Penny Rich-Smith '77

I have always been fascinated by things that simply "emerge" before our eyes--things like buds and flowers popping out when winter still hangs on, or sap running from a maple tree, or a butterfly that emerges from a cocoon.  It's just so awesome and intriguing and beyond human description or imagination.  And that's how I see events of our lives, too.  No wonder we have a built-in sense of gratitude written on our hearts!

I find myself at mid-life (or a bit beyond) living joyfully in my hometown, with two grown children, happily on their own, a delightful granddaughter nearby, and an aging mother who, bless her heart, does remarkably well living at home with dementia, and with my help as her primary caretaker.  Oh, yes, and then I serve two churches in two different states, as sole pastor.  As I look back over my life, I am truly amazed and grateful at how things emerged and came to be as they are now.

I had a wonderful childhood, growing up in North Bennington, in rural Vermont, and enjoying the outdoors and all my surroundings.  I had terrific parents who guided me and challenged my growing edges.  And I developed a friendly relationship with the Creator of all that I enjoyed-- growing in faith before I even knew it!

I attended grade K-12 at the North Bennington school and graduated in 1964.  I went on to attend the University of Vermont, concentrating on Math and Physical Education, but left in my junior year to marry and raise a family.  After being an "at-home" mom for eight years, I decided to return to school to finish my degree.  The time and place were just right for me when I enrolled at Southern Vermont College in the Fall of 1975.  It was not only convenient for me to commute to classes, but I found the friendly atmosphere and the encouraging staff to be most inviting.

At the time, SVC had a Secondary Education program of study and everyone was most helpful in designing a plan of study for me to finish my degree, transferring as many credits as possible from UVM, and getting me set up for student teaching.  It all worked out very well as I continued to raise a family and commute to classes days, evenings, and in the summer.  It took a great deal of determination and perseverance, but I was able to earn all of the credits I needed in three semesters and two summers.  I joyfully and proudly graduated as co-valedictorian of my class in May of 1977 with a Secondary Education degree in Mathematics. 

From there, new doors opened, opportunities emerged, and I found myself working for several years in the Bennington area in schools and local businesses as my children grew up.  In those busy and exciting and exhausting years, as my son and daughter blessed my life and took me through the paces of what it means to be a parent, my faith and trust in God was ever emerging.

 I had always been active in the life and ministry of my home church, the Congregational Church of North Bennington, participating in Sunday school, Youth Group, Confirmation, Choir, Committee work, activities and special events, and then, in a surprising and transforming way, God's Spirit nudged me to move in a more serious direction of ministry.  Nearly ten years after graduating from SVC, with the "hound of heaven" on my heels, I clearly heard the call to pursue professional ministry.

I was accepted at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, MA, a seminary highly recommended to me by colleagues in ministry, and enrolled there in the Fall of 1986.  This commute was a bit longer, but after four years of study, I graduated with honors in May of 1990 with a Masters of Divinity degree. Once again, I discovered that I was in just the right place at the right time.  Those years of study and discovery were an "epiphany" for me--a showing forth or revealing of the nature of God and faith, and a path of blessing set before me.   I was ordained in the United Church of Christ in November of 1989 (before graduation) in my home church, the Congregational Church of North Bennington.

I served as Associate Pastor of the First Congregational Church of Greenfield, MA, out of seminary for four years and then moved back to the Bennington area, currently serving as Pastor of the Second Congregational Church of Williamstown, MA, and the North Bennington Congregational Church.  The task of serving two churches in two different states is daunting, to say the least.  And it is indeed a unique challenge and a wonderful privilege to serve as pastor of the church that I grew up in.

In the community, I have been involved in Hospice, Church Women United, the Interfaith Council, Habitat for Humanity, and the Transitional Shelter for the Homeless.  I also serve on a Board of Directors for a summer camp in central Vermont.

I love the outdoors and enjoy biking, hiking, camping, canoeing, kayaking, bird-watching, photography, gardening, and scouting for "loons" in every wilderness place I can find.  And I love discovering the beauty of the countryside on the back roads of New England.

I drove up that winding, bumpy, steep dirt road to SVC just when I needed new energy and new confidence to continue my education and gain perspective for the rest of my life. And I will be forever grateful for the knowledge and enthusiasm I gained there.  It was a very important step in my emerging vocation

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