Introducing the Rev. Michael J. Ader The Rev. Michael J. Ader, our new Interim Minister, is a United Church of Christ minister who comes to us from completing a nine-month interim pastorate at Newent Congregational Church in Lisbon, CT. Prior to this, he served in a similar capacity in Congregational or Federated churches in Willington, Taftville, Talcottville, Plainfield and Central Village. He is an Interim Ministry Specialist, certified by the national Interim Ministry Network in Baltimore. Mike served as a pastor in Vermont and as an associate minister in Rhode Island before coming to Connecticut. He was a chaplain at Hartford Hospital where he became certified as a pastoral counselor. As a pastor and a chaplain he saw the depth of stress-related problems due to aging and illness. Realizing that something more was needed, he founded Elderlink, Inc., through which he created programs such as health-claim processing and daily money management for seniors who could no longer deal with these tasks for themselves. Through his interdenominational leadership as a lobbyist for CT Interfaith Housing and Human Services Corp., the CT Coalition to End Homelessness was created. He also managed Bacon Congregate Housing in Hartford and served as a trainer for Elderly Housing Management. Later he became executive director of the Open Hearth in Hartford, Connecticut’s oldest and largest men's homeless shelter and rehabilitation center. Mike has authored two books: Pathways to Eldercare, a directory of consumer resources and products for seniors and their families for the tri-state region (Connecticut, New York and New Jersey) and Understanding Medicare HMOs. He provides ongoing creative input to William Wasch Associates, an organization specializing in creating livable spaces for seniors. He currently serves as Registrar for the Tolland Association of the Connecticut Conference, UCC. Mike resides in Coventry, CT with his wife, Andrea, and four "pound pooches" - Meggie, Thomas, Edward and Jenny. His other passions are classic cars, gardening, travel and wine-making. He states that “I will never stop trying to make growing older a little easier because, like everyone else, it's a phase of life I hope to enjoy.”