First Congregational Church welcomes interim pastor

MEREDITH — The First Congregational Church welcomes its interim pastor, the Rev. Dr. Catheryn Turrentine, following the retirement of its minister of 15 years.

Cathy Turrentine will serve the church while preparing and assisting the congregation in finding a new full-time minister.

Turrentine received a bachelor’s degree in German, then a master’s degree in Latin and American history, and finally, a Ph.D. in counselor education. She attended seminary at Boston University and, on Dec. 9, 2018, she was ordained at Center Harbor Congregational Church.

Turrentine comes to ministry after a long career in higher education. She has been an alcohol abuse prevention educator, a grant writer, an editor, and a dean of students. Finally, she settled into a role as a college researcher, where she studied students’ needs and behaviors, documented their successes, and generally kept the colleges she worked for on the right side of federal data reporting requirements. Turrentine has experience in self-studies and strategic planning, which are very similar to the work that churches do during an interim ministry.

Turrentine grew up in Texas, where she learned the importance of sharing and receiving stories. She enjoys singing, reading mystery novels, gardening, and cooking.

“I am a storyteller, and I use this art in my preaching,” Turrentine said.

She resides in Moultonborough with her husband, Dave Ostroth, a retired vice-president of student affairs at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Together, they have five children, four grandchildren, and a new puppy.

The First Congregational Church of Meredith welcomes all to come enjoy Turrentine's next story, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 27, at 4 Highland St., Meredith.