October 29, 2026

Dear Shadow Rock community:

I need your help. This Sunday, November 1 will be my first day as the new pastor at Shadow Rock and my first Sunday to lead worship. It is also All Saints Sunday, the day on the Christian calendar when we honor those who have died in the past year. I want to expand that theme by naming some of the saints of Shadow Rock's past.

So, here's an invitation: I need your help with my sermon. Come to Shadow Rock this Sunday for the service at 10:15. And come with names in mind of two or three Shadow Rock saints. Who are the people of this congregation who have been important to you? Which Shadow Rockers of the past have nurtured your soul, encouraged your spirit, enhanced your life? At a point in the sermon, I will ask you to share some of those names. 

There is a line in the Bible that says, "We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1). To me, that line honors a host of cheerleaders, whom we may not see and who are clapping and huzzahing us as life unfolds. I want to celebrate those saints who have nurtured us and who continue to cheer for us as we begin a new chapter as a congregation. 

Thanks in advance for your help with the sermon this All Saints Sunday.

I need your help in a few other ways as well...

Help me with names. Please remind me of your name for the first ten or so times we meet! There are a few hundred of you, and only one of me.

Help me help us be church. A healthy congregation thrives because of the congregation. No pastor or staff person alone holds the key to success. We're all in this together. So as you are able, take part in worship, small groups, social justice efforts, committee projects, and more. Invite others to take part with you. Your presence, hopes, dreams, doubts, questions, fears, worries, ideas, laughter, and love are needed.

And finally, help me get to know you. Let's grab coffee or lunch, go for a walk, or sit down in the office or on a bench outside. Obviously, I can't meet everyone in the first week or month. But I hope to get to know each of you over time. So, email me and let's set up a time to chat. My Shadow Rock email is tim@shadowrockucc.org.

Thanks for helping me be your pastor. And thanks for celebrating the cloud of witnesses who cheer us on. And thanks for being part of the Shadow Rock community.

With hope, 

Tim Tutt

Senior Pastor

Shadow Rock Congregational Church