Historic Saugatuck Congregational Church — the site of Westport’s founding as a town, in 1835 — has a new pastor.
Rev. Steven Savides takes over next month. He follows Rev. Alison Patton, who was called 2 years ago to a church in Maine. The position has been filled on an interim basis since then.
Rev. Dr. Savides is also an educator and former journalist. He has served UCC congregations in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Ohio.
He earned a Ph.D. in peace studies and theology from Notre Dame University, and a master’s in theological studies from Harvard Divinity School. He was ordained in 2006.
Rev. Savides and his wife, Rev. Nanette Pitt, live in Akron, Ohio. She served First Congregational Church there as senior minister for 8 years, before embarking on a new career in support of progressive political candidates. She is currently senior advisor to a US congresswoman.
Rev. Savides is described as “a compelling peacher and teacher deeply committed to peace and social justice, faith formation across the lifespan, pastoral care and counseling … and building inclusive, resilient and sustainable congregations.” (Hat tip: Mark Mathias)
Rev. Dr. Steven Savides
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Platform by the James Beard Foundation — the state-of-the-art show kitchen, event space and educational hub for special culinary arts programming at Pier 57’s Market 57 food hall in New York — celebrates October with a standout lineup of 2025 James Beard Award winners and nominees.
Among them: Westport chef Brian Lewis.
On October 22 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.), the noted owner of OKO and The Cottage honors National Seafood Month with a “Season for Seafood” dinner.
Lewis — a 2025 James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Northest — offers a meal with Skuna Bay salmon, and locally sourced ingredients from the Northeast.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
Chef Brian Lewis
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For years, the Westport Writers’ Workshop has helped new and experienced authors of all kinds find their voice, and hone their passion, at their Sylvan Road South suite.
They’ve also done it through, through scholarships and free writing workshops, for underserved communities across Connecticut.
They partner with the Connecticut Institute for Immigrants and Refugees, STAR, the Center for Family Justice/AWARE, and the Bigelow Center for Seniors to bring writing opportunities to people who lack access. WWW also offers free therapeutic and skills-based workshops for mothers of children with disabilities and veterans.
On September 18 (6:30 p.m., Fairfield Museum) a “Sips & Scholarships” fundraiser — including light bites, wine and silent auction — will help them continue their outreach.
Harry’s Wine & Liquor Market will curate the tastings — and donating 10% of all wine sales that night to WWW.
Tickets are $75. A $250 Special Sponsor ticket funds a 2 1/2-hour free class for students in underserved populations. For tickets and more information, click here.
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CAST For Kids — a powerful experience for children with special needs — returns to Westport for the 7th time on August 24. The 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. event, at a private riverfront backyard, includes lunch and an awards ceremony.
The event — part of the national CAST for Kids organization — has served over 100 children over the years. They and their families love to fish on the river, and enjoy time outdoors.
Children who participated now volunteer, helping teach other youngsters.
This year’s program is again spearheaded by Asher Marcus, a nature enthusiast and rising senior at Bi-Cultural Hebrew Academy.
He has teamed up with Daris (“Miss D”) Datzenko. The well-known special ed teacher first heard about CAST for Kids a few years ago. She knew it would be a perfect fit for her students, as well as the Challenger baseball team.
CAST for Kids also draws an enthusiastic group of volunteers. They do not need to be expert fishermen. But they should be patient and enthusiastic, helping ensure that every child is happy and feels welcome.
To register as a participant or a volunteer, email Asher Marcus: (saugatuckriver@castforkids.org), or click here.
CAST for Kids — quite a fish story!
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Registration is open for Club203’s 2025-26 season.
The fourth year of Westport’s social group for adults with disabilities promises to be the biggest and best yet. Click here for details.
Meanwhile, members are invited to tomorrow’s “Summer Art by MoCA CT” (Wednesday, August 20, 5 p.m.). It’s a relaxing way to learn self-expression through a variety of art forms. Click here to register, and for more information.
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Milling and paving has begun on North Avenue, near Staples High School.
Take an alternate route, if you can.
North Avenue roadwork. (Screenshot courtesy of Kuku Fleming)
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DanceBody — a New York City dance cardio brand — headlines 2 pop-up classes at 345 Post Road West, today (August 19 — hip hop) and next Tuesday (August 26 — sculpt).
Both begin at 9:30 a.m.
A New York DanceBody class.
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You know those “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer”?
This dude took them literally, at the Library Riverwalk by the Saugatuck River:
(Photo/Frank Rosen)
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Meanwhile: School is just around the corner. (I know — how the hell did that happen?!)
On Sunday, a group of soon-to-be Staples High juniors celebrated the end of summer — and the setting sun — at Compo Beach:
(Photo/Dan Cheng)
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Also at the beach: Yesterday, the Westport Police and Fire dive team conducted training.
The scenario simulated a lost swimmer. Practice include search and rescue techniques in open water.
Training begins. (Photo/Richard Fogel)
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A reminder: This Saturday (August 23, 3 to 5:30 p.m.), the pickleball courts at Compo Beach will be dedicated in honor of Lowrie.
The 97-year-old is “the father of Westport pickleball” (and much more).
Theree will be an exhibition with professional, nationally ranked players (and prizes). And the Y’s Men’s Hoot Owls will provide musical entertainment.
Bring your own beach chair and refreshments. Watch the pros. Honor Tom. And then play afterward, on the Tom Lowrie Courts.
(Poster created by Andrew Colabella)
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Jazz at the post’s Summer Series continues to celebrate Connecticut-based artists.
This Thursday (August 21, 7 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner at 7; Westport VFW), it’s Sambeleza.
The name comes from 2 words: samba (the national dance of Brazil), and beleza (Portuguese for “beauty.”)
Founders The group came into being in 2009 as the combined brainchild of vocalist and São Paulo native Isabella Mendes, Brazilian guitar specialist Joe Carter and jazz bassist Jeff Fuller.
Since 2009 they’ve paid homage to great songs by Brazilian compsers, and added original songs. Founders Jeff Fuller (bass), Joe Carter (guitar) and Isabella Mendes (piano, vocals) will be joined by drummer Daniel Silva and saxophonist Greg (“The Jazz Rabbi”) Wall. Click here for tickets, and more information.
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The banks of the Saugatuck River are as good a place as any for “love birds” to cuddle.
And — as today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows — we do mean that literally.
(Photo/Pat Saunders)
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And finally … if you read through today’s Roundup, you probably guessed we would end with:
(We recommend reading “06880” in a hammock by the river. Or anywhere else. We recommend even more clicking here, to support the hyper-local blog that you are reading right now. Thank you!)
It is not accurate to give that historical “first” to the Saugatuck Congregational church. That honor goes to the Greens Farm https://www.greensfarmschurch.org/story.
As Allen Raymond explained, the Bankside Farmers founded the first church and that corresponded with becoming a new town. “In 1708 the settlers in what we now call Green’s Farms petitioned the Connecticut Legislature for permission to
establish their own parish closer to home.That request, granted by the Legislature in 1711 after 3 years of heated debate, reflected more than just a desire to worship closer to home. In those days, at the local level the church was effectively the state. The Bankside settlers were not only asking for the right to build their own church, but also for the right to run their
own schools, choose their own church leaders and collect taxes to pay for it all.” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/66300534f3039811e67bb650/t/667d9377a726af20367df7a8/1719505790932/Green%27s+Farms+300th+Anniversary.pdf
Thanks, Kristan – but I was very careful to say that Saugatuck Church was where “Westport” was founded. That was when we became an official town, breaking off from Fairfield,
Here’s one story you might enjoy: https://06880danwoog.com/2010/05/28/daniel-nash-returns/
And of course, there’s this from the town website: “After the Revolutionary War, the Village of Saugatuck began to grow as a shipping center. In the 1830s, Daniel Nash, a leading resident, together with 130 other villagers made an application to the Connecticut General Assembly to incorporate Westport as a town. The nature of the economy with its emphasis on onion farming and coastal shipping influenced the decision. The charter was granted May 28, 1835.
Westport took on its separate character as a town in 1711, upon the founding of the Greens Farm Church. Our first European-American settlers– the five Bankside Farmers– arrived in 1648.
In those days in 1711, “at the local level the church was effectively the state” or the town. THAT is when Westport acquired its right (independent of Fairfield or Norwalk) to run its “own schools, choose their own church leaders and collect taxes to pay for it all.”
1711 is when Westport took on its separate character as an independent town. 1835 was a mere formality.
Dan, nice to see that the Highway department is hard at work. Is that a leaf blower (fossil fuel powered) or is it battery powered? What is the status of ordinance enforcement in Westport? Not a good look for the Staples students.
Typo para 6 new minister story. (Just fyi)
This could prove interesting…
Rev. Nanette Pitt, a local minister and prominent police accountability and social justice advocate, is Akron’s first ever “chief of strategy.”
Welcome ‼️