First Congregational Church Pastor Honored for Dedication to Community

Rev. Martha Jacobs took a leap of faith 11 years ago to take the role as senior minister of First Congregational Church (FCC) in Chappaqua, the first time she would lead a congregation.

More than a decade later, hundreds, if not thousands of people in and around New Castle, are better for her decision to take the job.

The community celebrated Jacobs’ contributions last week since she came aboard in the summer of 2013 with a retirement gala, attended by several hundred people, including former President Bill Clinton and many other dignitaries. She will be leaving no later than the end of the year.

“The outpouring has been overwhelming,” Jacobs said. “It has just been overwhelming that (my work) led to this event tonight because so many people said they wanted to acknowledge my service to New Castle.”

In just 11 years, her impact has been unmistakable. Serving as co-chair of the Chappaqua Interfaith Council, she has been repeatedly called upon to lead vigils and preside over funerals in some of the town’s most difficult moments.

But Jacobs remarked how the leadership at the church agreed for her to be increasingly visible not only on behalf of FCC but for community initiatives, benefitting many others who had no connection to First Congregational Church. Whether it was her role in organizing a youth volunteer opportunity day, trying to find an indoor location for a winter Chappaqua Farmers Market, offering the Upper Westchester Muslim Society the church for their Friday prayers when it had no home, or a safe place for LGBTQ youth,

“Tonight, I want to thank FCC, I want to thank FCC for allowing me to be out in this community where I can provide support and care beyond our church doors,” Jacobs said. “Had I not been given this chance I could not have come to know and serve so many of you and be so heartened with knowing and working side by side with you.”

Two members of New Castle’s religious community that know Jacobs best were the co-masters of ceremonies for last Thursday’s program during the gala at Travelers Rest. Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, who has been her co-chair of the interfaith council, and Jonathan Riedel, director of Christian education at FCC, led the program.

Riedel said Jacobs’ strength has been working with all people and also knowing how to speak with them.

“She had told me time and time again, she’s not here to tell us what to do or how to live, but to be with us in all the highs and lows, and she lives by that,” Riedel said. “So I always feel that she’s right by my side, and she takes the time to reach out to anyone.”

Jaffe said Jacobs is consistently genuine, regardless of whether you interact with her at the church or you bump into her elsewhere in the community. That only adds to her appeal, he said.

“For me, I think it is her authenticity,” Jaffe said. “When you see Martha on the pulpit, you see the exact same person that you see when you walk into her at the farmers market or on the street. She is who she is and she lives her life that way.”

Over the last decade Jacobs has struck up an acquaintance with former President Clinton, who can sometimes be seen out walking near the Orchard Ridge Road church. He called her “a truly remarkable person.”

Clinton said that in a divided and polarized time, Jacobs has the ability to bring people together. The community should be “profoundly and eternally grateful,” he said.

“So I just want to say, thank you for giving so much of your life, thank you for always being there for us, thank you for modeling the life we should all be trying to live, and thank you for giving me an excuse to stop when I’m out of breath,” Clinton said.

Jacobs said she is prepared to stay on until the end of the year or when the church finds her replacement. If the next pastor is not on board, her final service will be Dec. 28. Currently, the New York chapter of the Church of Christ is vetting potential replacements, and the church’s search committee will interview the various candidates when they are provided, she said.

Given that she is 71, Jacobs said she thought it was time for her to bow out when she’s still on top of her game, but it will take someone else to provide the best service to the 113-year-old congregation and to serve it effectively going forward.

“I am aware that I’m getting tired. I’ve been providing care to people since 1991, and it feels like it’s the right time,” said Jacobs, who was a hospital chaplain for many years. “I think I’ve done what I can for FCC and it takes further steps that I don’t have the energy for. I don’t have the energy; I have the spiritual energy.”

As for her next chapter, Jacobs said she doesn’t have anything particular in mind, although she believes one thing she’ll do is write. She has already done plenty of traveling in connection with her work and personally when trying to learn more of her Jewish roots.

“God’s not done with me yet, but I don’t know what that means,” she said.

She also thanked the community for accepting her and her spouse of 44 years, Pat.

“Pat believed in me when I was unable to, encouraged me to the work God had put before me,” Jacobs said.