Name: Church & Allen Funeral Service
Address: Norwich, CT

Sidat
You were a great and treasured guide, brother and friend.  I love you and miss you.
George

Still hard to believe you are gone. I remember our kids at Morley School, your time at Yale and Shalem.  You were a good friend and spiritual guide and someone of great faith. My family and I will always remember you fondly. Rest In Peace.

Thank you Sadat for giving so much in service to the Lord.  Thank you for your legacy here at Park and in your faithful ministry.  RIP - All those who still remember you fondly from Park Congregational

Missing Sidat very much.  Blessings on you, my friend.  May we meet again. 

Interesting to receive this email today.  How I miss Sidat who was such a good man and such a good soul friend. 

Sending peace and love to his family and friends this day.
Rev. Lee Ireland 

Remembering Sidat today as a colleague in hospice work.  He touched lives and supported staff with his warm and caring ways.  We were blessed to have him then and now blessed in being able to remember him.  RIP   

Just remembering Sadat today. He was such a wonderful person and a wonderful Pastor here at Park Congregational Church. His spiritual leadership here was a great blessing and still fondly remembered.

We love you Sidat. I miss our conversations ... laughing together.  It is a tragedy you are no longer with us.
John Cantlin

I have a bundle of letters from Sidat from our correspondence in the late 1980's, when we were both home inspectors, before he left the field.  I would be happy to send these to Sidat's family or any close friend who responds.

I am very sorry to learn of Sidat's passing. He served as the interim pastor at the Lyme Congregational Church and officiated my marriage there in 2012. My husband and I received spiritual and marriage counseling from Sidat and remember him as a very kind, unassuming, and thoughtful man who shared in one of our happiest days. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

To the family of Sidat Balgobin,

Our heartfelt sympathy over the passing of Sidat.  He often preached at our church as a supply minister and we always enjoyed his inspirational sermons.  We will always remember him as a kind person filled with wisdom and faith in God.    Sidat was a true friend to everyone at our church.  He will be greatly missed.

The United Congregational Church in Norwich, CT

What a nice, genuine, alive person!  I love the poetic and rhythmic tone of his name, like a mantra. He was a mentor/friend to us all and we love him.  He invited me once to lunch at his favorite Chinese restaurant.  When the bill arrived, he reached for his wallet, then said, "Oh, my goodness..."  It was always a pleasure to be with Sidat, and even pay the bill.  It also gave me the pleasure of teasing him about it often.  So, "when you see me coming and run through the shallow water reaching for my hand," be assured, Sidat, I'll have my wallet, just in case!  Blessings to his family and y'all!

One of the kindest and most thoughtful people I have encountered. A truly spiritual being who will be greatly missed.

Very good friends. Lunched together often. Same spirituality group for about 15 years. Helped me through my divorce. Served as Power of Attorney when I couldn't be in town to refi my house. Will miss him greatly.

Patricia Rider and I have requested a Mass for Sidat.
Sunday, August 19 at 9:00 AM
Saint Patrick's Cathedral
213 Broadway
Norwich, Connecticut
Sidat attended many gatherings here and is
remembered in many prayers.
All are welcome.

I met Sidat at a United Church of Christ meeting and was immediately drawn by his wisdom and authenticity.  Later, when my spiritual director passed away, I recalled our conversation and asked if he would be willing to see me -- not knowing that he was trained as a spiritual guide, as well.  We met monthly for three years, beginning with silence and a prayer.  I would then talk and talk and talk, interrupted only by an infrequent question for clarification.  When I had exhausted everything I wanted to tell him, Sidat would reflect on what he had heard -- inevitably honing in on an issue at the heart of a place where I need to grow.  He was so intuitive!  So on point!  As we concluded the hour he would make a suggestion for something for me to reflect on or do or journal about during the coming month .
   These sessions were ever so meaningful for me.  I came away each month feeling light, centered, and in touch with  the loving mystery of the Divine.  I shall miss him enormously.

Sidat and I were colleagues in Norwich, he at Park Congregational while I served at United Congregational. He was always a source of good humor and support and someone  I knew I could rely on. We did Lent Services together and together we shared in ministry to the whole community in the difficult time after the bombing of the World Trade Tower. I will always think of him smiling and kind of rolling his eyes, at ease with the world, at peace with all.

Really sad to hear of Sidat's death...  We were CPE pals at Maine Med in the summer of 1991 and maintained a relationship with a substantial Christmas note each year and one year while he was still pastor in Norwich I had a lovely afternoon with him.  At Maine Med he practiced his intuitive powers.  I remember there was a very crabby woman on his floor that the nurses did not like at all.  He walked into her room one day and she was not awake or responsive to his whispered "hello."  He discerned that he should rub her feet for a few minutes.  During that time, she did not wake and he left the room.  The next day, the nurses asked him, "What do you say to her?"  It's like she's a different person!"  He had healed her emotional pain, clearly.  
I will miss Sidat's soulful presence.  

Sidat was my pledge brother at Theta Chi, Lehigh.  I received an email from the alumni pres today about his death.  I remember him, in 1966, as a skinny, friendly, funny guy who added much to our pledge class of 15.   He was a good man and kind-hearted and in hindsight, but not foresight, it is not surprising that he entered the ministry.

As is often the unfortunate case, at graduation we all get on with our lives and lose contact with old friends.  Too late, but I now regret that loss with Sidat’s passing.   I would have liked his ongoing friendship.

I am so ignorant of the details or what thoughts he had and cannot help but ask why this happened?  We are all, however, in many ways both complex and mysterious, even to ourselves.

Go in peace my old friend, you are a good man with many friends today and yesterday. You have helped many and  You will be remembered for who you are and what you have done.  You made a difference.
Doug

So sorry to hear the news of Sidat's passing.  What a gentle and caring man he was. I wish you all comfort, strength and love.

On June 22 I visited a garden  and wrote this as I had heard about Sidat's passing: 
Wish I were a poet ... as I'm in a shoreline garden on this gorgeous clear blue sky day,  seeing some roses as in the Rose Garden in Norwich and water scenes. Am still in shock as I try to accept Sidat’s passing, as a group of us were to gather at his place in 2 weeks. How can we honor his deep soul and compassion for others and all of life? His wicked sense of humor and his precious calming words, “what’s the next right step?” I can't help but imagine he's now  saying in his own unique way, 
“hey, I’m free!” 
Thanks, Sidat for all you shared and your beautiful light.
Namaste,
Lee Ireland 

I was so sorry to hear the news of Sidat’s passing. I will never forget the clergy meetings at his apartment. We would often talk of spiritual things. I admired him and the peace he often brought to our community conversations. He was one person who always seems to be genuinely concerned about others.

Although I haven’t seen him in years,  my heart aches for his family and friends because he wa s a blessing to all who knew him.

Sidat was part of the Asylum Hill Congregational Church community in Hartford, beginning in the 1980's. Together we started the "Saturday Morning Program," reaching out to neighborhood kids in a variety of ways on Saturday mornings - his idea!

In 1988 the church sponsored "I Have a Dream- Asylum Hill," working with seventy-nine graduates of the West Hartford Elementary School in the neighborhood. Sidat stepped up as one of our lead mentors, helping many of these young people successfully prepare for higher education. He was always generous with his time, being both wise and loving. He had a true pastoral presence even before he entered the ministry years later.

It was our practice at some of our church meetings to open with a question, someone like "describe a spiritual experience you had during this past year." I remember describing a day spent with Sidat. He was a dear friend and spiritual guide for me and for many. It was my blessing to have known him.


Please accept my heartfelt condolences for your loss.  When my husband and I visited Sidat on June 6, we could not have guessed that just two weeks later he would be gone.  Sidat has been a dear friend for many years and though we lived so far away and seldom returned to Connecticut, 
we always tried to see him whenever we did return.  He was always kind and generous.  We will miss his warm smile and his wisdom.  Thank you, Sidat, for the memories.  Rest In Peace.
Bev Nijhawan

Bev and I are heartbroken for dear Sidat. He has been a good friend since his days at Lehigh University in 1970. Sidat was a gentle soul who saw good in everyone, and his enthusiasm for life and his loving spirit was spread to each of us. We met his family in Yonkers, NY, and later his marriage and his kids when they were young, and lived in Hartford. We will miss his kind words, advice, and his infectious smile. It was always a good time when we were with him . 
We met him on June 6th, on our return from Boston back to our home in Indiana. Instead of going out, he made his very special pasta casserole for us and we enjoyed the brief moments catching up and laughing about old memories and the new experiences he had faced in India and in his spiritual journey. A road well travelled. His kids were his life and he walked a honorable line. 
Our prayers are with his family and may the Lord bless you, comfort you and keep you close as you travel through these times . Rest In Peace , Sidat. 

With our love,  Pradeep and Bev 

Rev. Sidat Balgobin was my classmate at Lehigh University and we both graduated in 1970.  Later Sidat and and his wife Nancy moved to Pittsburgh, where he received his MS degree from Univ. of Pittsburgh.  I was also in Pittsburgh at that time and I remember the good times we had together.  Sidat had a brother Sri and two sisters, Sita and Sabita.  They were a caring and loving family.  My deepest condolences to Sidat's family and his sons.  I will always treasure the moments and times we spent together.  God bless you and may you RIP.      

Sidat will be deeply missed by me and my daughter, Katie.  He was our pastor and preacher at Park Congregational Church and the main reason we joined that church family.  After our first visit, we knew that was the place for us to worship.  We always left the service with a meaningful message and a guide for the week to come.  He was a dear friend. 

Rev. Sidat Balgobin was a friend and a treasured resource. When I decided to enter seminary and study for the ministry, he was so supportive - sharing his wisdom with me and encouraging me to take my time and be in serious discernment about my decision. I enjoyed his sermons and was so happy that he was able to preach for us at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Norwich.

He will be greatly missed - his smile was so warm, very in keeping with his personality, and the services he delivered from the pulpit lifted you up and gave you something to think about - and as a ministry student, to aspire to.

Rest in Peace, Rev. Sidat - I shall miss you.

Rev. Sidat Balgobin united my husband and I in marriage in 2012. We were inspired when hearing his sermon at the Second Congregational Church prior to our wedding and reached out to him soon after. He was a fabulous, genuine man who spoke the truth in the most compassionate way. We are saddened to hear of his passing and offer our peace and prayers to his loved ones. 

 Jonathan and Becky Moore

All shall be well, all manner of things shall be  well.

My heart grieves at the loss of our friend. He was a good and caring soul. May he know the peace he gifted to others.

I will miss and always treasure drumming with him in Mixed Blessings.

Greg

OBITUARY

Sidat F. Balgobin

April 12, 1948 – June 21, 2018

Church & Allen Funeral Service

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Reminders

Services