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Falmouth Church Loses Loving Pastor

March/April 2005

The Rev. Nanette Elizabeth (Snyder) Geertz, 60, Associate Minister of the First Congregational Church in Falmouth, passed away peacefully the morning of Saturday, Feb 26, after a valiant fight against illness.

Geertz was the wife of Rev. Dr. Bill Geertz, Senior Minister of Falmouth's sister UCC church in Sandwich, and mother of K. Benjamin Geertz of New Haven, Connecticut, and the late Jennifer Leigh Geertz. Nan Geertz was born in East Derry, N.H. She attended high school in Seattle and earned a bachelor's degree in Christian education from Pacific University, Forest Grove, Ore., and a master's degree from Andover Newton Theological School. She was Director of Christian Education at First Church of Christ, Sandwich, from 1985 to 2000, and then became Associate Minister at First Congregational Church UCC, Falmouth.

Rev. Dr. Doug Showalter, pastor of First Congregational Church of Falmouth, explained that Geertz was instrumental in the formation of several ministries at the church, including the health cabinet, women's bible study, confirmation program, healing services, computer lab, and the arts program. "She was very involved and much beloved by the people in the congregation," says Showalter. "We had different styles of ministry, but we shared the same values. She was a gracious, gentle, loving, and caring human being, and a fine colleague. I will miss her a lot."

Church member Donna Skinner was devastated when she heard of Geertz' passing. "Nan welcomed us into the church with open arms and really made it feel like home. She was such an inspiration, the picture of strength and love. There were a lot of tears shed as we prayed for her family and contemplated our loss. To give us comfort, we tried to think of Nan's journey into eternal life as a promotion. She was such a wonderful minister, touching so many lives, including our children, that God 'promoted' her to an angel."

At the Sunday service in Falmouth after Geertz' death, Showalter gave a special pastoral prayer for Geertz and her family. "We pray that you will be a guide to Nan's beloved husband Bill, as he walks through these days without his life's companion."

"We pray for Bill and Nan's congregation in Sandwich. We pray also for our own church family. Help us as your people of faith, to mourn Nan's loss in ways which reflect her abundant good spirit and love."

"Nan has courageously 'fought the good fight.' We can now be deeply thankful, that beyond all earthly suffering which was humanly impossible to avoid, Nan has now entered into that eternal realm of your divine peace and love, where she can be reunited once again, with her beloved, departed family members - including Jennifer, her daughter, and Emily, her mother."

Additional information about Geertz as well as a tribute of comments can be accessed at: http://firstcongfalmouth.org/nangeertz.htm.