Date: Fri 11-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

snapshot-Jim-Solomon

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: JIM SOLOMON

Occupation: I am an accountant turned Protestant minister. I am an associate

minister at a rapidly growing congregation made up of people from 12 towns. I

started in August of 1998. One of my responsibilities is to help newcomers to

plug into the fellowship. I have a bachelor of science degree in accounting

from the University of Rhode Island and a master's of divinity from Bethel

Theology Seminary in San Diego, Calif.

How Long in Newtown: My wife, Anne, and I moved here last August. We are

newcomers who feel we always belonged here. We lived for three years in San

Diego. I grew up in Providence, R.I. My wife grew up in Baton Rouge, La. We

met in Boston where we were working. We're happy to be back in New England. We

love it.

Family: Anne and I have been married almost four and a half years. We are

expecting our first child, a daughter, Amanda Mary, on July 10. My wife and I

come from very different backgrounds. I grew up in a Roman Catholic family of

12 children; she's from a Protestant family of three children. My dad, who is

deceased, was a Great Depression survivor. After surviving the Depression, he

always said surviving 12 children was easy. All 12 of us went to college and

five to graduate school. Dad really pushed us to get an education. Our mother

is the glue that kept us together.

Hobbies: I like to run. I ran a marathon in the fall of 1993. Now I can barely

run around Taunton Lake without panting and puffing. I love hiking and

exploring the trails of Newtown. I've used the Newtown Trails book. It's very

helpful. My wife and I both love antiquing. I particularly like early 19th

century English furniture. We do day trips together. My favorite right now is

Litchfield. We love eating out and entertaining. People are my passion, food

is next. I never get enough of either.

Favorite Books and Authors: I love reading. I love everything from theological

classics to insightful books about the plight of families. Some favorite books

are The Shelter of Each Other by Mary Pipher and The Color of Water by James

McBride. I also value books on counseling. My favorite author is Henry Noewen,

a Jesuit, who wrote The Wounded Healer (That's who I am in many ways). I had

the opportunity to meet him before he died. I've also been intrigued by

Lee-Ann Payne's books on counseling and healing. I've been challenged by her.

I also am now reading books on parenting, such as Gifts of God by Dr David

Jeremiah.

Organizations: I am the associate minister at Walnut Hill Community Church in

Bethel and a member of Newtown's ecumenical clergy group led by the Rev

Kathleen Adams-Shepherd of Trinity. I like it because it emphasizes our common

ground rather than our differences. At Walnut Hill, I help meet the needs of

people. I also help with small groups that meet in parishioners' homes. They

range from divorce recovery to parents with special needs children to couples

and singles groups. These help people grow in their relationships with God and

each other. It's like building a sense of community.

Most Vivid Memory of Newtown: The Labor Day Parade. It gives a sense of

community and a feeling of being back in time to when that mattered to

everyone.

Favorite Vacation Spot: There are so many because I love the beauty of

creation. Among them are Hawaii, Yosemite National Park, and Destin, Fla.,

with its white sand and clear water.

Personal Philosophy: The Golden Rule, doing unto others as I would have them

do unto me. It's really who I am. If I was in their shoes, how would I want to

be treated?