Small Group Ministry Training

Here's a link to a training opportunity for individuals interested in becoming Covenant Group facilitators: Gathering the Power of Small Group Ministry. The sessions are scheduled for March 8th at the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church (A2U2) and March 15th at the First Universalist Church in Pittsfield. I'm not really sure whether these are simply two opportunities to do the same workshops, or two different sets of workshops -- but I think it would be a good idea if First Parish could send a team of people. Any volunteers?

JANUARY MINISTER'S REPORT

This report follows the same format as December’s with updates as appropriate in each of the underlined areas. In more general terms, the Pageant and Christmas Eve services went forward despite the severe weather, Sunday attendance continues to be good, we have selected a new DRE candidate and offered her the position, and our Silent Auction for handicapped accessibility was a great success.

Stewardship Campaign

The follow-up to the Annual Budget Drive continues, following the predictable holiday hiatus. Look for a more complete report from the folks who are actually more familiar with the numbers.

Special Fundraising Events

The silent auction for handicapped accessibility exceeded its stated goal of $5000 by over 50%. Actual construction (I believe) is scheduled to being in February, utilizing both volunteer labor (supervised by B&G chair Vinnie Veligor) and materials donated at cost. We still need to be thinking about scheduling additional fun(d)raising events for later this spring, and we still need to begin developing a more formal Planned Giving program

“Next Step” – (415 Congress Street)

The clock keeps ticking as the deadline for us to execute our option approaches; and right now everyone seems to be playing their cards pretty close to the chest. Paula, Steve and Ted have all done magnificent work to try to bring this all together, but at the end of the day either the numbers will add up or they won’t.

Develop Improved Policies and Standard Operation Procedures

The process of simplifying our Standard Operating Procedures and developing consistent Building Use Policies is constant and on-going. Barbara is basically driving this process, with help from anyone she can enlist.

Articulating a Clear Vision and Long Range Plan

The challenge/goal of “Becoming the Church People Think We Are” continues to call us to keep our eyes on the Big Picture and set high goals for ourselves. The Committee on Ministry has accepted the task of coordinating much of this conversation, through their commitment to implementing the UUA’s “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation and review process here at First Parish.

Keep Enhancing the Pathway to Membership

This all still seems to be going very well. The “New UU” Explorer classes begin later this month, with options to participate on either Sundays after church or Wednesday Evenings.

Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish

This has really evolved into an identified need to create a “Pathway to Leadership” to parallel our Pathway to Membership. Working with the Nominating Committee to create a more comprehensive leadership development strategy is probably the top priority at this time.

Children’s RE program

We have offered the position of Director of Religious Education to Rebecca Hinds, and are waiting to receive her signed letter of acceptance. Assuming she does accept, she is slated to begin work on January 15th. There is still a need for on-going training, team-building and program development. Now that we have hired a new DRE, the natural tendency will be to want to pause and catch our breath…but actually now is the time when she will need our help and participation the most.

Worship & Music Program

Charlie Grindle will be working as our regular substitute organist/choir director through the end of the current program year in June. Meanwhile, the Worship Committee needs a new chair to replace Bob Greenlaw, who has resigned from the position because of personal circumstances.

Public Relations/ Identity and “Branding” (walking briskly while chewing gum….)

The one big step forward in this area was the decision to resurrect the “Communications Council,” with Dennis Levasseur taking the point.

Small Group Ministry program

The plan remains to indentify and nurture our existing groups, while offering some sort of SGM facilitator training in the spring, along with the creation of some additional groups at that time.

Chaplains/Pastoral Care Ring

Sally Madore continues to serve as our “senior” chaplain, but more and more her ministry is evolving in a different direction. Bob Greenlaw and Johanna Spencer have both indicated an interest in serving as chaplains, but we are basically no further along in this arena than we were a month ago.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Meditation on a New Year”

The beginning of a new year is a natural time to begin thinking as well about making fresh starts: turning over a new leaf, breaking bad habits, stepping up to the next level. Traditionally, on New Year’s Eve we ring out the old and ring in the new, and set forth with great resolve to change our lives for the better. And yet, we are wise to remember that the Roman deity Janus (for whom January is named) was a two-faced god: retrospective as well as forward-thinking, nostalgic as much as progressive. Similarly, sometimes the way ahead is best discerned by a good, hard look at the past. And sometimes the most effective way of changing for the better is to keep doing more of what we already do well.

The plain truth is that big, dramatic changes rarely take root and thrive right from the start. Major change is generally grounded in an extensive foundation of smaller, incremental changes, interspersed with numerous false starts and failures. Rome wasn’t built in a day, you know. And even though the Emperor Nero was able to burn it to the ground overnight, it wasn’t rebuilt in a day either.

I’m not suggesting that it’s wrong to dream big dreams, or to make big plans, or even to harbor grandiose ambitions. But the great thing about starting small as that at least you’ve started. Envisioning the big picture is an important first step. But generally it’s patience, persistence, and tenacity that gets us through to the final one. And in between, it’s one foot in front of the other, step-by-step until we reach at least reach our goal.

Here’s one small step I hope every member of First Parish will take this year. You’ve heard me speak before about the “Ministry of Hospitality,” and how important it is to welcome newcomers into our faith community just as we would welcome guests into our homes. But why stop there? What about reaching out to our friends in the larger community, and inviting them to experience for themselves what First Parish has to offer? Many UU congregations around the country host an annual “Bring a Friend” Sunday, when current church members are encouraged to – you guessed it – bring their friends. But here at First Parish, I would like to make EVERY Sunday “bring a friend” Sunday. Because this is how communities grow: one friendship at a time.

The beginning of a New Year is a natural time for people who wish to deepen their own spiritual lives to start thinking about attending church again. If you have a friend who you think might appreciate and benefit from what we do here at First Parish day in and day out, there’s no better time than the present to invite them to accompany you to a Sunday Service. And if each of us will resolve to do this at least once this year…well, you can just imagine how many more of us will be members of this congregation next year at this time....

May you all be abundantly blessed in the year to come……………twj