Our Church Profile is nearly finished and the next steps in our search for a new settled pastor are beginning.
The Profile describes the history and finances of the church, our goals for the future, and the gifts and skills needed in our next pastor. Deep thanks for the hard work of the Profile Writing committee, Mariel Addis, Fred Goodhue, Pat James, Jan Varnon, and Nancy Winninger, who worked under the direction of Rev. Peter Wells. To craft the profile, they used a 35 page template provided by the Massachusetts United Church of Christ to ask and answer questions on where we have been as a church, who we are today, and what our vision is for the future. Their responses were based on the conversations in the all-church meetings and smaller discussions this spring and from the visioning work done last year. The Profile will be available in the church library by mid-September.
A Search Committee is now being formed to take the Profile and find our next pastor. The Search Committee will begin work in September after its membership is approved by Church Council. If Acting Pastor Chris Mereschuk puts himself forward as a candidate, the Search Committee will consider him first before engaging in a national search.

The Transition Leadership Team is now seeking nominations for people to serve on the Search Committee. You can nominate someone or yourself.  If you are nominating someone else, check with them first regarding their willingness to serve.

From the names submitted, the Transition Team will choose seven people who are representative of our church community. We’ll be looking for people who are open-minded, can listen deeply, do not have fixed expectations or agendas, understand the diverse nature of our community, and are able to act in the best interest of the entire church community.

Nominations can be made in writing to the Transition Leadership Team and left in the mailbox (bottom of the stairs) of the church treasurer.  Or emailed to Jim Foudy at cnjfoudy@gmail.com. Nomination letters should include the complete name and contact information (if not available in the directory) of the nominee and briefly explain why the person being nominated — yourself or someone else — is a good choice for the Search Committee. All communications will be confidential.

Your transition leadership team
Jo Cannon, Carolyn du Bois, Jim Foudy, Sam Icklan