The Reverend Mark Diters The Reverend Mark Diters is an ordained UCC minister with twelve years parish experience. He is coming to us from the position of Associate Minister at South Church in Granby. Mark is 53 years old and lives with his wife Susan, in Canton Center. Susan is a nurse doing a job she loves at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in the Family Birth Place. Mark and Susan became grandparents themselves in January. They have three children. Daughter Caitlin resides in Washington, D.C. and daughter Sarah and husband Jon live in Torrington. Their son Sam is a sophomore at Central Connecticut State University. Mark graduated from Bates College in 1977 and later pursued graduate studies at Princeton Theological School, Hartford Seminary and Yale Divinity School. He received his Masters of Divinity from Yale in 1998. Mark has a broad range of experience in preaching, visitation, committee work, property management and youth ministries. He has built a special relationship with the membership and youth at South Church. He chaired the Committee on Ministry of the Farmington Valley Association for three years and has “deaned” summer conferences and statewide Confirmation Retreats at Silver Lake Conference Center many times. He is the Pastoral Care Coordinator with the Farmington Valley Visiting Nurse Hospice Program. Prior to entering the ministry Mark was a program director in community residences for mentally challenged young people and adults. And then he managed an 11-store dry cleaning business for 13 years. The Search committee was initially drawn to Mark through his Ministerial Profile that stood out among some 70 others. During the interview process we found that his leadership qualities, personality and preaching style are aligned with the attributes identified by our congregation. He also enthusiastically embraces our commitment to Hartmeadow and our Open and Affirming Statement.