Federated Church of Ashland Not Closed
Don’t believe the incorrect headline put out by the Patch this week: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/2026-new-england-annual-conference
The Federated Church in Ashland is very much still open and still recognized by the American Baptist denomination and the The United Church of Christ (UCC) which is also know as the Congregational Church.
The new Minister, Rev. Norman Michaud, was set to begin preaching in November when an unexpected diagnosis of cancer was discovered. Fortunately his wife, Pastor Sarah Scherer, is also a Divinity graduate (from same Divinity School) and has been preaching each week. Rev. Norman Michaud is on the mend and set to begin this month in July, ’26.
The Methodists may have rescinded their recognition, but it’s of no consequence to the continuation of the Federated Church of Ashland.
The UCC is a mainline Protestant denomination. Known for its emphasis on social justice, inclusivity, and local autonomy, the denomination has roughly 700,000 members and over 4,600 churches nationwide.
The American Baptist Church (ABCUSA) is a mainline Protestant denomination of approximately 1.3 million members and 5,000 congregations. Known for its theological diversity, autonomy of local churches, and emphasis on religious freedom, it generally operates as more progressive than other Baptist groups.
The Federated Church of Ashland welcomes your family at 10am each Sunday.
