Former Student Asst. Pastor, Rev. Rodney Snedeker, mentored by the beloved Rev. Jerry Jud, ordained in our Church 65 years ago, president of Pilgrim Fellowship (high school group), graduate of West Haven High School and the Yale Divinity School, who grew up a few doors from Washington School DONATED $1,000 TO THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.  Rev. Snedeker, 91 years young, and his charming wife Elizabeth were attending a 4 day convocation at the Divinity School and asked if they might have a brief tour of our Church and his old neighborhood.  Church Historian Steve Hildrich and his wife Andrea drove them on the tour, and arranged to have Pastor Carl Howard open the Sanctuary, which is undergoing major repair and renovation.  Along the way, Rev. Rod asked about 5 youth of the Church from 70 to 75 years ago. With the help of Dan Shine, Marianne Stern, and Gert Beckwith, brief life stories of 4 of the 5 were given to Rod.

After touring the Sanctuary, as well as Fellowship Hall and the Parlor, and enjoying conversation, Rod and Elizabeth presented a card with a beautiful note, mentioning a gift scholarship from the Church (Benham Fund).The amount was enough to pay one third of his annual tuition at Yale Divinity School: $250 of only $750 tuition then!!!  Inside the card was the generous $1,000 check to the Church, graciously appreciated by Pastor Carl Howard [and Steve Hildrich of the Finance Committee]. 

Stephen R. Hildrich, Church Historian

October 17, 2019