Diane Felske Bohman

Hello! This is my story.

I have been blessed to call First Church of Christ Congregational my church home since the early 70’s when my family moved to West Hartford. It is where my faith journey began and where it continues today. First Church is where I was confirmed. It is where my two sisters and I got married. It is where my family celebrated the lives of my mother and sister. It is where our three children were confirmed. Most recently it is where our daughter got married.

Growing up I would come to Sunday School with my good friend, Jane Shepard, and stay for the second hour. I have memories of performing “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” with the youth group. Through First Church, I went to Silver Lake several times a summer and for their fall and spring weekends. At church and at Silver Lake I felt a sense of belonging that helped me through my adolescence. After I got married, we moved to Torrington and found another church home at Center Congregational Church. We loved that church, but when we moved back to West Hartford in 2001, we rejoined First Church. It was truly coming home!

First Church provides opportunities for service in the community and within the church family. There are opportunities for fellowship and opportunities to explore one’s faith. At different times of my life, I’ve needed each of these things. Coming to church each Sunday brings me a sense of peace. It seems like sometimes the sermons are directed right at me and giving me the message that I need to hear at just that time.

This past Easter I sat on the couch (my pew of recent weeks!) for the service. Jim started playing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” Every Easter when that hymn is sung, we are all together in a full church with joyful voices. I just sat on my couch and cried. It struck me how much our church means to me and how much it means to worship with all of you. I look forward to when we can worship together again. But, for now, I am so grateful for these virtual services and for all that First Church is.