Salisbury reverend announces retirement after seven years

SALISBURY – Rev. Dr. John A. Nelson of the Salisbury Congregational Church will retire Sunday, June 14, after leading the church through the COVID-19 pandemic and a period of renewed community engagement and growth.

“I wanted to retire as thoughtfully as possible,” he said, noting the decision came after “two years of thinking and praying about it.”

Nelson came to the Salisbury church in April 2019, just months before the pandemic transformed church life and forced congregations nationwide to rethink how they gathered and worshiped.

One of the defining challenges of his tenure came shortly afterward, when the church had to quickly adapt to pandemic restrictions. Nelson said the congregation initially spaced choir members six feet apart and made services available on YouTube.

The first attempts at streaming were less than seamless.

“It was a lot of work,” Nelson said. “It was awkward. The quality wasn’t great.”

Over time, however, the church developed more polished recorded services that included music, lay readings, sermons and pre-recorded music.

“I taught myself video production,” he said.

In addition to the logistical hurdles of navigating the pandemic, Nelson said the church also grappled with the spiritual health of the congregation. He said it was clear that people were distressed.

“My phone wasn’t ringing off the hook, but the pandemic was so front of mind for everybody,” he said. “It was so destabilizing spiritually, economically. There was an abiding sense of fatigue.”

Some lasting changes emerged from that time period. Nelson said the experience made church leadership realize the importance of finding ways for people to participate in worship or church meetings using Zoom or a streaming service.

Today, church meetings are now all hybrid, and the services have eight to 10 regular watchers. Nelson said this benefits “people who can’t get out or who live at a distance but want to stay connected.”

Under Nelson’s leadership, the church also established two Bible study groups — one for men, one for women.

“Those are really important for the participants,” he said.

Nelson also pointed to a “visioning” process as one of the highlights of his time in Salisbury.

“It’s been one of the better ones I’ve experienced,” Nelson said.

The effort included forming small groups, hiring a consultant and developing an action plan focused on increasing “the visibility of the church as a hub of spiritual activity, of faith, of the community, of learning and of music.”

“Let’s see how quickly we can wear the carpets out,” Nelson remembers saying.

One visible result of that project includes the church’s First Friday concert series, held at noon on the first Friday of each month.

“These have been just phenomenal concerts,” said Nelson, who is a musician himself. “We’re lucky that [music director] David Baranowski has so many talented friends.”

The church also launched a NetZero initiative that included upgrades to lighting, heating and cooling systems, as well as the installation of an electric vehicle charger aimed at reducing emissions.

As he prepares to step away from ministry, Nelson said he believes the church is in “a really strong place.”

The congregation currently has 170 members, with average attendance around 75 people.

“That’s an energized church,” he said.

Nelson credited much of that success to the church leadership, which he described as “thoughtful and positive.

In his retirement, Nelson plans to spend more time with his wife, Angela Lomanto, their children and grandchildren. He will also focus on beekeeping, traveling, woodworking and taking piano lessons.