REV. DICK HOTCHKIN

Rev. Richard E. Hotchkin was called to First Congregational Church of Braintree in April, 2002, after a two year nation-wide Pastoral search. Prior to that he had served as Interim Minister of St. Peter’s Congregational Church of Saukeville, WI., and as Senior Pastor of the Ozaukee Congregational Church of Grafton, WI and the First Congregational Church of Beloit, WI.

He is a gifted speaker with strong leadership abilities and interpersonal skills; a confidant with unquestionable personal integrity, and sensitivity; a problem solver with creative and innovative ideas; and a minister with vibrant faith and a singularly deep, spiritual insight into the nature of God. He is dedicated to pastoral care, crisis counseling, building youth ministry, building community, and helping individuals see God actively at work in their lives. He is an experienced administrator with a talent for finding resources to fund special projects. He also possesses outstanding corporate skills in organizational development, human resources, team building, and is trained in legal management and counsel.

To quote Rev. Hotchkin: “My ministry style is classically incarnational. I willingly take a leadership role in spiritual matters: professing, witnessing, proclaiming the crucified and living Lord – the One who can save us from ourselves. I endeavor to edify and build up the whole community so that it might evoke from members their own gifts for ministry to a broken and hurting world.”

Prior to his calling to the ministry in 1989, Rev. Hotchkin was a Management Consultant, a Vice President and General Counsel of a communication technology company and an international coal refining company, a Director of General Law for a telecommunications company, and a Senior Attorney for a major chemical company.

Rev. Hotchkin was ordained in October 1991 at the First Congregational Church of Beloit, WI and is associated with both the NACCC and the UCC. Rev. Hotchkin holds a BA magna cum laude in Anthropology and Sociology from Westminster College, a Juris Doctor cum laude in Law from the University of Michigan School of Law, and a Master of Divinity from the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Toni, have two grown children: son, Paul, a graduate student studying in Texas, and daughter, Andrea.

To quote Rev. Hotchkin: “I believe that God is an awesome God of transformation, that His love transcends anything else that we human beings might ever experience, and that all of us as Christians can make a difference – here and now, as well as in eternity.”

Click here to read some of Pastor Dick's sermons.

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Dr. Paul Kaatrud, Director of Music

A resident of Quincy, Dr. Kaatrud holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music as a Major and Religion as a Minor from Pacific Lutheran University, a Master's Degree in Organ Performance from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in Music History from the University of Minnesota.  He is certified as a Fellow and as a Choirmaster in the American Guild of Organists.  In addition, he has had a wide range of experience in the church musician setting.

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Carole Morse, Administrative Assistant

Carole was born and brought up in Braintree, now living in Weymouth, and is an active member of Heritage United Methodist Church here in town.  She is married with two daughters, two granddaughters, and one grandson.   She served many years as church secretary for Quincy Community United Methodist Church in Wollaston, was Senior Executive Secretary to an Executive Vice President at Bank of Boston, and most recently was an Executive Assistant with Fidelity Investments in Boston. 

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