Church Welcomes New Minister

The Congregational Church of Grafton, UCC, 30 Grafton Common, is pleased to announce its Intentional Interim Minister, Rev. Robert (“Bob”) Macfarlane, who will begin Dec. 1 in time to celebrate the Christmas season.  

He will preside over church services at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. The church is also hosting an open house Dec. 4 in conjunction with Grafton Celebrates the Holidays to welcome Macfarlane and his wife, Diana, to the Grafton community.

“We are truly blessed to welcome Bob and his wife Diana into our church family in time for the Christmas season,” said Todd Sauter, moderator, , in a prepared statement. “And, the timing of his first Sunday service with us on Dec. 4^th is just perfect, as it presents a tremendous opportunity for us to introduce him to the entire Grafton community as part of our town’s annual holiday tradition.”

Macfarlane joins the Congregational Church from the Circular Congregational Church of Christ in Charleston, S.C., where he has served as an interim minister for the past year and a half. Prior to that, he was the interim minister at Scottsdale Congregation in Arizona, where he had served since he and his wife “retired” in 2009 after 40 years of ministry and teaching.

Macfarlane was raised in Waltham, earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religion from Boston University, and trained at the Andover Newton Theological School. He and Diana, a former elementary school teacher, have two sons and two grandchildren, with a third on the way.

All members of the Grafton community are invited to visit the church, between noon and 4 p.m. for light refreshments and children’s holiday ornaments crafts, a part of the Grafton Celebrates the Holidays festivities.

will also present its eighth annual holiday concert from 2 to 3 p.m. at the church. The church is handicap-accessible and located next to Grafton Common, where the celebration will culminate with the tree lighting ceremony at 4:30 p.m.