Since my ordination in the United Church of Christ in 1995, I have served four different Massachusetts’ churches as senior pastor, interim pastor, and Fellowship and Outreach Pastor.  My first church was Central Congregational Church of Orange and I have been living in Orange since that time.

In 1999, I received my Doctor of Ministry degree from Bangor Theological Seminary with a focus on the challenges of creating ecumenical youth groups, particularly in regards to the Open and Affirming movement.  Thankfully, on that front, there has been much wider acceptance over the past twenty years.

My spouse, Pam Oddy, is an attorney in Athol specializing in elder care law, wills, and trusts.  We have two children: a son, Billy, who is a senior at the University of Southern California and a daughter, Christi, who is a freshman at Hobart and Williams Smith Colleges in New York. 

I have intentionally been saying, “Yes,” to God since the age of nineteen and though it has led me along some difficult paths here and there, God has never left me alone. I first knew that God was calling me when I was a freshman at Tufts. L was headed to France to study for six months…the trip of a lifetime! But shortly before I was to go, the Sunday School Superintendent called me and asked if I would take over as the Sunday School Supervisor. During the night I knew the answer – I had been given a chance by God, an “open door” chance to answer the call. I answered the call that God sent to me then, and God continues to bless each day that I have served for 25 years as an ordained pastor.

There is a long history of serving God in my family as my great-grandparents served as missionaries and my great uncle and his family continued that legacy of missionary service in China, with my great uncle ultimately serving on what became the UCC Board of World Ministries.  So I not only come from a long-line of “church people”, but I am proud to say I was born and raised in the United Church of Christ!

While many of us find God in worship, I have long known that God is truly everywhere we look.  For me, living a Christian life means integrating God and faithful living into everyday life.  God truly can be found in the ordinary moments, as well as in the extraordinary ones, if we only open our eyes and our hearts to see and feel God’s presence.

Personally, my soul is fed through constant conversation with God (in the shower, in my car, near the water).  Being in or around water of any form, be it waterfall, babbling brook or roaring ocean, always soothes me and opens me to God’s presence. Additionally, nothing inspires me more than listening to the stories of those whom I encounter and I look forward to hearing all of yours as we move forward together in ministry.

Journeying together,
Rev. Candi