floor and down to the first floor. The first floor has classrooms mostly being used for our Food Pantry and a Nursery School which is renting the space. It has one room which is a meeting/fellowship space and one classroom used for Sunday School. There is a kitchen used primarily for the Food Pantry and Nursery School. Two non-handicap accessible bathrooms are also located on the first floor. The second floor has a large meeting hall, small office and storage space. There is a seated stairlift to the second floor. We are also exploring the possibility of adding a lift to the Parish Hall. Currently there is limited accessibility for people using mobility aids.
The Annex was a home and is a split design. There is a meeting/fellowship space on the entry level that is accessible with a small half bath. Up several steps are an open area where our administrative assistant is located and a kitchen. Up several more steps and there is the Music Office, Treasurer’s Office, Minister’s Office and a small meeting space with some storage and a full bath. There is also a garage that was converted to Youth Space but has become more storage. There is no current accessibility to the offices.
None of our spaces are ADA compliant.
Incentives: 4-weeks of vacation Holidays A three-month Sabbatical after 5 years
Describe peer and professional supports available for ministers in your association/conference: Communities of Practice (Conference sponsored clergy support groups); multiple opportunities for engagement with Cumberland Association ministries.
Compensation: $118 - $121, 000 Total Package to be negotiated with the candidate according to experience and candidate’s desire for distribution in UCC benefits.
3. WHO IS GOD CALLING US TO BECOME?
We have a deep commitment to family, to being united in Jesus Christ, and to the faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word. We are committed to caring for one another; welcoming all; and extending love, friendship and acceptance to all those who come to worship with us. During discussions held with our congregation, several important challenges were highlighted. We have come to the understanding that challenges can lead to opportunities. Our congregation has an older population along with aging buildings. We are fortunate to have the wisdom and experience of members who have stepped up to work on various task forces to address some of these challenges. We continue to be in discernment of how God is calling us into the future. We are excited and have a great deal of energy for the changes and challenges that lie ahead, as we adapt to the changing world around us. We strive to continue to be a vital and stabilizing force within our community. We know this will include a focus on ministering to our older population, as well as a fresh vision for intergenerational experiences in worship and community life. Describe how God is calling you to reach out to address the emerging challenges and opportunities of your community and congregation.
We have been building a stronger music program over the last two years. We gathered an ad-hoc Music committee. This committee wrote a job description for a newly established Minister of Music position. In addition to our weekly Sunday services, our Minister of Music has directed Christmas Cantatas; our handbell choir; special music with guest musicians; community caroling and Christmas music celebrations, including Christmas Eve services. Going into the future, we see our music program becoming stronger and farther reaching, by touching the lives of individuals in and outside of our church.
One of our challenges is building accessibility. A Building Advisory Committee was formed to research all viable options for our church and parish hall in order to upgrade our older buildings. Their research included how to make our buildings handicap accessible, in addition to the possibility of restructuring our parish hall to include new church offices. The congregation will soon be reviewing their findings. We look forward to working closely with our pastor to help bring this vision to a reality.
We presently have three church properties to maintain and manage. In order to decrease our operating expenses and maintenance needs, we are considering selling our church annex, which houses our church offices. This will also help fund our building upgrades.
4. CONGREGATIONAL REFLECTIONSDescribe several strengths or positive qualities of your congregation.
We are a congregation with a great big, genuine heart. Because we are not large, we strive to know everybody. Newcomers are warmly welcomed, and we do our best to make them feel included. We are a mission-minded church, hosting the local food pantry. Through this mission, and through many others, our members put the gospel into action and bring real, tangible benefits to the most-needy in our community. We are honest disciples of Jesus Christ who do our best to live God’s Word.
Describe what worship is like when your congregation gathers.
The first introduction upon entering the Narthex is a warm friendly greeting from the ushers. Name badges are available to let newcomers know who we are and to let others know our names. Often some migrate to a familiar pew although no one claims ownership of a designated seat. This can be a time of quiet reflection or a chance to chat with other worshipers. It is also a special time to be greeted by our Pastor who circulates before the service begins to personally greet each and every person, most of whom she knows by name. This perfectly underscores the warm welcome.
Our present pastor uses the lectionary. Scriptures and music are relevant to the message. The message is usually relatable to joys and challenges of the times. Current events are examined through the lens of the gospel. Humor and storytelling enhance the message. Special observances include Communion (served on the first Sunday of the month) and Baptisms; New member covenanting services; and Commissioning of special committees. Special services include Ash Wednesday; Maundy Thursday; Easter Sunrise service at Higgins Beach; and Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols.
Music is an important part of the worship service, incorporating organ and piano spiritual music as well as choral anthems. If children are present, the Pastor delivers a children’s message that most adults can also relate to. Following the message, the children depart for Sunday School. After the worship service the congregation gathers downstairs in the Vestry for a time of fellowship and snacks.
Our worship service is live streamed every Sunday on Facebook.
Describe how your congregation is organized for ministry and mission.
The officers of the church are the Minister, Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, Recording Treasurer, Missions Treasurer and the Superintendent of the Sunday school (currently vacant).
The Church Council is made up of all officers and chairpersons of each ministry. Additional participants include representatives from Women’s and Men’s fellowships, and members-at- large. The Council coordinates the activities of the church and collaborates with the minister. The Council has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the church between congregational meetings, unless a special meeting of the congregation needs to be called. The Church Council meets the first Tuesday of the month, September through June, for 1 ½ hours.
The Ministries of the church carry out activities in support of the church. They include:
Yes
5. CONGREGATIONAL MEMBERSHIP, BUDGET & LEADERSHIP
# Current Membership: __120___ # Membership 5 years ago: __189___ # Average Weekly Worship Attendance: __40 – 50___ # Participating in Youth Ministries: __2-4___ Current Year Annual Church Budget: __$290,510___ Current Year Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM): $__1,000___ # Pledging Units: ____70______ Average Annual Pledge Amount: __$2,286___
Is your church 5-for-5, i.e. does it include each of the following contributions during the church year? (indicate those included during the most recent fiscal year) _x_ Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM – Basic Support) __ One Great Hour of Sharing __ Strengthen the Church __ Neighbors in Need __ Christmas Fund
What is the church’s current indebtedness? Total amount of loan debt: $0.00
If a building program is projected or underway, describe it, including the projected start/end date of the building project and the total project budget.
We are in the “exploring options” phase of a building plan to create office space in our Parish Hall, facilitating the sale of our Annex and adding accessibility aids such as lifts and accessible bathrooms to our church and Parish Hall.
6. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Name one to three significant happenings in the history of your church that have shaped the identity of your congregation in the past 10 years.
Our church has a story to tell. Many years ago, we attempted a capital campaign for a new church building and it failed. This caused a division in the church that resulted in losing members and the minister, Reverend Lowry. Our next minister Reverend Gagnon was not strong in resolving conflict and little healing was accomplished from that previous pastorate. The church continued to lose members. The pastor eventually left by encouragement of church leadership as neither party felt things would get better. Since then, we continued on a decline, as we did not deal with the grief and fallout. We learned from these two pastorates which ended in conflict, that we needed to do some work on ourselves. This work started with the creation of a long-range plan. During this work, the congregation was invited to participate and share ideas about where the church was headed. This was when we started moving from being a divided church community to a more united one.
We were blessed to call an Interim Pastor trained in Intentional Interim ministry who helped us expand on this work. We came together through multiple “whole congregation” church meetings - to explore our history, identity, and to imagine our future. Through the findings of these conversations, we gained tremendously in our understanding of our strengths and gifts as a congregation. We developed a covenant of Christian communication tool to help us maintain safe space in conversations that could be difficult.
We also strengthened our leadership and the functioning of our church council, increasing communication across the ministries. We laid the groundwork to become a fully covenanted church in the United Church of Christ. This resulted in an overwhelming vote in favor of joining. Describe a specific change your church has managed in the recent past.
Our response to Covid changed us in many ways. We closed the doors to our Sanctuary. We continued our Sunday services via Zoom. We held services outside in the parking lot. We learned how to hold our committee meetings via Zoom. When the pandemic was over some of our committees continued to use Zoom for their meetings. Our bold embrace of technology in the church gave us confidence to eventually live-stream our services on Facebook, which we continue to do today.
Ministerial History (include all previous ministerial staff for the past 30 years)
Has any past leader left under pressure or by involuntary termination? Yes
Has your church been involved in a Situational Support Consultation? Unknown
Has a past pastor been the subject of a Fitness Review while at your church? Yes, Ask us
7. COMMUNITY VISION
How do the relationships and activities of your congregation extend outward in service and advocacy?
The most significant outreach of our church is hosting the Scarborough Food Pantry in our Parish Hall, which we have been doing for over 30 years. We receive donations from a wide variety of community members and many organizations hold food drives for the pantry. We hold an annual yard sale in the summer where many come and get all kinds of things for little money. We sponsor local scout troops who use our facility at no cost. The local AA meets in our church for a donation.
Our Ministry of Outreach sponsors special collections, donating to the American Red Cross for natural disaster relief. We give mostly to local missions. We also sponsor some global charities.
Describe your congregation’s participation in meetings, relationships and activities connecting the wider United Church of Christ (association / conference / national setting).
We have delegates who have been participating in meetings as a Schedule 2 church with the Cumberland Association of Maine UCC. Our Congregation voted in March ‘25 at a special meeting, to seek full standing with the United Church of Christ. We became a fully covenanted church by vote of the Association on May 3, 2025.
8. REFERENCESREFERENCE 1 Lauren Dembski-Martin, LCSW/ Social Services Manager/ Scarborough Police Department/ 207-730-4397/ ldembskimartin@Scarborough.org To Whom It May Concern: I am writing this letter with the utmost respect and gratitude for the First Congregational Church in Scarborough. In 2019, I was hired on by the Town of Scarborough and embedded in their police department as the Social Services Navigator. With my masters in Social work and clinical license, this position allowed for partnerships and collaboration with a variety of community resources. My connection with the congregation has been vital in so many aspects of my line of work. As the host to the community's only food pantry, the church and pantry ministry opens their doors to some of the most vulnerable individuals; always welcoming pantry recipients with a smile, engaging conversation and basic necessity items. So many times, the individuals I am referring to the pantry are hesitant to initially seek help, but always come back commenting on how welcoming and warm hearted the pantry staff are! In 2023, the ministry was navigating a challenging situation with a parishioner presenting with significant mental health symptoms and raising concerns within the church community. Instead of attempting to navigate this on their own, the ministry and myself collaborated to provide psychoeducation to other parishioners on how to appropriately and safely respond to this individual and the types of scenarios they were creating within the church community. I was grateful to be part of this process. Additionally, in 2024, the First Congregational Church generously donated to the Social Services Division of the Scarborough Police Department. Our division runs off a zero-dollar budget and we are beyond appreciative for community donations. Through this magnificent contribution, we were able to purchase small gift cards from local coffee shops and hand out to unhoused individuals, especially during the winter months, to help with a warm place for them to grab a bite to eat. This donation also allowed us to purchase dinner for a couple who was facing a variety of adverse challenges, as well as providing gasoline to a couple of individuals who were in dire need of transportation to employment and medical appointments. My collaboration with the First Congregational Church in Scarborough, may be one of the many pieces to my daily jigsaw puzzle, but it is a vital piece and piece that is filled with community members who truly care and want the best for others. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any additional questions. Lauren Demski-Martin, LCSW Social Services Manager Scarborough Police Department (207) 730-4397 REFERENCE 2 Rev Marcia Charles/ Chairperson of the Cumberland Association Church and Ministry Committee, Maine Conference, UCC/ revmcharles@gmail.com/
Rev. Marcia A. Charles 156 North Gorham Road; Gorham, Maine 04038 revmcharles@gmail.com
April 15, 2025
To Whom It May Concern:
I have been acquainted with First Congregational Church of Scarborough since 2012, when I became the pastor of the Blue Point Congregational Church UCC of Scarborough located on the other side of town. Over my ten years as pastor at Blue Point, I benefitted from a very positive collegial relationship with FCC’s pastor, Rev. Fred Gagnon, and I always enjoyed working with the church in ecumenical and town gatherings and projects. First Congregational Church has built an excellent reputation in the community and beyond.
More recently, however, my experience with First Congregational Church has been in my role as the chair of the Cumberland Association Church and Ministry Committee (Maine Conference). First Congregational has been a member of the Cumberland Association for decades as a Schedule 2 Church (voting back in the 1960s not to join the UCC). It has been a privilege to journey alongside of this church – primarily with its interim pastor and the church’s leadership – during its intentional season of discernment of whether to become a covenant member church of the United Church of Christ. They welcomed UCC resources and were open to guidance from myself and other members of our Church and Ministry Committee. What I witnessed during this time was a church deeply committed to their faith and to being the church in this place and time in history. While they feel strongly that they align with much of the theology and polity of the United Church of Christ and have been served by UCC pastors, they spent a great deal of effort in looking deeply into what local church autonomy and covenant with our denomination would mean. They did this hard work slowly, thoughtfully, prayerfully, and with great faithfulness and integrity. The result of their efforts brought them to vote in favor of becoming a covenant member of the United Church of Christ.
During the Church’s discernment, a considerable amount of attention and discussion focused on Open and Affirming. The congregation was not all of one mind. While First Congregational seeks to follow Jesus’ model of welcoming all, there were some who questioned becoming Open and Affirming, for any number of reasons. I witnessed a church intent on providing a safe space for dialogue – even disagreement. I witnessed a church where individuals could speak with the confidence that they would be accepted regardless of their “position,” and that their opinions would be heard and respected. I witnessed a healthy church in the way it dealt with differences of opinion. Again, it seemed that it was their strong faith – the call to love one another – that guided them.
Following First Congregational Church’s vote to affiliate with the UCC, they communicated their intention to the Cumberland Association (for vote of the Association at our Spring Meeting). As part of their documentation, they submitted a UCC Covenant Agreement that provides details of their process, their sense of call as a church, and the essence of the church’s identity. It is an excellent articulation that provides a window into who this church is. For anyone considering a call to serve this church, I strongly recommend requesting this document.
First Congregational Church is a good church; it is a healthy church; it is a faithful church. And it is a joyful church. I am excited that this church is now a UCC “sister” church. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for them with a new settled pastor. And I feel confident that this church will continue to be a vital part of the Scarborough community and beyond.
Faithfully,
Rev. Marcia Charles
Rev. Marcia Charles
REFERENCE 3 Penny Hartman/ Retired/ Pennyhartman2@gmail.com / Friend and Former Church Administrative Assistent.
April 28, 2025
To Whom It May Concern,
As the former Administrative Assistant of the First Congregational Church of Scarborough, Maine, (FCC) I am in the unique position of having an intimate relationship with the church while not being a member of the congregation. In the sixteen years I worked at the church I worked with two full-time pastors, two interim pastors, and managed the transitions of each of them.
FCC is a warm and welcoming congregation with many loyal long-term members. It offers a traditional New England worship service with a vibrant music program. The strong Women's Fellowship and active Men's Group work well together and bring many opportunities for congregants, and neighbors in the community, to participate in activities throughout the year. The church suppers, annual events such as the Yuletide Fair and Yard Sale, are well attended and the Food Pantry, which has operated for over thirty years, offer opportunities for people from the community to learn more about the church and engage with it. These activities, and the church overall, are supported by a committed group of volunteers from the congregation and enjoy widespread community support.
The commitment and support of the congregation is evident in the active ministries within the church. These include: Worship and Spiritual Care; Governing and Finance; Outreach and Stewardship; Friends, Members, and Church Life; and Christian Education. Each of these ministries manages not only the business of the church, but the spiritual life as well. As with most churches in New England there are challenges. Younger families are not attending church on a regular basis and because of this they miss out on all the church has to offer. While this is a challenge it is also an area of opportunity for new leadership and an exciting possibility for program development at FCC. Given the community interest in the activities I noted above, as well as the commitment of the congregation, I have no doubt there is support for outreach to young families, development of youth activities and Bible studies that explore the connection between our faith and relevant issues of today. With the strength of the music program, expansion into music that attracts younger people and leads them on their faith journey is an exciting possibility.
Throughout my years at FCC my faith journey was enhanced not only by the pastors I worked with, but with the way the members of the congregation welcomed me warmly and openly. I enjoyed the casual way people stopped by my office and how, once the official business was handled, they would tell me their stories. Many of those conversations ended in prayer together but all of them ended with us knowing each other a little better. I was welcome in the life of the church, which led me to attend events and many services. The Women's Fellowship Group was exceptionally welcoming to me and as a result I led two of their Women's Retreats.
With a location overlooking the beautiful coast, and all the cultural opportunities of Southern Maine right outside the door, FCC has a lot to offer. For anyone looking to serve an active church that prays for growth and ways to lead others to know and follow Jesus and the Word of God, the First Congregational Church of Scarborough would be an excellent choice. If I can be of further service to you do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Best Regards,
Penny Hartman Pennyhartman2@gmail.com
9. CLOSING PRAYER
The following was published in 2003 and used for the 275th Anniversary celebration of our church.
Where Ocean Meets the Rocky Coast
Where ocean meets the rocky coast, and waves break on the sand, our voices join the heavenly host in praises full and grand!
The Spirit’s wind once trimmed our sail and swept us to this place, where, free to worship, we prevail through God’s abundant grace.
For centuries, the sun, ablaze, has dawned upon our shore; still resurrecting all our days, brings life forever more.
In thanks to God, we spark a fire with kindled hopes and dreams, and pray our spreading flames inspire a church that brightly beams!
STATEMENT OF CONSENT
The covenantal relationship between a church and those called by that church to serve as pastors and teachers and in other ministerial positions is strengthened when vital information is openly shared by covenantal partners. To that end, we attest that, to the best of our abilities, we have provided information in this profile that accurately represents our church. We have not knowingly withheld any information that would be helpful to candidates. As the committee charged with the responsibility for identifying and recommending suitable new minister for our church, we have been authorized to share the information herein with potential candidates. We understand that a candidate may wish to secure further knowledge, information, and opinions about our church. We encourage a candidate to do so, recognizing that an open exchange of relevant information builds the foundation for continuing and healthy relationships between calling bodies and persons seeking a ministry position.
1. Which individuals and groups in the church contributed to the contents of this Local Church Profile? (for example, church council or consistory, transition team, etc.) Ministry of Governing & Finance; Transitional Steering Team; Pastoral Search Committee; Interim Pastor; Congregation
Signed: Kathleen Ross/ Chair of the Pastoral Search Committee / Date:5/13/2025
VALIDATION BY CONFERENCE
The congregation is currently in good standing with the association / conference named. Staff Comment:
Name / Title: John Fiscus / Associate Conference Minister Maine Email: Jfiscus@maineucc.org Phone: 207-458-8463 Date: 05/31/2025 |
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