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| Rev. Nancy Foran |
“I
walked through the backdoor of ministry quite by accident,” joked Rev. Nancy
Foran of Raymond Village Community Church. “The last thing I ever wanted was to
get a master’s degree and speak in front of people.”
Although
she never intended to enter the ecclesiastic field, it is where she
inadvertently found her calling. After approximately 40 years as a clergywoman,
with a little over 14 years of service at the Raymond Village Community Church United
Church of Christ, she has recently decided to step down and enter the next
phase of her life. Rev. Foran’s last day at the pulpit will be Easter Sunday,
April 12th. She will be the longest
serving pastor in the history of that church.
Originally
from New Jersey, Rev. Foran received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious
Studies from Carleton College in 1971, but as she puts it, “the religion store
wasn’t hiring that year.” As a recent college graduate with no job and very
little skills, she attended secretarial school. “It was a program for people
just like me – we were all graduates who had degrees in sociology, religion,
etc.”
After
gaining a secretarial certification, she worked as a secretary in the music
department at Montclair State College and as a Howard Johnson waitress on
weekends. But after a year, she realized the office life was not for her.
One
weekend, she visited a friend who was a student at Yale Divinity School. “I
went there as a visitor and returned home as an optimistic future student.”
Rev. Foran applied, was accepted and received her Master of Divinity degree
three years later
“It
was an exciting time to be at Yale,” she said. “When I entered the program in 1972, only a handful of the
student population were female,” Rev. Foran said. “Three years later, women
clergy students had increased to approximately 50 percent.”
After
moving to and living in Washington D.C. for a couple of years, she and her
husband, Joe, moved to Maine when he was offered a position with the Natural
Resource Council. Making Hallowell their home base at the time and later
Cumberland, Rev. Foran acted as an interim pastor for various churches, while
raising a daughter and two sons. She eventually became the Elder Chaplain at
First Congregational Church United Church of Christ South Portland.
She
accepted the call to be the part-time Pastor of Raymond Village Community
Church fourteen years ago. She and Joe moved to and still make their home in
Naples.
The
highlight of her career was the unanticipated delight she experienced in her
role as an Elder Chaplain. “I had always envisioned myself working with the
youth, but I realized how much I truly enjoyed the amazing lives, stories and
wisdom the elderly have shared with me,” began Rev. Foran.
“By the time they
reach their 80s and 90s, they have experienced so many illnesses, death and
great disappointments – but yet – they all say their lives have been a blessing
despite the tragedies and hardships. Working with the elderly was and continues
to be an unexpected joy.”
Rev.
Foran also shares her fond memories in her latest position at Raymond Village
Community Church. “I am amazed how much we, as a congregation, did together.”
She
recalled the many activities, community gatherings and journeys in which the
church has participated as opening their doors to Raymond community events, collaborating
with other organizations to provide more inclusiveness and support among the
citizens of the town.
“One
of the things I think we have enjoyed the most about Rev. Nancy is her approach
to her sermons,” began church member Caryl Gilman. “She has been here over 14
years and the sermons evolved over the years to include television,
photographs, music, various community activities and mission trips – whether
they were to Honduras or to Cherryfield, Maine. Whatever approach she took, she
inspired and spiritually stimulated us.”
Gilman,
herself, admitted that she will greatly miss Rev. Foran’s quiet, thoughtful
perspective that always came with a touch of humor.
Church
member, Nancy Yates also shared her view on the pastor’s retirement. “I think
the congregation will miss the sense of genuine caring that Rev. Nancy has
demonstrated as our pastor, not just for the members of the congregation, but
for how they relate to each other and to people in the community. She has
reminded us of our duty as Christians to help those less fortunate, not just
those who have less money, but those being abused by others having some sort of
power over them. She has been instrumental in gaining support for Mission
Trips, and has gone personally on many of them, whether to Appalachian
Tennessee or Downeast Maine. Her creativity in decorating the sanctuary
and in how she put together special services, such as the Maundy Thursday
evening service, will be missed as well. Her passion for social justice
will long be remembered by me and, I would expect, others.”
As
with all careers, there have been some difficulties and Rev. Foran shares one
that continues to concern her. “The biggest challenge I have faced is how to
make the church relevant in today’s secular culture,” she said. “It’s a
challenge for many small churches as we strive to be inclusive, radically
welcoming of all and being supportive of economic justice.”
Turning
70 this past year, Rev. Foran states that her retirement will not include
watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. “I have so much I want to do. I plan
to keep busy.”
She
will start by finishing a book about the film industry beginning with the 1930s
and 40s (that include the window card era – a form of postcard/advertisement of
the time). It is a book she started in collaboration with her father before he
passed away about a year ago.
“I
have also been told that I should publish my sermons, so I will be busy with
that, too.”
Rev.
Foran will continue to volunteer in a variety of organizations including her
fundraising efforts with Susan G. Komen Foundation and their 60-mile, three day
walk-a-thon to fight breast cancer. She also plans to do some travelling that
will include visiting their adult children; Heather who lives in Portland, a
son Padraic and his wife of East Boston and their son Tim and his wife of San
Francisco.
But
what she is looking forward to the most is the arrival of her first grandchild.
“Padraic and Megan are expecting in May and I can’t wait to wrap my arms around
my granddaughter.”
Here’s
to the next chapter of your life, Rev. Foran. May it be filled with unexpected
joys and adventures.
