Guilford First Congregational Pastor Kendrick Norris Retiring After 36 Years

After 36 years, the Rev. Kendrick Norris is retiring as senior pastor of Guilford's First Congregational Church.

The New Haven Register reports that Norris is retiring because of health issues. The Queens, N.Y.-native spent his entire career at the Guilford church, beginning as an associate minister in 1977.

Norris was part of the church voting to welcome gay and lesbian members. He said that move not only brought homosexual families into the church, but heterosexual families as well. 

“We welcome people that have been estranged from their previous churches because they weren’t accepted,” Norris told the newspaper.