Circular Congregational Church is less than one mile away from the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The two churches have long worked together on local social justice causes as part of Charleston Area Justice Ministries. Because of this collaboration, Circular Congregational office manager Kathryn Cullinan says, "It did not feel new to work and grieve together, but it was unspeakably shocking and heartbreaking."

 

Charleston came together after the shootings at Mother Emanuel. "There was really a sense of unity and camaraderie," said Matthew Lewellyn, Circular Congregational's youth minister at the time of the shootings. "Maybe people were so tired of being angry and the anger transformed into this need for unity," he said. Louise Turrentine is the congregation president at Circular Congregational. "I'm very glad that we've handled this without violence. Circular has been a very strong voice in that," she says. The violence in Charleston affected people differently, explains Louise. "For some people the response was a call to grieve, and for some it was a call to action."

 

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With the retirement of Claudette Newhall in June, we welcome Tom  Clark as Library Director of the Congregational Library & Archives.

Tom brings a wealth of experience and leadership in corporate libraries and library-related professional organizations to the Library & Archives. Starting as a newspaper librarian, he established himself in
the Greater Boston community with his work in corporate libraries. Tom has led projects in library automation, in-depth research, digital conversion, collection development, social media and strategic planning. He has been recognized for his service by Simmons College, as well as the Boston Special Libraries Association, where he continues to serve in key leadership roles.

 

Tom holds Masters of Library Sciences from Simmons College Graduate School of Library & Information Science and a BA from Tufts University.

 

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The latest Bulletin features stories about Congregationalists active in the abolition movement. Read in-depth stories about brave people who stood up against slavery, took risks, and changed the world. Get your copy by becoming a member of the Congregational Library & Archives.

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