About Us
Wading River Congregational Church is a faith community that welcomes everyone.
Mission Statement
Wading River Congregational Church invites people of all ages and backgrounds to come hear the good news of Jesus, experience His grace, and develop a relationship with the living God. We are seeking to live Gospel-centered lives by building a loving community and helping each other in concrete ways, as we glorify God and demonstrate God’s love in action.
Statement Of Faith
We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice.
We believe in the Trinity. There are three persons in the one true and living God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
We believe that God is the creator and sustainer of everyone and everything. He is eternal, infinite, and unchangeable in his power and perfection, goodness and glory, wisdom, justice, and truth. Nothing happens except through him and by his will.
We believe that God created us male and female in his own image to know him, love him, live with him, and glorify him. It is right that we who were created by God should live to his glory.
We believe that we glorify God by enjoying him, loving him, trusting him, and by obeying his will, commands, and law.
We believe that God requires personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience; that we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love our neighbor as ourselves. What God forbids should never be done and what God commands should always be done.
We believe that because of the disobedience of our first parents, Adam and Eve, all of creation is fallen; we are all born in sin and guilt, corrupt in our nature and unable to keep God’s law and do what he requires.
We believe that sin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation. We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy.
We believe that salvation is by God alone, as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation.
We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him.
We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people unto Himself.
We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
We believe that Christ will return to earth in a physical, visible form to bring salvation and judgment. This event is also known as the Advent of Christ.
What is Congregationalism?
Congregationalism is as old as the founding of our nation and was associated with establishing our country’s first churches and our most prominent institutions of higher education like Harvard and Yale, which were originally established to train congregational ministers. A Congregational Church is a Christian church that is run by its people. For us, this means that we are not under the authority of any leader or organization beyond the people of WRCC. We believe God is the ultimate authority over his Church, but the members of WRCC govern themselves according to the Scriptures. It also means that we are fully self-funded, and work to use the resources God provides us in ways that help us achieve our mission to put “God’s love in action” here in Shoreham-Wading River.
Our Staff
John Brock Evans
Pastor
John Brock Evans became the Senior Minister of Wading River Congregational Church by a unanimous vote on June 18, 2023. John was raised primarily in the Midwest by loving parents and grandparents who introduced him to the gospel at an early age. He was ordained to the ministry in April of 2008 and has served in pastoral ministry since September of 2000.
John graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Theology in 2006 and is currently finishing a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His theology is best represented by the Westminster Confession of Faith to which he adheres. John enjoys reading theology, traveling, playing sports, and listening to all kinds of music.
Diane Hanwick
Administrator and Accompanist
Diane Hanwick has served as the part-time Office Administrator at WRCC since September of 2021. She graduated from Dowling College in 2000 with a BS in Business Administration & Management, and previously served as the Administrator at Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center in Riverhead for 19 years. She retired from Cornell in 2019.
Diane, who started taking piano lessons at 5 years old, has been playing the organ/piano at WRCC since 1976 – that’s over 45 years! Diane enjoys playing classical music pieces but has developed an interest in Praise & Worship music.
In addition to her work at WRCC, Diane is also the current Executive Secretary & Treasurer of the Long Island Flower Growers Association.
Our Church Leadership
- Doug Carlen, Sexton
- Kim Schmidt, Co-Chair of Sunday School & Childrens Ministries
- Nancy Cimiluca, Co-Chair of Sunday School & Childrens Ministries
- Lisa Maccaro, Director of Music
- Nancy Bosseckert, Director of Worship Technology
- Lynette DeLucia, Chair
- Adam Costantino, Co-Chair
- Ann Otten
- Judy Black
- Ryan Radonavitch
- George Schmidt
- Eddie Hertling, Chair
- Nancy Swenk
- Lana O’Toole
- Diane Barraud
- John Flynn
- Greg Efimetz
- Ed Lucarini
- Sandra Costa
- Kevin Kenter