UNION — The Rev. Christian T. Iosso will be serving Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church for the last time on Sunday, July 12.
He’s been the interim minister for three years and the church is prayerfully seeking a new pastor to lead their congregation in worship, mission and community life.
“I have deeply enjoyed serving the congregation and have learned a lot,” said Iosso. “The church has the challenge and strength of having about a third of its active members being immigrant families from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. This enriches our view of God’s calling to all people, but means a wide range of expectations. And that means listening, testing and sometimes forgiving, as expectation can feel like judgement rather than hope or longing. The strength of our genuine mix of people can be seen especially in our choir, an astonishing mix of folks led by a highly creative mission who regularly sing their hearts out – in tune.”
In his farewell newsletter piece, Iosso compared his stay to that of a visiting musician. He said, “The Bible is a score – it can be preached in a range of ways, even as the Bible reads us. It frames and reframes our lives in terms of what is most important to us, what we worship and live for.”
Iosso had not lived back in New Jersey since 1979 and he has seen how much the state changed. He said, “Route 22 is safer! The state is vastly more diverse and – thank God – I think Union and the church are more welcoming than they would have been 35 years ago.”
This interim has confirmed some of Iosso’s experiences in other parishes. He said, “The people who attend church regularly are basically strong and mature. They have enough self-confidence to put themselves in new situations, meet new people and try new things. This can be a ‘blessing of the animals’ service, where you meet exotic pets, or a Halloween party steeple climb, when people test themselves. But what we get from a steeple climb is a symbol of what we get from church – a broader horizon. And the church is sustained by people who are not afraid of giving.”
Continuing, he said, “Connecticut Farms Presbyterian is soaked in history, before, during and after the Revolution. Given the pro-Revolutionary sympathies of the congregation, as well as the then-interim pastor, James Caldwell, we have a basis for prophetic witness. Like most pastors, I find that, as long as you love the people, they will listen to what you pray God is saying. God grounds our moral imaginations like gravity and being a church trains us to be more empathic. When Jesus says, ‘love and pray for your enemies,’ he is talking about that kind of understanding that only comes through love. At the same time, he is realistic: ‘Be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.’”
During his time getting out into the community, Iosso said he has been blessed. “With friendly reporters, shop owners, town officials and staff, parents of nursery schoolers and Scouts,” he said. “We are fortunate to have Scout programs that teach love of the outdoors and self-discipline. All of it reminds me that I am still an Eagle Scout, a son and grandson of veterans, and a grandson of 20th-century immigrants. As a Presbyterian, I support religious liberty, but I also believe our faith calls us to influence our society to be more compassionate and wise.”
Visit Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church at: https://www.ctfarmschurch.org/.
Photo Courtesy of the Rev. Chris Iosso
