Our church office here at Colchester Federated Church is a busy place.  Nicole and I often comment that no two days are the same, and it’s always an adventure!  From time to time, Nicole receives inquiries from folks who are researching their family genealogies or working on local history projects. Nicole goes into the “creepy room” (the historical room right outside our office) to haul out all sorts of old record books to help people.

The photo above is from one of the books that Nicole consults to assist folks who reach out to our church.  It’s Volume IV of the Manuscript Copy of the Diary of Mrs. Abisha Munn made by Dr. Frederick Morgan. The church received this copy in 1937.  The original diary is held at the Connecticut State Library in Hartford.  The library actually has all six volumes of records of the First Congregational Church of Colchester, Connecticut covering the years 1732-1937 come to that. 

If you need a little help with the cursive (I imagine future generations who aren’t learning cursive will have a really hard time with this!) it states:
From Mrs. Abisha’s diary
also
From the Church
Records
Kept by Rev. Ephraim Little 
second pastor of the 
First Church of Christ
in Colchester, Conn, 
copied out and put
in order by
Dr. Frederick Morgan –
Deacon of the Church. Who
died June 18th 1877 in his 86th year.

Just the other day Nicole was exploring this book looking for birth and baptism records.  There was an inquiry asking for information on someone born in 1744.  Unfortunately there was no listing to be found from Mrs. Abisha’s Diary and Rev. Little’s Church Records. 

Alas, sometimes that happens. 
Mysteries remain. 
Though when you work at a church that is 320 years-old, the past has a way of sometimes being present.
It is remarkable to contemplate all those who have been part of our congregation for hundreds of years. 
Just a thought to share this week.

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by Rev. Lauren L. Ostrout (the 29th Settled Senior Pastor in our church’s history in case you care to know)!

Thursday Thoughts 2/9/23