My Dear Sisters, Brothers, and Siblings,
I have been quite busy in the days since the October 16th Congregational Meeting where you voted to call me as your Acting Pastor! I have talked with many of you, met with our leadership, consulted colleagues in similar roles, read a bunch of books and articles, and prayerfully considered how best to navigate all that lies ahead of me personally and our congregation as a whole.
Times of transition call us to pause and step back for a moment to take a look at the larger picture, and so it seems fitting that this transition is happening at the start of the new year. I have never been one to make resolutions, but the newness of this season (much like Easter) inspires me to evaluate where I’ve been, where I am, and where I want to be going. Our pastoral leadership transition invites us to do the same thing.
I know that many of you have great ideas and observations, concerns to be addressed, and anxieties to be alleviated. There are many more conversations to be had, and I appreciate your patience and understanding as I now begin this role in earnest and determine the most effective way to hear all that you have to say. But through the conversations I’ve had so far, recurring themes and ideas have emerged. I am encouraged by this, as most of those confirm things that have been on my radar, which has led me to craft some proposals in response. I’m sharing a few of those with you now. Widening Our Worship
Our Sunday morning worship service is at the heart of our Beloved Community. At its best, worship is where we can find nourishment and renewal, sanctuary and belonging, inspiration and a glimpse of peace, hope, joy, and love. We become deeply emotionally attached to rituals and music, look forward to seeing familiar faces, and soak in a warm embrace. The worship service is also our most “public face,” and so it is essential that our commitments to inclusion and welcome shine through in our worship leadership.
Working with the Deacons and Jeff Olmsted, I’ll be calling together a rotating group of folks who have passion and creative ideas for worship. We’ll also be inviting guest preachers to share a message with us, and offering opportunities for members and friends of our church to take on some worship leadership. More details about this will be coming soon.
Pastor Parish Relations Committee
In order for me to be the best pastor I can be in our ministry together, there needs to be a formal way for me to receive feedback and support. To this end, we will be forming a Pastor Parish Relations Committee (PPRC) in early 2017, which will be authorized by the Council. The PPRC is a unique group of four to five members who feel comfortable with candidness, conflict, and confidentiality while providing support to the pastor. But having a PPRC does not mean that is the only way to come to me with concerns! In fact, I greatly appreciate when folks can come to me directly. It does mean that there is a place where folks can turn if they do not feel they can come to me directly, and there’s a sounding board for me to address those concerns. You will hear more about this in February.
Please Also Note…
In addition to opportunities for worship leadership, we will be re-forming a member-to-member spiritual care team akin to the Shepherds and Angel hearts. We will also be looking for folks to help with various administrative roles. We will keep you well informed as these things develop. Where do you see yourself in the future of our church?
My friends, I am excited. I am inspired. I am hopeful. I am nervous. I am confident. I am ready. I am here – – and so are you. Together, let’s do this!
Peace & Blessings, Pastor Chris