WESTHAMPTON CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
About Our Pastor
​Welcome to the Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ.
Pastors fill many important roles in the life of the church. Because they are so integrally connected to it, we would like to provide you a little insight to our pastor, Rev. Carol B. Smith in her own words:
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I am passionate about people! Passionate about tending lives the way a gardener tends a beloved garden, with presence, attention, and care that nurtures growth and fruitfulness.
From my earliest years in the church, baptized at Marble Collegiate in New York City, raised by faith-filled parents who led studies, ministries, and retreats, I have treasured the power of story, community, and God's grace at work in everyday life. Growing up in Queens, NY and later in Simsbury, CT, I learned to value God's grace ever present through music, service, and teaching, whether singing in choirs or music groups, leading VBS (Vacation Bible School), or guiding teens on backpacking trips in the Smoky Mountains.
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Before entering pastoral ministry, I spent many joyful years as an early childhood educator and administrator, teaching young children, supporting families, helping to shape nurturing learning communities.
Even then, the call to ministry continued to deepen through my involvement with youth and adult ministries at my home church in Springfield, MA, leading me to complete my theological studies at Hartford Seminary and receive my Master of Divinity from Bangor Theological Seminary.
I believe that through the working of the Spirit, we discover who we are and who we can become together. I strive to create spaces where people feel heard, known, and encouraged, places where each person can find joy in their own story and their place in God's story. I treasure the diverse and beautiful ways God meets us in community, and I value walking alongside others as we seek justice, compassion, and hope in Christ. Like the song says, I want my life to preach.
My wife, Mary, and I are blessed with three wonderful children, three precious grandchildren, and a joyful abundance of nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews who fill our lives with laughter and love and two beloved cats who fill our days with adventure. I can't wait to meet you and to share the joy of being community in Christ together here at Westhampton Congregational United Church of Christ!
