Greetings, Slatersville Congregational Church! My name is Sean Amato – and by the grace of God, this congregation formally called me to be it settled pastor on July 28th, 2024. This is an exciting time for Slatersville, and for me: this is the first church to whom I’ve been called, and I’m Slatersville’s first settled pastor in several years. While this might be a time of unknowns and growing pains, it’s also a time of new opportunities to gauge who we are as both a church and as Christians – a time where we might sit with our faith, assess what it does for us and those around us, and endeavor to dive even deeper into what it is to be followers of Jesus. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the warm welcome you’ve provided at both last week’s Meet & Greet in Globe Hall and my candidating service: I feel as if I’ve begun to get to know this congregation after having met so many of you,
but I know our faith journey together has just begun. I am joyous for the opportunity to work with all of you, and to wrestle with Christianity alongside you.

My first formal day ‘working’ at the church will be August 5th, 2024 – that is, the first day of Slatersville’s Vacation Bible School! At our VBS, kids between the ages of 5 and 12 will have an opportunity to enjoy a ~FREE~ week of activities, games, and music in a space open enough for kids from all Christian denomination to come and take part. Slatersville’s VBS 2024 will be held the whole week of August 5th between 9am and 12pm each day. For those with young folks who might want to attend, or adults who want to volunteer in the work of our church, please consider signing up here!

I plan on participating in the VBS programming with our kids during my first week and would love a chance to mingle with our congregants if they’re available to drop by and say ‘hello.’ Starting August 5th, I plan on reaching out to members of the church to schedule opportunities for us to sit down and chat (including home visits). I’d love to meet with members of Slatersville in group settings, too, to discuss what you believe to be our church’s next steps. I have ideas (of course!) but it is the will and involvement of the congregation that drives our denomination forward! So please, let me know what moves you – and look out in the newsletter for chances to ‘book time’ with the new pastor. If I haven’t contacted you yet and you feel as if we should speak promptly, or you are in need of spiritual care after August 5th, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at the church at (401) 769-2773.

My first Sunday service with the congregation will be August 11th, 2024 at 10:00am, and I would love to see the full width and breadth of our congregation that day as I did at my candidating service – another chance to spend some time with you, get down into the details of how the Holy Spirit is moving through this church, and how we might better live out and live into our beautiful church’s Christian mission. God bless you, Slatersville, and see you soon!