Dear ones,
Back in the fall at the annual leadership retreat, current board members, deacons, and elders discerned our congregation's priorities for the year. These particular three top emphases emerged that they might guide us in our ministry together for a time such as this (emerging from the worst of the pandemic, finding a new normal, responding to a changed world). These priorities have been influencing how we plan fellowship events and work projects, respond to various needs, cooperate and organize with our neighbors, and reach out to friends, visitors, and strangers. We imagined how we can communicate and live out the vision of UCC as:
A Welcoming Presence, offering wide and deep welcome to all of God's beloved. Some of the tangibles that have come from this priority so far include opening our building to various groups, including Bike the U.S. for MS; making the property more welcoming through all-church work days; the new bulletin format that has explanations; fellowship time before and after worship. We also talked about exploring using our building as a warming center and a polling place, planning more events other than Sunday morning worship to connect to those who are spiritual-but-not-religious, and being clearer about our status as an Green Chalice congregation and an Open and Affirming church.
A Vibrant Community, creating an active community that deepens our love for God and others. Since the fall, we have intentionally planned fellowship lunches and monthly "Snack and Serves;" offered quarterly social outings; launched new affinity groups; and participated in more frequent hands-on service opportunities.
A Healthy Organization, using organizational best practices to inform, include, and lead UCC into the future. Thanks to this identified priority, we have made efforts to improve communication about building use and board meetings; to become more comfortable and familiar with the new-as-of-2020 organizational structure; and to create dependable and organized documentation across the ministry groups so that there will be consistency.
You'll soon see these priorities on the bulletin boards in the church so that they will help keep us on the path to which God is calling us. Which reminds me of the quote by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado: Wanderer, your footsteps are the road, and nothing more; wanderer, there is no road, the road is made by walking. Together, we are taking steps toward the kin-dom of God -- through prayer, through action, through community. I'm so glad we're making the road together.
Peace,
Megan