Welcome to
Deep River Congregational Church
Deep River Congregational Church celebrates faith, joy, and love as a Christian community. Our church family lives in many towns throughout Connecticut, yet Deep River is our church home.
Welcoming & uniting all people in our faith
We are a member of the United Church of Christ, a denomination concentrated in New England with active congregations throughout the country. Our Congregational denomination descended from the New England Pilgrims and Puritans, was a leader in building colleges and universities (including Harvard and Yale), and integral to the missionary movement which sought to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.
Our predecessors were among the first to fight for the abolition of slavery, to provide schools for the descendants of slaves, to educate women and recognize the ordination of women to the ministry. Our denomination today remains committed to welcoming and uniting all people into our faith.
Worship & Music
We welcome you to join us for worship and special services, whether in-person or live-streamed!
Sunday Services
News, weekly message, Communion & Sunday bulletin.
Youth & Learning
Learning experiences for all ages to discover faith in everyday life.
Special Services
Weddings, baptisms, funerals, and more provided year-round.
Music
Our church choir & bell ringers add joy to our worship!
A community helping to make a difference
Through One Great Hour of Sharing and our own denomination, we fund aid to victims of disaster, war, and famine in our country and around the world. We support outreach projects such as:
- Habitat for Humanity
- UNICEF
- Shoreline Soup Kitchen
- And much more!
Our Green Team inspires us to be better stewards of God’s creation. We encourage children and adults alike to believe that they can make a difference in the world.
We welcome you to join us!
Join Us!
Church Council, Boards & Committees
Serving on a DRCC board or committee can be a rich and rewarding experience. We encourage you to participate and share your talents with us!
Contact the Church Office to if you’re interested in participating.
Rev. Timothy Haut
pastor
Rev. Timothy Haut was ordained as a minister in the United Church of Christ in 1972, and has served as Pastor of the Deep River Congregational Church since 1980. He and his wife Phyllis have four sons and two granddaughters, two cats and a dog. He writes poetry and has authored a book of reflections entitled "A Deep River Year." He grew up in Iowa and frequently brings "Letters from Blue Grass" to our worship services. He strives to bring joy and compassion into all aspects of his ministry.
Contact Rev. Tim: congregationalchurch@deeprivercc.org
Rev. Dr. Cheryl Caronna
pastor
Pastor Cheryl was ordained in 2013 as a minister in the United Church of Christ. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Andover Newton Theological School and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Hartford Seminary. She completed her Student Pastor Internship at Deep River Congregational Church. She served as Pastor of the First Congregational Church of Canterbury before returning to DRCC in January 2024. She also has served as Chaplain for the Colchester Hayward Volunteer Fire Company since 2019. Her husband Jim is her biggest support and sidekick on all her ministerial endeavors. Great joy is found in her time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and nephews. She is quoted as saying, “I believe in the Holy Trinity, the freedom of one’s spirit, that fellowship is vital to the health of the congregation and the power of a good pot-luck supper.”
Contact Rev. Dr. Cheryl: minister@deeprivercc.org
Kris Lindner
office manager
Kris Lindner has been DRCC’s Office Manager since June 2008, after 33 years as a teacher and library media specialist in Old Saybrook and Deep River Elementary Schools. Kris is proud of her Swedish heritage, and enjoys sharing her traditions with her church family, especially her Swedish Cardamom Bread at the Christmas Faire!
Kris lives in Deep River with her husband Tom. They have two grown children, Shane & Kelsey, as well as two black labs, Marjorie & Riddle.
Contact Kris: officedrcc@deeprivercc.org
Sybil Higgins
DIRECTOR OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Sybil Higgins has been a member of DRCC since 1990, where she taught Sunday School before becoming the Director of Christian Education in 1995. As Director, she oversees and plans our church’s Sunday School and nursery programs, Faith Adventures (VBS), youth communion and bible classes, and children’s curricula (4 yrs.-8th grade). In 1997 she formed a Christian education class for teens in grades 9-12, giving them a safe place to discuss issues and stay active with the church.
An important part of her ministry to children is to hold multigenerational events including our annual chowder and chili cook-offs, Scout Sunday, Veterans Breakfast, and the Sunday School Mission Fair. She has involved the Sunday School with mission work to include Heifer Project International, caring cards, food collections, and Church World Service kit program (over 2,000 kits assembled). She has also been actively involved in the Christmas Pageant since 1995 and is currently the director. Sybil has implemented the Green Team at DRCC, is co-chair of the Kitchen Committee, co-teaches confirmation, chairs a booth at the Christmas Faire and working to revitalize Women’s Fellowship.
Outside the church, Sybil is the Life to Eagle advisor for BSA Troop 13, where she guides Life Scouts through the Eagle process, volunteers within her community, and works during the week at a local engineering firm. She is married to Richard and has two adult children Amanda and Cy (Jackie).
Contact Sybil: ChristianEd@deeprivercc.org
Chelsea Chiappa Ehmke
DIRECTOR OF YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRIES
Chelsea became DRCC’s Director of Youth and Family Ministries in 2015. She runs the Teen Issues program for high school students on Sunday mornings as well as the Youth Group for Grades 4-12. Chelsea’s childhood experience attending DRCC’s Sunday School, youth programs and mission trips inspired her to work in youth ministry. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Saint Joseph’s with a bachelor’s degree in Religious studies, and minors in Psychology and Dance. Chelsea is passionate about church ministry and has organized many service trips, including the annual Midnight Run to NYC to bring food and clothing to the homeless. Outside of church, Chelsea coaches competitive figure skating, is an active, founding member of Moxie Dance Company, and enjoys family time with her husband and daughter at their home in Berlin.
Contact Chelsea: yandfm@deeprivercc.org
Annetta Sekula
DIRECTOR OF MUSIC
Annetta Sekula has served as Organist and Choir Director for Deep River Congregational Church since July 1997. She is active in DRCC’s prayer shawl ministry and has crocheted many lap robes and shawls, which we donate to Middlesex Hospice. Annetta is originally from Maryland and graduated from Bridgewater College in Virginia.
Dayle Larson
TREASURER
Dayle Larson has served as Treasurer of the Deep River Congregational Church since 1995. As a longstanding member, she is deeply committed to her position and considers it an important part of her contribution to the church community. Dayle began her bookkeeping career with Edwards & Angell Law Firm in Providence, RI. After moving to Connecticut to raise her family, Dayle founded Chester Bookkeeping Service in 1996. While serving numerous local clients for over two decades, she is also the bookkeeper for St. John’s Episcopal Church and served as the Financial Manager for the Presbytery of Southern New England. In her spare time, Dayle enjoys weekend drives, local explorations, and spending time with her beloved family, grandchildren, and yellow Lab, Otis.
Contact Dayle: Treasurer@deeprivercc.org
Claudia Hardy
church COLLECTOR
Claudia Hardy became Church Collector for DRCC in 2006. She has been active in the church since 1970 through confirmation, junior choir, Christmas pageants, Youth Group leader, Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. She has run many Church Rummage Sales and is the Christmas Faire money counter, which she began doing with her dad more than 30 years ago… this family tradition is being carried on today with her daughter Sarah. Claudia joined the Church Handbell Choir as a teenager, graduated to directing our Junior Bell Choir in early 2000, and has been Director of our Chancel Handbell Choir since 2005. Claudia and her husband Jon have 3 daughters (who also became members through confirmation) and 3 adored grandchildren. “My heart is in this church.”
Contact Claudia: Collector@deeprivercc.org
Alison Knowlton Karam
Public Relations & Communications
Alison is an accredited public relations practitioner and former president of the Public Relations Society of America’s Connecticut Valley Chapter. She served as an officer on Deep River Congregational Church’s Board of Trustees for 6 years and loves to lay read and sing. She championed DRCC’s grants efforts and has secured nearly $100,000 since 2015. She was a volunteer broadcaster/ producer at CRIS radio for the blind and print handicapped, president of the Killingworth Library Association, and public relations contact for the launch of the Freedom Schooner Amistad. She has won awards nationally and regionally for her work with nonprofit, high tech, government, health care, and service organizations. She happily settled in Connecticut after having lived in Delaware, North and South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia. Alison is a high school swim coach, audiobook proofreader, avid stargazer, nature lover, wife, mom, and all-in family person.
Contact Alison: PublicRelations@deeprivercc.org
Will & Elisa Grote
Sextons
Will and Elisa Grote have served as DRCC ‘s Sextons since 2004. They are a valued part of our church community and take great pride in caring for the inside of our church building. The husband and wife team are also custodians for Chester Elementary School. Will worked as a mechanical engineer at Whelen Engineering for 34 years and has been a volunteer firefighter with the Deep River Fire Department since 1992. Will and Elisa began their married life in 1991 in Deep River, where they raised three children, all of whom have been 4th generation volunteer firefighters for the Town. Will and Elisa enjoy family time and vacationing at Disney.
