During his first service as minister of Plymouth Congregational Church on Sunday, June 21, the Rev. Andrew Ponder Williams took in his new surroundings with gratitude.
“I would worship here if it wasn’t my calling,” he said. “It’s a blessing for a minister to relate to, benefit … and receive inspiration from the style of worship”
Ponder Williams previously served as minister of North Community Church in Marshfield Hills, Massachusetts. He has also served churches in California and Arizona, according to his website.
While he loved his previous church, he decided to share his information with Plymouth Congregational Church when he learned it was searching for a new minister, in part because he liked the area, he said.
His church office, overlooking a canopy of trees, is a stone’s throw from Belmont Center. It’s a short walk to Belmont Books and Butternut Bakehouse, both of which Ponder Williams has been enjoying. The walkable community, along with proximity to friends and family, was among the reasons he and his husband were so drawn to Belmont.
As a candidate for the post, he was invited to lead a service in March, but he said his June 21 service was special because it was his first time as an active participant in the community.
“I really felt like a local, in that people were so warm,” he said.
“He brought a really fresh enthusiasm and perspective,” said Karen Donelan, moderator for Plymouth Congregational Church.
“We’ve had great attendance … the first Sunday we had probably twice the amount of people who would usually come on a summer Sunday,” said Donelan.
A New Chapter
The journey to find a new minister is a mutual process because the clergy and congregation choose each other, Ponder Williams said. According to Donelan, the church searched for a new minister for almost two years after their previous minister moved on to be closer to his family. The Rev. Wayne Earl served as interim minister during this period.
The search began with congregants asking questions like “What do we need and who do we need right now?” Donelan said.
The church sought someone with strong communication skills who could help update its print, website and social media outreach. Additionally, they looked for a candidate who could inspire the community and be a good teacher, all while caring for the congregation and leading the office, Donelan said.
“In a small church like ours, you really need the pastor to be a … multitasking, good communicator,” said Donelan.
He has “experience in helping churches articulate their identity,” Donelan said. She added that people can expect the church to become more involved in Belmont in the future.
Mary Ochs, moderator of North Community Church, said Ponder Williams “brought new ideas, new programs and new outreach into the community.”
“From offering a prayer at the start of the Marshfield Thanksgiving Turkey Trot to visiting shut-ins, he was a blessing to our church and the wider community. We miss him!” Ochs said.
Intergeneration Connections
In addition to revamped media outreach, including a new website, Ponder Williams said he also wants to build intergenerational relationships through different events at the church.
“Church is fundamentally this very unusual space where people of all generations, historically, have had a sense of belonging. … There are places where people of different ages cross paths,” he said.
However, “relationship building, mentorship, familial connection –– that is unique to a healthy, multigenerational congregation like Plymouth Church,” he added.
Open and Affirming
Aside from events and getting to know the congregation, Ponder Williams said he will continue fostering Plymouth’s inclusive message.
“This church is profoundly and impressively, in an uplifting way, inclusive,” he said.
Plymouth Congregational Church is an Open and Affirming church, welcoming to people of all races, sexual orientations, gender identities and more, according to its website.
In a time where some churches in the country are focused on what he describes as “power and control and aggression,” Ponder Williams hopes the community knows Plymouth Congregational Church is committed to inclusivity.
He specifically highlighted people who identify as LGBTQ+ as a community that deserves to be welcomed in a church setting.
“[Massachusetts] is a very exciting place because we have a lineage that is very forward-focused and very inclusive,” he said, citing that churches in the state were early adopters of abolition and advocates for women’s suffrage. He said this history is another reason he felt drawn to churches in Massachusetts.
While he gets settled and finishes unpacking, he encourages people to reach out to him. He said he wants to build a relationship with the community that he now calls home.
“We’re ready to welcome people … and welcome them in because of who they are [and] recognize that we’ll be a better community of people because of the differences and gifts people will bring,” he said.
People can reach him through his website andrewponderwilliams.com.
