A Warm & Welcoming Place

Passion Group Notes from 01/09/10

2010-02-22T09:10:00.000-05:00

Inner Care
• Get to know members meaning of life. Explore our journeys, learn from others. Pot lucks, small gatherings. Shouldn’t be an inner circle.

• Make groups more inclusive.

• Institute small groups on a limited time frame so they don’t burn out. Not have things opened ended. Fear of signing up for something for life.

• Can’t be exclusionary. Doing things at peoples houses eliminates many (due to size of apartments, etc.). Excludes people without money or big enough homes.

• Importance of knowing others names.

• Importance also of getting to know another: like caring group

• Better venues for getting to know members. Doesn’t like coffee hour.

• Does not like to be made uncomfortable. Has been insulted, discriminated against. Big hole-losing existing members.

• Feels it’s more welcoming now. Felt it used to be very exclusionary. Church has failed her children. Need to keep people, have families feel part of community.

• Use facility more. Can’t us his home for events.

• People feel daunted by parking.

• Focus workshops. Work together. Art classes, etc. Woman’s group.

• Have a Craig’s List type thing. We all could advertise our services-sell-offers of rooms available. Many talents of church we don’t know about.

• Feels that non-members don’t have the right to speak up.

• Comes, gives money, bit is not a member. Doesn’t want to sign a book (ex-catholic) He loved the bean supper with skits –found helpful, wasn’t formal, met people.

• Bean supper a big hit. Open to the public?

• Would like open public dinners.

• Concern about amount of work involved with dinners.

Bridge to Community
• You get close to people that you have done community efforts with. Way to intimacy. Working on goal together.

• Soup Kitchen

• Go to USM for outreach. Sharing the Good News. Doesn’t have to be a deed. Tabling-a presence important.

• Common Ground Fair

• Portland High School-our neighbor. Poster in alley. Tutoring in classroom. Outreach to guidance councilors and social works. After school clubs-invite them.

• Technology. Community TV. Channel 4. Pod casts-live stream. Video/audio.

• Use our own high schools for ideas and engage.

• Sister church. Latin America or in US or South.

• Voter registration drives.

• Use groups that already exist: Safe Passage.

• Partner with another church that is already good at it.

• Bridge to Community –continued

• Ferry Beach Retreat-area UU’s. Opportunity to explore social action.

• Inner City church- for unchurched, not church Sunday morning. Programs. Place to give back.

• Outside garden services in summer.

• Banners. Acknowledge impact-more-alley.

• Solstice etc. outside. Maypole.

• UU Book group. Meet outside church. In community.

• Connection with other UU’s.

• Groups that come here. Make connections. Thursday concerts-important to have someone speak.

• Connect with AA, Thai Chi, Playback.

Worship
• Tension between preservation/visionary plays out here in worship. Elders/big givers object to banners/lights/renovations. Let’s be visionaries but not throw baby out with bath water; drive out traditional big givers.

• My alternative is Quaker Meeting, but prefer something with a sermon BUT sacred, centered, atmosphere with spirituality in services. Non traditional stuff is fine but not chaos.

• Dislikes should be respected, not told to “stuff it”

• It’s important to tolerate elements/styles of music you don’t like and that the program be varied to serve all.

• We are open but we can’t be everything to everyone.

• Authenticity is important in using and honoring other traditions.

• Excellence is important.

• A central, constant experience is important to me.

• I like to leave feeling that I learned something.

• Sacred space, life changing experience is important.

• Toughing people, elevating common themes to significance.

• Excellence is a certain level of competence that doesn’t break the experience.

• Personal participation is make the experience sacred-singing, etc.

• It is possible to combine preservation and vision. Example: Unison affirmation can be a common element while other things change.

• 7 year old says the affirmation.

• Need numbers in the meeting house to have energy.

• We need to understand why people don’t come back; tinkering with worship may not do it.

• Preserve the sacred no matter what we do,

• People are leaving for many reasons, not worship alone.

• Came during summer; hooked by different kind of service. Grew to like regular kind of service.

• Possible to have different styles of services at different times to serve multiple audiences, a.k.a. Soulful Sundown.

• Been here 4 months and haven’t heard anything about Islam.
Building Congregation
• Collaborate with other churches, ie; Williston-West and Polish Church; diversity

• Have other faiths meet at different times. Use the church / rent the space.

• Expand Building Use Coordinators role.

• “Bring a Friend” Have current members invite others to service on Sunday and events and Men group and others.

• Collaboration with A2U2.

• Have a service periodically focused on a symbol of the traditions; including the UU symbol; Buddhist. Etc.

• Put info at USM, SMCC, bookstores, library.

• Services on public access TV

• Pancake breakfast to include music and advertise it.

• Invite the Noonday music attendees to Sunday Worship, AA as well.

• Volunteers to Youth Groups to represent UU, ie; Long Creek

• Worship at nursing homes, college campuses.

• Educate public with ads to free papers. Use quote: “We do not ask all to think alike, we ask all to think.” “We don’t; have to think alike to love alike.” (Goes with our Mission.)

• Like Kitsy: carry around UU newsletters to give out when appropriate. Also where UU jewelry if comfortable.

• More collaboration with historical society and being speakers in schools to talk about UU for history classes, especially elementary and H.S. On college level on comparative religion.

• Building Congregation-continued

• Look at the latest survey for the ministerial search for ideas.

Funding
• Broader opportunities to solicit funds.

• Grants / ?

• Identify what programs we need to fund.

• Identify cast of each segment of the vision statement

• Annuities to church

• Functions that bring in people and ?

• Endow partial activity or ?; ie; RE or music

• Pledge for support church plus separate pledge for “special interests”.

Mission
• Mission should be to meet spiritual and emotional needs of attendees

• Should be attractive to outside.

• If talk is in theory and not concrete-intentional plan

• Is our strength in spiritual realm?

• Multiracial / Intergenerational communion

• Big Buddy.

I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church

2010-01-21T09:34:00.002-05:00

One Woman’s Perspective
By Ashley Lasbury, President

These spoken remarks were made to a group of 55 or so of the most active members of First Parish on the morning of January 9th. Now is the time to widen the focus and share my concerns and vision of our future with the entire congregation. After presentations by Kitsy, Will and myself, the larger group broke into small “passion groups” to generate edgy, creative ideas to rethink “how we do church”. Those ideas will be shared in the near future. Again, my presentation was spoken and I have written it as it was delivered. Peace.

I refuse to lead a dying church! I. Refuse. To. Lead. A. Dying. Church! Anna, our VP, refuses to lead a dying church. Val, Brownie and Stephanie refuse to lead a dying church. The entire Governing Board of First Parish refuses to lead a dying church and it is my hope that by the end of the morning you will refuse to be members of a dying church. I Refuse to Lead a Dying Church is the title of a book by Paul Nixon that most of the leadership has read or is in the process of reading. Long before I heard of the book, those words summed up what was in my heart. You were invited here this morning because in church-speak you are “stakeholders” of First Parish, the backbone and beating heart of our community. And I don’t know about you but I am tired of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Straight Talk

My remarks this morning are a combination of John McCain’s Straight Talk and Obama’s Vision of Hope. First the Straight Talk. As a community, First Parish is healthy. The information from the cottage meetings clearly indicates that we are a healthy congregation and we are optimistic about our future. Just walk into coffee hour any Sunday and you can’t help but feel the vitality and energy swirling in the air! But the institution is not so healthy. I maintain that the institution may not be sustainable in its current form for very much longer. Our numbers are in decline. This is not just our reality but is challenge being faced at the association level as well. Unitarian Universalist churches have been in decline since the early 70’s. This trend is affecting main line Protestant churches across the country. Right here in our city the church building on Chestnut Street has become a restaurant. Another is deciding whether it can afford to keep its doors open for much longer. Since our high water mark in the early 90’s when First Parish was the fastest growing mid-sized congregation in the UUA, our numbers have slowly declined. Membership is down, church attendance is down and pledge income is down.

One of the inconvenient truths I wanted to speak to you about this morning is money. During the last budget year the leadership had to cut $40,000 out of our budget. We have taken a pledge not to dip into the endowment; that is a path to certain ruin. We also vowed to create a realistic budget, not one based on the hope that an “angel” would swoop down and pull our collective nuts out of the fire. So we cut $40,000. $20,000 of it was hard; the other $20,000 was easy as our interim ministers do not require us to pay them benefits. If you have not thanked Will and Kitsy you may want to consider doing so. We are getting top-notch Interim Ministerial guidance for very little money. In a few months when it comes time to create the 2010/2011 church budget the leadership will have to build back in that $20,000 as you can be sure that our new minister is going to want benefits. That is our challenge, but I am not here this morning to talk to you just about money.

Why Now?

I know many of you are wondering why we are talking about these issues now. Why shouldn’t we wait until our new minister joins us? Very simply, I don’t think we have the time to wait. We have only 5 months left in this all important Interim year and we must use the time wisely. We must start to make changes NOW and not wait until some undefined point in the future. There are at least two reasons. The first is that, as Kitsy will tell you, any minister new to a congregation will spend the first year of their ministry just getting to know the congregation and letting the congregation get to know them; establishing a foundation of trust; not making any sudden changes or moves. But if the congregation is already in the process of growth and change; if, as Will says, “The train has already left the station, then the new minister will be able to just hop on board.” We cannot wait yet another year to start to meet our challenges. We must start now. We must get this train moving out of the station NOW.

The second reason is that we must not be a “minister-centric” church. That is not a healthy model. We have been in the past and we have seen the results. Members have become so tied to the minister and not the community that when the minister leaves, they leave as well. We must instead become a “mission-focused” church. To that end, the Governing Board has created a provisional Mission Statement for First Parish that I am pleased to present to you this morning:

At First Parish Unitarian Universalist church we are called to:

Grow in Spirit;
Nurture Community and
Help Heal the World

We aimed for simple, simple enough for our youngest to remember. I like this mission. It is a mission I can sink my teeth into and it gives us a place to start. Not perfect but pithy and deep. As a mission focused church, we are not waiting for one person to rescue us, to save us or to fix our problems. We can and will do that for ourselves. As Will likes to remind me, “A good minister gets out of a congregations way.”

Rev. Peter Morales, the new President of the UUA, wrote about this very issue in his first editorial for the UUA World magazine in September. If you have not read it, please do so. You can find it easily on-line. He wrote that in order for the denomination to survive we must fundamentally “rethink how we do church.” That was his challenge to us. To fundamentally rethink we do church. It is our great challenge.

A Walk in the Forest

If you will indulge me, I would like to place us all metaphorically in the forest. We are on a path in the woods. The path is wide, well marked and well traveled. We can clearly see where we are, where we have come from and where we are headed. The path is easy to walk. It is safe, well lit and above all else, it is comfortable. We know this path. But if we continue to walk this path we are going to have to make some hard financial choices in the near future. 90% of our budget is comprised of staff salaries and when we have to make cuts in the budget in the future those cuts will be made from staff. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing. If we choose to cut the position of Office Facilitator then we would have an office run by volunteers. Many churches do it and do it well. We may choose to cut the position of Music Director and have a choir led music program. Certainly our choir is up to the challenge based on the wonderful music we were blessed with during Summer Services. Again, not a bad choice. Or we may choose to go without a DRE and have a completely parent run RE program. Many churches do it and do it well. One final possible choice is that we decide we cannot afford to pay for a minister. We would have either part-time ministerial coverage or become a completely lay led congregation. Not a bad choice. Many churches in the UUA are lay led and the congregations are vibrant and healthy. Allison comes from a lay led congregation and she can speak to the advantages of this choice. I am not trying to scare any of you but I do want to make it very clear that if we continue to walk the safe, comfortable path we are on then we are going to need to make some hard choices in the future. I want us to make those choices with our eyes open.

A Vision of Hope

But there is another path. It would require us to make a turn off of the beaten track onto a path that is less well marked. A road less traveled, if you will. This path is harder to walk. It is at times dark and scary. It is filled with obstacles that we may be required to go over or around. We may become lost at times but I have faith that we will find our way back onto the trail. This path is going to make many of us uncomfortable. It is the path of Intentional Dynamic Growth. No, not just growth for the sake of growth; because this path has a bright, shining light at its end that is guiding us, leading us on. This bright, shining light is a Vision for First Parish of Abundance. A vision of abundance! You can plug in any word or words that work for you but I like: Abundant love. Abundant membership. Abundant fun. Abundant fellowship. Abundant money. Abundant folks in the pews on Sunday morning. Abundant hands to service. A future of Abundance. And if we choose to walk this less traveled road and if we become frightened and uncomfortable we can turn to each other for comfort. Because we would not be alone. I believe that we can reach that future of abundance for First Parish if we bring our collective passion, creativity and above all, courage to this challenge. Together, with the congregation will powering the train, we can travel very far indeed.

Thank you.

Teenage Angst

2010-01-21T09:33:00.000-05:00

One Woman’s Perspective
By Ashley Lasbury, President

One of the challenges of raising teenagers is what I am calling “Parental Idiot Syndrome”. One moment you are the font of all wisdom and the next you know nothing. One moment you are asked to explain why the sky is blue and where the birds go in the winter and the next you are deemed clueless. It is shocking and funny at the same time. Going hand and hand with P.I.S. is an inability to suggest anything to a teenager without getting an eye roll and attitude. Add to that the fact that they are ego driven; that they tend to believe that the world revolves around them. Is it any wonder parents are eager to kick the chicks out of the nest? I know that it will change as they grow into mature adults but that doesn’t make it any easier right now.

First Parish is not a teenage child. First Parish is a faith community filled with like minded people who are wondrously diverse and strong willed. Yet there is a bit of the teenager in us all. If we haven’t thought of it ourselves then we might balk at sage advice. Especially if we do not perceive that we have a problem. Well, I do see that we have a problem. We are members of a congregation who’s numbers are in decline. This is a reality that is being faced by the entire denomination not just here at First Parish. There is only one path to an abundant future for our community: we must grow our church.

One of the easiest ways to grow a church is visitor retention. Makes sense, doesn’t it? If more of the people who choose to visit us each Sunday return the next Sunday then that increases the likelihood that they will keep on coming. If we help them connect and put down roots, if we help them to find their ministries then they will keep on coming. And the easiest path to visitor retention is if all of the active members of First Parish change the primary reason they go to church from worship or fellowship to welcoming and connecting with visitors. Now, don’t get all bent out of shape. I am not suggesting that we paint the Meeting House doors pink. What I am suggesting is that you own our challenge of growth. You know you will be fed during worship. You know that you will experience fellowship and community on Sunday morning. I am not asking you to give those up. I am asking you to change your thinking a bit. If each of us made welcoming and connecting with visitors our primary reason for attending public worship each Sunday we would be well on our way to accomplishing our goal. But if you are thinking in teenage mode you may be thinking to yourself, “Isn’t that someone else’s job?” or “Don’t we have a committee that does that?” or “Someone else can do that. Talking to strangers makes me uncomfortable.” or “I like us just the way we are.” And I, as your loving leader ask you gently and with kindness, to put the teenager aside; to open your minds and spirits; to embrace what is good for the congregation at the possible expense of what your personal desires may be. Acting with one mind and one heart we can grow our congregation together. Peace

To learn more about Intentional Dynamic Growth and where the denomination is now I recommend you watch this 15 minutes 2 part YouTube video: www.youtube.com/user/newUUorg

Sausage and Tortellini Group Soup

2009-11-07T17:10:00.003-05:00

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage (out of the casings)
1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic gloves, minced or pressed
1 can diced tomatoes with juices
1/2 diced red pepper
1 stick celery, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
5-7 cups beef broth (I use Swanson's 50% less sodium beef broth)
1 TBS dried basil
1 TBS dried oregano
8-10 ounces fresh cheese tortellini
1 bag baby spinach

Saute sausage in large soup pot over medium high heat until cooked through, crumbling with the back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to a bowl reserving drippings. Add enough olive oil, if needed, to make 1 TBS in bottom of pot. Saute onions and garlic until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, sausage, tomatoes, beef stock and herbs to pot and simmer for 40 minutes or until veggies are soft. Salt to taste.

10 minutes before serving add tortellini to simmering soup. 2 minutes before serving stir in the spinach. Serve with Parmesan cheese (optional). If soup becomes too thick add more broth or water.

6 servings

Enjoy.

Living a Story Worth Telling

2009-11-01T12:40:00.000-05:00

Both the Mexican tradition of El Dia de los Muertos and the Celtic tradition of Samhain can be traced back thousands of years. Both ancient cultures believed that at this time of year, when the harvest had been gathered and the dark is replacing the light, that the veil between the living and the dead becomes thin. As we have heard, Mexican families gather at their loved ones gravesides, spread blankets out on the ground, eat a meal together and tell stories. It is through those stories that beloved mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters and children are made real again. Those stories are living memory.

I love stories. I love telling them and love sitting and listening to a story well told. My grandmother, Cece, was a story teller. Her full name was Cecelia Chase Lasbury but I called her Gran. Gran filled my childhood with stories of her youth and of my ancestors. She was a powerful woman, my grandmother. Tall, elegant and strong willed. She taught me many important life lessons: not to chew gum in public (I looked like a cow chewing my cud), which fork to use when there was more then one in front of me and that a well bred lady never needed to resort to profanity in order to express herself. And she taught me not to make important life choices based on fear. One of my favorite stories of my grandmother happened when I was a teenager and we were traveling together in England. We were waking down a street in a small English village when she spied a garden she admired over a fence. Before I knew what was happening she had walked through the fence gate and asked me to take a picture of a bush she liked so that she could show it to her gardener in Camden. I was mortified. I was also sure that we were going to be arrested at any moment. Instead, due to her charm, we were invited in for tea. By sharing this story with you this morning, by speaking her name out loud, I have brought my grandmother into the room with us. The veil between the living and the dead can be made thin at any time of the year when we tell their stories. Gran’s spirit lives on within my family whenever I tell her stories.

But what happens when we do not tell the stories? When evoking a name or a memory causes such pain that we hesitate to speak? My sister died when I was nine and she was 5. As you can well imagine, my parents were devastated. As a child, I soon came to understand that it was not O.K. to talk about Katie. To this day, my mother prefers not to talk about my sister. This silence has meant that her stories have passed from living memory. When we shy away from speaking of a dead loved one because it is uncomfortable or we are told not to tell the stories, something essential is lost.

What does this mean to all of us this morning? I think a good sermon or homily should give us something to chew on. It challenges us to live better lives. Here is my question: What stories do you want to be told about you after you are dead and gone? What stories will my darling children and their children tell about me when I am gone? Will you tell the story about the time that I forgot your sister’s birthday? Or when I set the oven on fire cooking Joshua’s birthday brisket? Or when the police came to the house when we were having the minister over to dinner because two of my children, who shall remain nameless, were hanging out of the upstairs bedroom window yelling to passerby’s that they had been kidnapped and were being tortured? Yes, those stories will be told but the part that I want to be remembered are the choices that I made. That I chose to laugh and not to yell. That I lived with humor and joy and love. That is the essence of my spirit that I want those stories to contain. So my question for you is this: Are you living a story worth telling? And how do you want that story to be told?

November Stone Soup

2009-10-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I had the most extraordinary experience. I sat in the familiar pews of First Parish surrounded by over 600 people from all over the State of Maine who had come to an interfaith rally and service against discrimination. The Meeting House was packed with folk who were old and young, gay and straight, rich and poor and all of the colors of the rainbow. Yet in spite of the diversity we were united in purpose; that Maine be the first state to uphold the right of all people to marry. Catholics and Lutherans, UUs and Jews, Episcopalians and Congregationalists affirmed with one strong voice that Love was the only path. Love is the way we heal our world. Love is always worth striving for in the end.

The rally and the upcoming vote are personal for me. My eldest daughter fell in love 2 years ago with a lovely person. He is intersexual. He loves my daughter and treats her with dignity and respect. To be honest, I would not have picked this path for my beloved child as it will be a hard path to walk in the years to come. But we do not get to pick who our children will love. All we can hope for is that the relationship is healthy and nurturing to all concerned. And even though their path will be hard, it will be less so if Prop 1 is voted down. And when they marry, as they plan to do at some point in the future, they will be able to do so with all of the legal safeguards our government has to offer.

And I will dance with joy at their wedding.

Peace

Stuck in my Shoes

2009-10-11T16:50:00.010-04:00

It's happened before and it will happen again. The lure of an open microphone and a captive audience will prove to be too much of a temptation to a person with an agenda. This morning was one of those occasions. I noticed her as I was standing by the side of the lectern listening to the first announcement. I know all of the members of the congregation by face, if not by name. The well dressed woman who marched up and stood at the back of the announcement line was a stranger to me. As discretely as possible I walked down to stand by her side. I asked her in a whisper if her announcement pertained to the life of the congregation. She answered in the affirmative but would not meet my eyes. Her manner was tense and purposeful. If I had gone even one step further and asked her what the announcement was, the situation might have been averted.

She walked up to the lectern and started speaking. At once I knew that I had made a mistake. The woman was clearly angry at everyone; a member of the congregation whom she named but whom I did not recognize, her custody situation, life in general. As she continued to rant she frequently looked over in my direction as if she were waiting for me to stop her. Kitsy stood up shortly after she had started to speak but was as hesitant as I was to interrupt. So the rant continued. I was in turn horrified and transfixed. Stuck in my shoes. Finally, a member of the congregation came down from the choir loft and whispered in my ear that it was time to act. She and I approached the lectern together and we gently each took an arm and assisted her from the chancel area. As she walked down the center aisle and out the doors she continued to speak her truth in a loud and clear voice.

It was then that I heard it. Voices from the congregation. I did not hear any of the exact words that were spoken to her as she walked from the church but I do remembered the tone and it was harsh. I was shocked.

As this day has worn on I keep coming back to the incident. I am troubled and confused. When we open our doors each Sunday morning we claim to welcome any and all who choose to join us. Does that include the mentally ill? Does it include the stranger who has an axe to grind? The woman was not a danger to the congregation but where is the line? Do we have an obligation to let anyone say anything they wish, whether it be during announcements or Joys and Sorrows? She could have easily taken the microphone during Joys and Sorrows. Who decides that the content is not appropriate? The minister? The worship leader? The Head Usher? And then what? Where is that line between compassion for the speaker and the sanctity of the worship service? If I had been less kind, less trusting, less hopeful that she would finish at any moment, would the outcome have been different? If the choir member had not come down and taken the initiative would she have spoken for another 10 minutes?

The most troubling question of all for me: why were angry voices raised in response as she left the Meeting House? Yes, she should not have acted as she did but what of compassion? I have felt the same level of anger, the despair and the deep, deep frustration at a world that did not feel fair or just. I have walked in her shoes. As a faith community what do we owe the wounded, troubled souls in our midst? Why did I not follow her out of the meeting house and ask if she needed help? I have none of the answers only many, many questions.

Peace.

Miracles

2009-10-01T16:43:00.000-04:00

In coffee hour after the Water Communion service a long time member approached me and complimented me on how I had addressed the congregation at the beginning of the service. Naturally, I was flattered and I thanked her for her kind words. She asked if I had any formal training in public speaking. I explained that all of my training had been of the "on the job" variety right here at First Parish.

As I reflect back now I can't help but marvel at the personal growth I have experienced as a member of our faith community. When I joined the congregation 17 years ago I thought of myself as a true introvert. Happier alone with a book or in a small group setting, the idea of standing up and speaking to a group of strangers made my blood run cold. Coffee hour was no picnic, either. For many years I used my small children as an excuse to leave as quickly as possible after service. Coffee hour felt too much like a dreaded cocktail party for my taste. And for many of those years I avoided stepping up and offering service to my community. Having not been raised within a faith community, I thought that all that was required of me was to attend worship as often as possible and then to go home. Again, using my large family as an excuse, I said "No" whenever I was asked to serve First Parish, even if that service was of a small and limited nature.

What I did not know then but know all too well now is that by saying "Yes" I opened the door to the possibility of miracles. If one definition of a miracle is an "awakening," then service to my community has awakened aspects of my personality and spirit which might have remained shuttered and dark if I had said "No". It happened with small, cautious steps. Saying "Yes" to service on the Children's Religious Exploration committee helped me make my first real friends at First Parish but more importantly taught me how to play well with others. Saying "Yes" to ushering taught me that I could be in front of a large group of strangers without fear or nervousness. Saying "Yes" to serving on the Governing Board taught me to speak my truth with courage and to listen to others with respect. And saying "Yes" all those years ago to reading "'Twas the Night before Christmas" from the high pulpit taught me that not only could I speak in front of strangers without dying of fright but that I enjoyed doing so.

When we say "Yes" to a call for service to our community, that service is never one-sided. The community is enriched and nourished by the gift of our talent and time. But the individual is also enriched and nourished, often in surprising and miraculous ways. We are afforded the opportunity for truly transformational personal growth: of our minds and our spirits. Serving our community helps turn strangers into friends and a church into a loving community that offers us shelter and warmth in these trying times. As I enter into this first year of my presidency, I remind myself often that I said "Yes" not only for the personal joy of serving my beloved First Parish community but for the possibility of miracles.

Peace

Hello and Good-Bye

2009-08-31T16:31:00.002-04:00

Was I the only one who felt a sense of shock, who was caught flat footed, when I read about Tim’s passing? Tim, with his eternal optimism and strength of spirit, had me convinced that he was going to be with us for many more years. Stage 4 lung cancer was not going to slow him down. I took great comfort when I thought of him in California with his family, waiting for the birth of his first grandchild, finally having a chance to read as often as he wanted and writing in his blog about his daily adventures and challenges. In the grand scheme of things, he was only with us for a very short time but his effect on our congregation, and on many of us as individuals, has been profound. His challenges and struggles become ours and as we traveled the road together we learned how to live with courage, grace and boundless love. His strength gave us strength. Before Tim joined us we talked about wanting to be a Warm and Welcoming Place but under Tim’s leadership we learned how to walk the walk. Thank you Tim for all you have taught us. You will be missed.

As we say good-bye to our friend and minister I am mindful that he would be telling us to prepare to say Hello to those who will be walking though our Meeting House doors soon. He wrote these words in his last post, “300 Households”, on our leadership blog on June 2^nd:

….we don’t want to grow to 300 households simply for the sake of being 300 households. Rather, we have a duty and an obligation to grow this congregation to whatever size the greater Portland community requires us to be, and 300 households is merely the next easily-defined “plateau” at which we might rest. And I’m VERY confident that there are AT LEAST an additional 200+ households “out there” who would very much appreciate having First Parish in their lives, if only someone would be willing to take them by the hand and show them around. They may not even realize that this is what they are looking for; instead, they may simply be feeling a little discouraged by what they witness going on all around them; they may be feeling discouraged, unfulfilled, angry and frustrated by their inability to make a real difference. We can help them change all that...or at least help them in making a start. Besides, we need all the partners we can find in our own efforts to make this world a better place.

(To read the full post go to firstparishportland.blogspot.com/.) Tim suggested later on in the post that we get aggressive. No, we are not going to be dragging people in off the street! But we are going to practice intentional, dynamic growth. Starting in early September we will run a 3 week advertising campaign on WCLZ (98.9 FM) and a 3 month campaign on WMPG (90.9 FM). We will be broadcasting to our city who and what we are. And I have faith that they will come flocking to our church. Our great challenge is to then receive them with open arms and hearts. If you were at the Annual Meeting in May you will remember that I appointed all present as members of my Transition Team. Now I am appointing every member of the congregation to the Welcoming Team. If we do not all make the effort to welcome the stranger in our midst then it is far less likely that they will put down roots in our community. And that’s the whole point, is it not? If we just bring the newcomer through our doors but do not help them to become a vital, involved member of our community, then we have failed. (If you are interested in more information from the UUA about intentional, dynamic growth check out these two videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/newUUorg ) I am not asking you to teach the New UU class or host a pot luck supper (though let me know if you want to!); all I am asking is for each of us to smile at a stranger. Possibly extend a hand of welcome. Or ask if they enjoyed the service. This is the way the stranger becomes familiar and the familiar becomes friend. If we are all willing to take these simple steps then our dream will come true; the dream of reaching our full potential as Portland’s oldest faith community with a large and vital congregation to fill our beautiful Meeting House.

On a personal note, some of the shock and awe of becoming President has worn off in during the lazy, damp days of summer. One of the reasons I will miss Tim is that I knew if I stumbled that he would have picked me up, dusted me off and then found a way to make me laugh about the situation. My personal goal over the next two years as President is to remember to laugh and to never, ever take myself too seriously.

Off to make dinner for my children. Peace. Ashley

The Big Basketball Court in the Sky

2009-08-17T10:04:00.000-04:00

We had gone to my Mother's house in Belfast for dinner. After two days of camping I was looking forward to her good cooking, a glass of wine and some fine conversation. Being at my Mom's also afforded me the opportunity to check my e-mail. The subject line that jumped out at me right away was about Tim. As I read about his passing I was overwhelmed with a sense of shock and disbelief. After all, I had just read a blog post from him late last week and he had sounded his usual peppy self. How could he be gone? Yes, he was sick. I understood that. But I also had believed Tim when he told me that we was going to be around for several more years. He had so many things he wanted to accomplish. So much he wanted to read and to write about. I was stunned.

God Bless my Mom. I asked her permission to leave before dinner. (My children were spending the night.) I knew I just needed to be alone. As I drove back down Rt. 1, the tears rolled down my checks. Not heaving sobs, just tears of profound sadness. When I arrived back at my father's farmhouse in Camden I put my Irish terrier on his long lead and headed out to the back fields. The sky was streaked with the early pinks of a summer sunset. Those back fields on the top of Melvin Heights are one of the places I go to find God. With my Dog. So I walked and cried and talked to Tim. Out loud. That is my way when I am upset and am trying to find peace.

The conversation went something like this:

A: I am mad at you! Why now? Why so soon?

T: Ashley, trust me, it was not part of my plan either. But Ashley....listen to me....I am not in pain any longer. I had lived with the pain for so long that I had forgotten what it is like to be free of it. It is wonderful!

A: O.K....I get it. I'm not mad anymore. But Tim, do you forgive me?

T: For what? There is nothing that I need to forgive you for.

A: Oh, but I think that there is. Tim, I know that you did not want to retire this past spring. That being our minister, that serving our congregation, brought you immense joy. And that if I and others had not pushed you gently to retire that we would have saved you much heartache.

T: Ashley, there is nothing to forgive. That's just a remnant of your old Catholic guilt talking. Yes, at the time I wanted desperately to stay with you all in Portland. Being your minister and serving First Parish was what I had worked for all of my days. I was living my dreams and it doesn't get any better then that. But I can now see that if you all had not helped me to let go and to move on that I would not have had the very special and important time with my family and friends that these last few months afforded us. As you know from being a faithful reader of my blog, I was able to spend quality time with all of those who were so dear to me. And now we both know how important that time was. It was my chance to say good-bye.

Ashley, your challenge is to stop remembering those times I cried in our last months together (damn those drugs!!!) but of all of the times I laughed. And all of the times I made you laugh. Remember those times when you think of me. Can you do that?

A: I can try, Tim, I can try. You certainly knew how to make me laugh. Although, can I tell you a secret? You were so much smarter then me that some of the time I didn't get the joke but laughed anyway. Is that wrong?

T: No. No. No. Not wrong, just kind.

A: So, Tim, what the heck do I do now?

T: You know what to do, Ashley. First you help the congregation mourn and heal. Honestly, I hope that you will gather everyone together and just tell "Tim" stories. And laugh together and comfort one another. Maybe order some wings in my honor.

Then you do what we talked about. You lead with humor. You help grow new leaders. You help folks find their ministry. You continue to be the warm and welcoming place that we dreamed First Parish can be. Keep it simple. Delegate. Find cause to celebrate. You already know this stuff. When in doubt, just go back and read this blog. It is all there for you and whoever else is looking for wisdom and guidance. Hey... now that I'm dead can I claim that I was wise?

A: Oh, Tim....yes, you can claim wisdom. You were also courageous, generous, patient, funny and compassionate. I'll miss you. We all will miss you.

T: Don't miss me too much. I will be with you in spirit. Hey, I got to go. There's a pick-up game about to start and I want to be on the same team as Emerson and Thoreau. Man, is it great to be able to go up for a jump shot again! Peace, Ashley.

Peace, Tim.

300 Households

2009-06-02T11:00:00.001-04:00

At the congregational meeting last Sunday, Search Committee member Jeff Logan announced that one of the things we are looking at as a congregation is starting a blog. And I wish I’d had the presence of mind at the time to mention that this congregation already HAS a blog, and you’re reading it right now! So far I’m the only one who has posted here, but there are others (at the moment Will Saunders, Steve Jenks, and Ashley Lansbury) who all can any time they like, and I hope you will choose to add others as well. It’s a good way to communicate about the things that are important to us all, as well as an archive of good ideas and our on-going plans.

Last Sunday Ashley also mentioned her personal goal of growing First Parish from the 100+ household congregation we are now to something in the 300-350+ range -- a so-called “Program-sized” church. It’s a tough transition, because there are a lot of advantages to remaining a church of 100: the relationships tend to be more personal and easily-formed, for example, and it is even possible to know everyone in the church. This can be true of a larger church as well, but first one needs to recognize that larger congregations are highly-structured institutions -- organizations rather than “organisms.” They might best be thought of as a collection of overlapping communities, rather than a single large community in its own right. And simply recognizing that in itself requires a big change of attitude

But more importantly, we don’t want to grow to 300 households simply for the sake of being 300 households. Rather, we have a duty and an obligation to grow this congregation to whatever size the greater Portland community requires us to be, and 300 households is merely the next easily-defined “plateau” at which we might rest. And I’m VERY confident that there are AT LEAST an additional 200+ households “out there” who would very much appreciate having First Parish in their lives, if only someone would be willing to take them by the hand and show them around. They may not even realize that this is what they are looking for; instead, they may simply be feeling a little discouraged by what they witness going on all around them; they may be feeling discouraged, unfulfilled, angry and frustrated by their inability to make a real difference. We can help them change all that...or at least help them in making a start. Besides, we need all the partners we can find in our own efforts to make this world a better place.

Of course, we can always just sit here in the heart of the city, through open our windows and our doors, and receive whomsoever is sent. It’s a good ministry of “radical hospitality,” and an important one as well. But the big advantage of going out and GETTING these new members (as Ashley suggested Sunday) is that we get to cherry-pick a little: we get to invite our friends, or people we have met at other progressive venues who you just might enjoy getting to know a little better after worshiping together. Get aggressive: they may very well already know that you attend this church, and are wondering why you haven’t invited them already. Pick something special: special music, or a special ritual (like the Flower Communion), or perhaps a high-profile guest speaker. Every Sunday can be “bring a friend” Sunday, if only you decide to treat it that way.

Finally, and this is VERY important, we are NOT inviting people to join this congregation so that they can help us to pay our bills. So just put that idea right out of your head right now. Of course as our programs and expenses go, we will encourage our newer members to contribute their fair share -- principally by practicing financial transparency (which includes simplicity as well as accuracy) and setting a good example ourselves. But if anything, this outreach initiative is going to COST us money -- and we all need to know that and accept that going into it. But just as our spiritual ancestors here at First Parish invested in us, we have a duty to invest our resources in those who will follow us here. It’s both a duty and a privilege, for to those to whom much has been given, much will be expected as well.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Execution”

2009-06-01T21:32:00.000-04:00

In sport we see it so often it’s become a cliche. When it comes right down to the final seconds, when it’s crunch time and the game is on the line, the ONLY thing that really matters is whether or not your team can EXECUTE. Sure, it’s nice to have the right people in the line-up, and the perfect game plan all prepared. But unless those people can get it done -- perform in real time what you’ve drawn up on paper -- you might as well all just go home.

And it doesn’t just happen in sports. It’s a problem in business and in every other human organization I can think of, including churches. In fact, especially churches -- where so much to the important work is done by volunteers, with limited time, minimal training, an abundance of good ideas and a very complicated playing field.

But here are some ideas for better execution, both at church and in the wider world:

• Keep it Simple. Circumstances will complicate matters plenty on their own. So plan and stick to something that you know you can make work, and that will have the most meaningful impact. As my Dad (a process improvement consultant, among many other things) often says, it’s more important to do the right things than to try to do everything right. So concentrate on figuring out what those things are, and keep it all as simple as possible.

• Plan to Practice. Practice to Improve. I don’t think anyone ever does things perfectly the first time around, and for most of us perfection is just an abstract goal anyway. But recognize that there is a learning curve to any activity, and plan to take advantage of that by integrating what you learn into your plan.

• Know your Role and your Goals. Sometimes it really helps to figure out what to do if you know the outcome you are hoping to achieve. And likewise, if each “player” on the team knows and understands what his or her role is, it becomes a lot easier for everyone to work together in harmony.

To turn this around for just a moment, one of the essential tasks of Leadership is to be able to communicate that vision, and to explain and teach to every member of their team exactly what is expected of them, and how to accomplish it.

Rarely do organizations fail for lack of good ideas. Most folks I know have more good ideas in the course of a week than they could every hope to accomplish in a lifetime. The key is to focus on the RIGHT ideas, to keep the process as simple as possible, and to continue to practice and improve until you can execute like clockwork in crunch time EVERY time. That’s what seperates the winners from the losers, and the champions from the also-rans. And it really is in your hands now. So hands in, on three: TEAM!...............twj

A "theory" of Worship?

2009-05-14T21:40:00.000-04:00

The Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom, until a few years ago our neighbor at the First Universalist Church in Yarmouth ME, and more recently now the Worship and Music Resources Director for the Unitarian Universalist Association was back here in Maine this past Wednesday to share some of his ideas about worship with the Maine chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, which just so happened to be meeting here at First Parish. Among the resources Erik shared was his list of the Top Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Worship, three of which resonated very powerfully in my own experience. Tend Your Own Spiritual Garden, Make Sure There's Something To Learn By Heart, and Strive For Excellence. The other seven are good as well, but these three are really special.

Erik also inspired me to look again at Wayne Arnason and Kathleen Rolenz's recent book Worship That Works: Theory and Practice for Unitarian Universalists. In particular, Wayne and Kathleen write about the "four dynamic forces that influence how a congregations worships," and which are "often beyond the control of the worship leader to directly influence in a short period of time." To frame this in a more positive tone, in order to lead meaningful worship for the congregations we serve, those services need to be authentic to the Founding Culture of the congregation, respect and embrace the existing Worship Traditions, acknowledge the normative Musical Baseline, and be appropriate to the Physical Space in which the worship takes place.

Over time, with trust, and in partnership with the people, a good worship leader can expand and maybe even change these dynamics, but they will probably never be able simply to ignore them or replace them with something entirely new. Rather, "the dimensions of worship -- the ability of the service to engage mind, heart, body, and spirit, to touch all the senses, to appeal to diverse generations and cultures -- arise from something beyond the will and creativity of the worship leader." It's not about us, boys and girls, not by a long shot. It's about our ability and our willingness to invoke the Spirit, and allow that Spirit to flow within us and through us and out again amongst the people in ways that feel at once both familiar and transformative [Nov 28, 2007].

Of course there is also always the popular old-school alternative view: "If you want to fill the church, fill the pulpit." Even in a denomination blessed with as many good preachers as we have, the truly great ones are few and far between. It's hard to argue with the success they enjoy though...both in theory AND in practice.... But fnding a good preacher and offering them Freedom of the Pulpit needs to be reciprocated by finding a preacher who will also respect and understand the "four dynamic influences" within the congregation they are serving, and adapt their style to fit the context.

Finally, how does one become a great preacher? Good question -- lots of practice to start with, I would guess. But the right kind of practice too -- not the kind that simply ingrains bad habits, but rather a discipline that grows new strengths. And there are classes one can take, and certainly plenty to read...both about preaching and worship, and about life and the human condition in general. (I think that's number four on Erik's list: "Read Poetry and Novels"). But tending your own spiritual garden, learning some of what your read by heart (the poetry in particular), and striving for excellence are three very good disciplines as well. Good Luck! And may your worship always be profoundly inspirational, and deeply devotional, and filled with the good feeling of community -- the love of God and the love of neighbor, and the love of strangers as if they are our neighbors, fellow children of God, and thus all brothers and sisters to one another....

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Mother, May I?"

2009-05-01T07:47:00.000-04:00

***

Now that the month of May is fast upon us, I am down to my final two appearances in the pulpit here at First Parish. On May 10th, Mother’s Day, I will be preaching on the topic “Wir Alles sind Gotts Kinder” (“We are all God’s children” -- I’ll explain why the German in the Sermon), and then on Memorial Day weekend (Sunday May 24th) will be my last appearance ever as your settled parish minister, title and topic still to be determined.

These last two sermons will also represent the 653rd and 654th sermons of my career, as well as the 43rd and 44th sermons I have delivered to this congregation, beginning with the very first sermon I preached here as a candidate on Mother’s Day two years ago -- the same day I discovered that my own mother had been hospitalized with a recurrence of her cancer, a cancer that would eventually take her life in a matter of only a few weeks.

The title of that first candidating sermon: “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City,” has continued to provide the theme for everything else we’ve attempted to do together here these past two years, through both my cancer and an economic meltdown that has touched the lives of just about everyone I know, both neighbor and stranger alike. Likewise, the distance we have traveled together in that time: spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally...seems immense.

And yet, in the greater scheme of things it is really only the blink of an eye: about 4% of my current life span (although perhaps 50% of my current life expectancy), less than six-tenths of one per cent of the history of First Parish itself. And I have no way whatsoever of measuring the effect that my ministry may have had on any of your lives personally, but I hope that it has been a meaningful and positive one.

As I have said on several other occasions, the privilege of being someone’s minister is NOT something clergy receive on account of our education or our credentials, or ultimately even as a result of our elective “call” and the subsequent covenantal relationship we enter into structured by the rules and traditions of our ecclesiastical polity. Rather, it is a relationship we earn one individual at a time, each time someone new decides we are worthy of being THEIR minister, and entrusts us with that sacred responsibility.

So thank you so much, all of you who have found me trustworthy in this way these past two years. As I prepare to return home now to the West Coast, to be closer to my family and to give 100% of my attention to fighing this disease, knowing that I carry with me the prayers and good wishes of so many of you makes a huge difference. Thank you so much for the privilege of having been your minister. And thank you again for the many ways that you have ministered to me as well.............twj

Church Shopping

2009-04-28T20:33:00.000-04:00

OK, this is all now Old News. But it's also still good news for churches like ours, if we are in a position to take advantage of it. What are the three most important qualities newcomers are looking for when seeking a new church? Believe it or not, it has almost NOTHING to do with theological orientation, political correctness, or denominational affiliation. Rather, the three most important factors seem to be

1) Location: how close is it to my home? how long will it take for me to get there? how easy will it be for me to find a place to park, etc. etc.

2) Leadership: in particular, how much do I like the minister, and do they really seem to practice what they preach? Is the minister open-minded or judgmental? Genuinely interested in me, or only interested in what I can contribute to the church?"

3) Overall Fit and Friendliness: do I really feel at home here, or is something just not right? How welcome do I feel, are people glad to see me, how easy has it been to form "honest to God" friendships?

It almost goes without saying that people who have been members of a particular congregation for a significant period of time tend to forget what their church looks like to someone who is passing through the doors for the first time. That first impression is critical; I've even seen research suggesting that most first-time visitors have made up their minds about whether or not they will return within about 30 seconds of their arrival. The second visit is even more important; if there is just one person there who remembers the newcomer and greets them by name, the odds of that person eventually becoming a formal member of the congregation skyrocket. So make up your mind to meet someone new yourself this next Sunday. Sure, you could make a mistake, and accidently greet someone who has been attending First Parish for 20 years. But that wouldn't be such a bad thing either, would it?

Four Stages of Stewardship

2009-04-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

A colleague of mine posted these to one of the ministerial internet CHAT-groups I read. I thought it was interesting, so I'm passing it along.

The Consumer pays for services received. The church is a store.

The Co-Op Member pays fair share of expenses. The church is a shared facility -- like a cabin shared by siblings.

The Owner invests more than necessary to create more. The church is a small business enterprise.

The Benefactor invests for the benefit of others with no hope of personal return. The church is a gift to the future.

Of course, my reflections didn't end there either. Because this list also reminded me of the "Golden Ladder of Giving" by the medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides, which I first learned about from "Building Your Own Theology."

Maimonides' Eight Degrees of Charity (from about.com/judaism)

8. When donations are given grudgingly.

7. When one gives less than he should, but does so cheerfully.

6. When one gives directly to the poor upon being asked.

5. When one gives directly to the poor without being asked.

4. When the recipient is aware of the donor's identity, but the donor does not know the identity of the recipient.

3. When the donor is aware of the recipient's identity, but the recipient is unaware of the source.

2. When the donor and recipient are unknown to each other.

1. The highest form of charity is to help sustain a person before they become impoverished by offering a substantial gift in a dignified manner, or by extending a suitable loan, or by helping them find employment or establish themselves in business so as to make it unnecessary for them to become dependent on others.

In these hard economic times, the mission of the church becomes ever more pressing and essential. But for those of us who have been fortunate enough to still have the ability to be generous, perhaps these words will be an inspiration to become true benefactors, both to neighbors known and unknown.

Tempus Fugit

2009-04-11T07:43:00.000-04:00

***

How Time Flies. And before too long, Tim will be flying out of here as well. With only a couple of months left in his tenure here at First Parish, the opportunities for saying our personal “fare-wells” are quickly disappearing.

But the Committee on Ministry is planning a variety of occasions to help remedy this situation. For starters, there is always your old fashioned “BLCS” appointment. “Breakfast, Lunch, Coffee, Supper” -- just pick a date (or two, just in case), pick up the phone, call Tim at his local number [(207) 233-7035 - you can also e-mail him at uuclericmindspringcom] and take it from there. Here is a list of some of Tim’s favorite places, most of them right here on the Peninsula: Beckys, Hot Suppa, the Portland Dinner, Dennys, Friendlys, the Top of the East, Norms, Wild Willies, Gilberts, Mesa Verde, the Green Elephant, King of the Roll, Bonobos, and the Beale Street BBQ. Or maybe you have a favorite place of your own that you would like to share with Tim before he goes. And you can always just meet up for a (free) cup of coffee over at 75 State Street. Because it’s not really about the food. It’s about the companionship.

Another option is to host a small party for Tim and a handful of other church members in your own home. Again, this doesn’t have to be elaborate: it can be anything from a traditional church potluck or sit-down dinner party to delivery pizza or some kind of take-out. There are plenty of dates available to do this; Tim is basically free every night except the Saturdays before he preaches (May 9th and May 23rd) or when otherwise committed to attend a church committee meeting. Once again, if you would like to host a party like this, it is best first to confirm a time and date with Tim, and then set out to plan the menu and the guest list.

Finally, the COM is coordinating a handful of events at church for people who prefer to say their good-byes in public. These include after-church get-togethers similar to the “Meet the Minister” sessions for newcomers, as well as an all-church reception and picnic following Tim’s final sermon here Memorial Day weekend, May 24th.

Tim’s time among us has been much too short, but profoundly intense. Please take the time to tell Tim what his ministry has meant to you, and to wish him well in his on-going battle with cancer. In the long run, we think you will be happy that you did.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Spring is sprung...

2009-04-01T07:52:00.000-04:00

***

the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is?” This brief bit of doggrel verse is one of my many memories from childhood, something that I learned from my father, and he no doubt from his father before that...passed down perhaps through so many generations that its actual origins are lost in obscurity.

There are lots of things in our lives like this, and the accuracy of their transmission is no guarantee of the quality of their content. Communications theorists sometimes call them “memes” -- tiny snippets of information which combine together as bits of code in order to form larger patterns of meaning, in much the same way that our “genes” combine together to create a genetic code that both defines who we are in a biological sense, and is passed down to subsequent generations as well.

As I prepare to leave First Parish, I find myself wondering what my “memetic” legacy to this congregation will be in years to come. I hope, for example, that the value of Radical Hospitality, and the vision of being “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City,” will both continue to thrive and grow here. These are ideas that I both brought with me, and that I also learned from you in an authentic and “honest to God” process of memetic cross-pollination. “Open all the windows and the doors, and receive whomsoever is sent.” It’s a worthwhile goal worthy of our faithful devotion. Yet it also requires a commitment to being “accessible to otherness,” and greeting neighbors and strangers alike with loving hearts, open minds, and helping hands.

I also hope that the support, encouragement, and gracious generosity that you have shown to me as I have wrestled with my illness will continue to be part of the personality of this congregation. Generosity breeds Gratitude and Gratitude in return breeds Generosity -- it is a classic “positive feedback loop” that has the potential to save the world from itself. So embrace these values in your own lives, teach them to your children and to their children, and know that with each good deed you do you plant the seed for another somewhere down the line.

Finally, I hope that this congregation will remember as fondly as I will the robust Spirit that filled the Meetinghouse the week I originally candidated here in May 2007, and again at my Installation the following Spring, and especially at last year’s Easter Sunday service, which might well have turned out to have been the last sermon I preached in my ministerial career. As it did turn out, thanks to your support I was able to return to the pulpit this past fall -- perhaps not as good as I ever was, but I hope good enough to serve!

Now I’m off in a few months the West Coast (and ultimately to the San Francisco Bay Area) to rest, recuperate and recover as best I can at my Father’s place in Fair Oaks. No one can say with any certainty what the future may bring, but I know my prayers are for ongoing vitality and prosperity here at First Parish, and for a long and happy life for myself. And may we all feel blessed by the too-short-of-time we shared together, and grieve the lose of “what might have been.”

Minister's Spring 2009 Stewardship Letter

2009-03-28T20:27:00.000-04:00

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

I have some good news and some bad news about next year’s church operating budget.

The good news is that we already have all the money we need.

The bad news is that it is still in your pockets.

These days the state of the economy is unavoidably on everybody’s mind. Mortgage forclosures and the banking crisis, job lay-offs and the sad state of the stock market are all front page news; and none of us can really feel confident that our own situation is truly secure, no matter how secure we may feel at the moment.

Yet is is also at times like these that people need the church more than ever. Need a feeling of safety and sanctuary, and a place to renew their sense of connectedness to one another and to All-That-Is. Need a time and a place to seek inspiration and encouragement, and to express their devotion to and gratitude for the Spirit that gives us life and give life meaning. And yes, need a place to live out the values of compassion and generosity, just as others come here needing to benefit from benevolence of their neighbors.

Over and over again in my 30-some years of parish ministry, I have observed that even the healthiest of churches never seem to have enough money to do everything they dream of doing, but almost always seem to be able to come up with enough to do the things they feel they absolutely need to do.

For generation after generation, through wars and fires, panics, recessions and a great depression, the people of First Parish have come together to fulfill their mission and sustain their vision of BEING Portland’s Original Faith Community. Here at the head of Temple Street, we still have the ability to throw open our windows and our doors, and receive whomsoever is sent. We can still make people feel welcome and help them stay warm, even with the cost of heating oil being what it is.

This is the Good News: it is in our hands now.

We just need to each reach into our pockets....

An Open Letter to the Leaders and Congregation of the First Parish in Portland

2009-03-22T14:30:00.000-04:00

[On Sunday March 22nd after church, an informational meeting was held for the entire congregation in order to answer questions about my departure and the events which lead up to my decision not to return to the pulpit here next September. I did not attend that meeting, for reasons I explain below, but I did write this letter to the leadership team, to be read aloud in whole or in part as my contribution to the discussion]

Dear Ones:

This is how I would wish to handle these explanations, based on my own understanding and experience of the process.

1) Nobody had to "ask" me to resign. Strictly speaking, I had already resigned as of July, 2008 when I filed my long term disability application and it was accepted by our insurer. Therefore, at least in that regard, this was not really a decision that ANYONE made; it was simply an acknowledgment of the reality of my situation, which was anticipated by the standard language of our UUMA-vetted contract. Thus for the past 9 months I have essentially been working (1/4 time) with both the encouragement and at the indulgence of the Governing Board, and it would have required some sort of pro-active decision (even if something so simple as a line item in the 2009-10 budget) for me have continued beyond June 30th anyway.

2) Ordinarily, in this or any similar situation, my "default" setting would have been to continue working: not because this is what I wanted (I have always seen my own wishes as secondary to what is best for the congregation anyway), but as the natural expression of my deep gratitude and devotion to the people of this church, who have done so much for me in the past twelve months. I would have gladly "died in this ministry" if that is really what would have made me most of service here, but I honestly don't think that's what anyone expected of me, so naturally I had already starting thinking myself about transition plans, as were many of the other central leaders of this congregation. The process by which we shared these thoughts with one another, and later communicated them to other members of the congregation, was hardly perfect; no process is, especially when it has to deal with such emotionally charged issues and so many diverse perspectives. But all of us shared in addition a common commitment to the on-going health and vitality of First Parish, as well as a great deal of affection and respect for one another personally. And that should not be overlooked, no matter how awkward the process itself may have appeared.

3) When all is said and done, I think the decision that we made is the best one that could have been made under the circumstances. For my own part, there were two critical factors which convinced me that moving on at this time was the right thing to do. The first was the realization of just how much stress and emotional pressure my illness was putting on the other leaders of the congregation. As I said in my original letter, First Parish deserves a full time minister who is capable of taking care of the people here, not one who needs such extensive caregiving himself. And the second factor was the realization that I was no longer capable of giving 100% of myself to this ministry, simply because it was no longer there to give. Mentally, emotionally, intellectually and even spiritually, the powerful narcotics that I take to control my pain and the chemotherapy agents which are used to combat the course of my disease have profoundly diminished my ability to be the kind of minister I have always aspired to be. It's more than just a matter of a little fatigue. If I am no long capable of performing my job at the level of excellence I have set for myself, I honestly feel that I really have no business hanging on beyond my time either.

4) Finally, I think people should know that my own ultimate response to all of this has been one of great relief. And it's not that I won't miss you all (because I will, very much), or that I don't also mourn the loss of "what might have been." But I also have other aspirations for what is left of my life that being released from the demanding obligations even of part-time parish ministry will greatly assist me in achieving. I'm looking forward a great deal to living closer to my family on the West Coast, and (I'm only a little embarrassed to say) I will certainly not miss Maine winters one little bit. I sincerely hope that in the next few months people will take advantage of the many opportunities for us to say goodbye that the Committee on Ministry is working with me to create, which we hope will include small group settings and social engagements both at the church and in members homes, as well as ample opportunities for one-on-one breakfast, lunch or coffee meet-ups, and at least one large all-church event toward the end of May or in early June.

I recognize that this may all sound a little cold, analytical, and emotionally aloof. But this is exactly how I feel, as well as (at least from my perspective) a completely truthful narrative of events as they took place and I experienced them. I would be happy to allow the relevant portions of this to be printed out and read at the informational meeting, and will even be willing to read them myself, although I think I might find the kind of back-and-forth Q & A this meeting is certain to create a little too emotionally demanding, given the way that my painkillers bring my emotions so close to the surface (as so many of you have witnessed lately). Feel free to respond with comments if you like.

Tim

To the Members and Friends of First Parish...

2009-03-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Wednesday March 4th, 2009

Dear Members and Friends of the First Parish in Portland

After a great deal of reflection and no little soul searching, I have decided not to return in September to the pulpit at First Parish in the role of your settled parish minister.

I realize this announcement will come as a relief to some and as a disappointment to others. But I have known for some time now that I simply can not do 100% of my job 100% of the time, and that I require considerable assistance simply to do the 20% of the job I felt was still delivering 80% of the benefit.

What I have only recently come to appreciate is that I am also no longer capable of giving 100% of my self to this ministry, not because of lack of desire, but because it simply is no longer there. Because of my illness, I am no longer the kind of minister I have always aspired to be, and the emotional burden this has placed on many of the critical lay leaders of this congregation has been considerable.

Your kindness, generosity and support for me these past twelve months have been overwhelming. My gratitude and affection for all of you are equally immense. First Parish deserves a minister who is capable of caring for all of its members, and not one who needs to be cared for himself.

The first week in March may seem like an unusual time to make this kind of announcement, but it was felt that in the interest of transparency this news should be known before the start of our annual Stewardship campaign, so that individual church members might have the opportunity to talk about their feelings with their visiting Stewards. At the very least, it should give us ample opportunity to say our “farewells.” And may we all be blessed in whatever lies ahead.

Faithfully Yours,

The Rev. Dr. Tim W. Jensen, Parish Minister

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Tough Times Never Last..."

2009-02-24T11:20:00.000-05:00

And I never dreamed that I would find myself quoting Robert Schuler in a newsletter column, but these are indeed extraordinary times. Between the Bailout and the Stimulus, the constant talk in the media of unemployment, foreclosures, collapsing consumer confidence and the possibilities stock market crash, and the technical distinctions between “recession” and “depression,” we need few reminders that these are indeed difficult times. But the truly pressing question is how should we respond? What, if anything, can we do to make things LESS difficult, both for ourselves and for those who have come to church seeking support and inspiration in these challenging days?

This is the great paradox of life in a faith community. On the one hand, there are few among us whose lives have not been touched by this economic downturn. We’ve seen the value of our homes and our investments drop, felt the pressure in the workplace, some of us have even lost our jobs and are looking for new ones in a tight employment market. And what happens to each of us individually carries over into the life of the church as well, where we have also felt the impact of the declining value of our invested endowment funds, as well as the pressure to live within our means even when our resources fall short of our needs.

Yet at the same time, this is also a moment where people are seeking out the church, not only for inspiration and emotional encouragement, but for tangible assistance and support in their efforts to get back on their feet again. The church is not a social service agency, and never will be. Yet we can play a very significant and influential role in the lives of individuals who need a helping hand as well as an encouraging word, and for whom a small amount of assistance goes a very long way.

I’m not talking now about the folks who haunt every church community, dropping by asking to speak with the Pastor in hope of a handout. I’m talking about people who may have originally dropped in just to get warm and get a bite to eat, but who now for all intents and purposes are active members of our congregation. They worship with us every week, listen to the sermon and light candles during the candlesharing, perhaps even put a little something in the collection when they have it. Some of them you may know by name, others merely recognize by appearance; many offer little evidence of how hard their lives really are right now. Yet they need the church in ways that are difficult to define, yet of inestimable importance to their very survival.

How we choose to respond to this dilemma says a great deal about who we are as a church. Do we choose to hunker down, cutting back and withdrawing into ourselves until these tough times have passed? Or do we continue to open all the window and the doors, to embrace our ministry of radical hospitality, and continue to serve as “A Warm and Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City?” I know the answer that works for me. And if each of us will just do what we can, I’m confident we will be equal to the challenge. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” It’s that essential “toughness” that has enabled First Parish to survive for as long as it has, and will insure our continued survival here far into the future........twj

A letter to the Members and Friends of the First Parish in Portland Maine

2009-02-18T18:07:00.001-05:00

[please click on the images to expand the to full size]

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “All of Them"

2009-02-01T10:29:00.000-05:00

There’s a “trick” trivia question which basically goes something like this: “How many months have 28 days?” The answer, of course, is “all of them” -- it’s just that most months have a few more as well. You can blame it all on the arrogance of Julius and Augusts Caesar, who in renaming lovely summer months after themselves, felt that those months also deserved an extra day as well, and “borrowed” them from an obscure month in the middle of winter where no one would likely miss them anyway.

But whatever else February may mean to you, this February 19th will mark for me the one-year anniversary of my life as a cancer survivor. This first year, I’m told, is an important milestone -- not only to a lot of the statistics improve dramatically for a one-year survivor when compared to the odds for someone newly-diagnosed, but a lot of the most dramatic changes have also taken place as well, which means that whatever subsequent adjustments need to be made will probably be a lot LESS dramatic. Statistically, at least. Because one thing I’ve discovered in the past 12 months is that Cancer really does seem to love drama...

But think about it. This past 12 months I have lost both my ability to walk and my ability to drive, which have obviously compromised both my mobility and my independence...dramatically.... These abilities may still improve (and in fact, I’m counting on it), but in the meantime I live with by disabilities now every day. I’ve had to give up my apartment, and all the things I associated with that: the freedom to come and go as I pleased, or strolling around the West End and here on the peninsula in general; playing basketball, riding my bicycle, shopping and cooking for myself (or taking myself out for pizza or wings!), even my little dog has died. So much has changed for me, it’s hard to keep track of it all.

And yet I’ve also learned so much as well -- especially about the relationship between dependence, independence, and interdependence, and the essential connection between generosity and gratitude, and the importance of learning to live life one day at a time. These are lessons I’ve known about in my “head” for a long time, but to actually have lived with them for a year now gives them a very special poignancy, and provides me with the kind of insight that can’t be ascertained by thinking alone.

And then there is my ministry. Again, I feel very fortunate that good disability planning and the hard work and cooperation of so many generous and well-intended souls have made it possible for us to hire our talented Ministerial Support Team, and for me to continue to serve in whatever capacity I feel most called and able. As a result, First Parish has both grown and deepened as a Faith Community in the face of an unexpected crisis which might have easily torn it apart. It hasn't’ always been easy, but we are stronger and better people for it. In a word, we are survivors...and perhaps that one word alone says it all.........twj

oUUr Grand Master Plan

2009-01-17T13:17:00.000-05:00

Articulating a Vision for First Parish in the 21st Century

I - Create a high quality, three-part three-hour Sunday Morning Program, consisting of...

• Accessible, engaging, and inspiring Public Worship

• A top-notch Religious Education program for our children

• The practice of “Radical Hospitality” and intentional outreach to visitors and newcomers, including regular orientation sessions and a well-defined “Pathway to Membership.”

II - Small Group Ministry [SGM]

a Small Group Ministry is any program intended to serve a group of 8-12 individuals, and can take a variety of forms:

• Affinity Groups [AGs] are small groups that are organized around a shared activity or interest. Affinity Groups at First Parish currently include *Connections, Soulful Parenting, and the new “Fibers” group.

• Covenant Groups [CGs - also sometimes known as “Chalice Circles”] are more “generic” SGMs organized around a covenant or mutual agreement to follow a particular process and practice, which includes:

a) a commitment to reliable attendance at regular meeting times, which can be either monthly or bi-weekly, depending upon the preference of the group.

b) the intentional cultivation of deep and meaningful interpersonal relationships among group members, through the use of an opening “check-in,” and other trust-building activities.

c) a process of on-going education and spiritual “self-culture,” through the use of facilitated, topical discussions. Ideally, at least one of these topics each month would be the same for every group in the church, in order to facilitate a larger, secondary conversation among the entire congregation.

d) annual service projects -- generally at least one within our church community, and another in service to the larger community.

• Life Long Learning (LLL) offerings can also often function as Small Group Ministries, although generally they are of too short duration to create the kind of deep, interpersonal relationships SGMs are intended to cultivate. But often Life Long Learning classes provide the seed for the formation of a new Covenant Group, thus expanding the SGM program organically.

III - The Community Care Ring

the Community Care Ring might best be thought of as a series of concentric circles, with the ministers and the chaplains at the center as “primary pastoral caregivers,” and the other circles expanding outward to embrace the entire congregation

• The Steering Committee is a sub-committee of the larger Membership Committee, and is primarily responsible for initially organizing the Care Ring, monitoring its activities, and recruiting individual church members to serve in the other capacities listed below.

• “Neighbors Indeed” are essentially case coordinators, who are responsible for monitoring the needs of their client(s) and matching those needs to services offered by the congregation. They are also compassionate friends who have the time to form a relationship with their client, and to be present as an “active listener” in order to help them remain connected to the larger community.

• The “Helping Hands” list consists of the names and contact information of church members who have volunteered to provide specific services to those who need them. These services might include: transportation (to church, shopping, medical appointments, etc); the preparation and delivery of simple meals; emergency child or pet care; or even just writing cards or making calls to church members who are ill or shut-in.

IV - Faith in Action

this is our “public” ministry to the larger community, where we demonstrate our values by volunteer service to those in need, and the advocacy of policies which would help address those needs in a more comprehensive and systematic manner.

• The Steering Committee is responsible for organizing and managing the entire program, monitoring its activities, and recruiting new volunteers and coordinators.

• Project Coordinators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who have taken on the responsibility for specific Faith in Action projects.

• Volunteers are individual church members who have indicated interest in becoming involved in this area, and who can be called upon by the Coordinators to participate in specific activities or events.

V - The Pathway to Leadership

too many churches see their job as finished when somebody “signs the book” and officially becomes a member of the congregation. Here at First Parish, we feel like our job is just beginning....

• part of our mission at First Parish is to help each of our members find a “job” or vocational call within the congregation that is right for them, and will help them grow both spiritually and in devotion to the values and principles which give their faith meaning and purpose.

• it is also our hope that these volunteer ministries will grow in scope over time, as our faith itself grows and deepens, and we become more authentically “spiritual” in our lifestyles, with the ultimate goal of finding that place where (in the words of Frederick Bueckner “the heart’s deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.”

• some ideas for getting more deeply involved can be found at Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish. Or you may have another idea which inspires you deeply, in which case it is the job of the church to help you find a way to bring your vision to life. In either case, our entire community is enriched by the participation of each of our members, just as we hope that the lives of each of our members are enriched by their participation in this community.

NEXT STEPS

The Executive Committee is the “hands on” lay leadership group most responsible for driving and steering this entire process. Working in close cooperation with the ministers and other support staff, the Executive Committee anticipates current and future needs, and develops specific action plans for addressing those needs.

The Governing Board is responsible for reviewing, discussing, modifying and approving the proposals of the Executive Committee, and in addition is responsible for communicating and implementing those decisions back through the various councils and working committees

The Personnel Committee and Leadership Development Team (formerly known as the “Nominating Committee”) are responsible for analyzing our staffing needs based on current staff skills, and the skills of our lay leadership team.

The mission of the Finance Council is to “manage scarce dollars with common sense,” while at the same time cultivating an attitude of abundance and generosity, and developing the additional resources which will allow us to fulfill our larger mission as a faith community.

The Committee on Ministry is charged with maintaining a view of “the big picture,” and of using the “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation tool in order to make certain that we are still on track.

The Board of Trustees are responsible for managing our endowment funds, and for supporting the programatic mission of the church by maintaining the facilities and through whatever other means seem appropriate and are allowed by the terms of the trust.

The Worship Council, Membership Council, Life Long Learning Council, Faith in Action Council, and their various committees and sub-committees all have specific areas of responsibility as defined by the plans approved by the Governing Board, some of which have already been described earlier. Each of these councils has in essence been asked to redefine itself as a “task force” around a few specific objectives, and to take responsibility for their successful implementation.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Janus is a two-faced God.”

2009-01-01T03:02:00.000-05:00

Statue of Janus at the Vatican

Say what you like, I am a natural born April Fool. It just seems so much more sensible to begin a new year in the beginning of spring, when life is resurgent and new opportunities in the air, than to stay up until midnight on one of the longest and darkest nights of the year in order to ring a bell, blow a horn, and drink a little champagne. The dead of winter is just that: Dead. A New Year = New Life = Spring.

But those old Roman calendar makers disagreed. And there is one advantage to starting the new year in the dead of winter. Winter is a season that looks both forward and backward -- ahead to the opportunities which await us in the coming year, but also back on the achievements and regrets of the previous, and what we might learn from them. This is why the Roman god Janus was always depicted with two faces -- one face looking forward, and the other retrospectively back to the past...not just in nostalgia either, but with an honest and critical appraisal of what has gone before.

In 2008 I went through so many changes in my life I hardly know where to begin. My cancer diagnosis, months in the Hospital and Rehab, giving up my apartment for two rooms in the assisted living center, not being able to walk, not being able to drive, and, of course, the death of my beloved dog Parker in October, after 13 years of near-constant companionship. These are just the more noticeable things; they do not exhaust the list by any means. Perhaps most significantly, here were also my inner struggle over the issues raised by applying for disability insurance, in effect acknowledging that I could no longer do this job I love without help, and creating the opportunity to get that help and still do as much of my job as I am able.

But the real miracle of 2008 has been the way that this community has rallied around me in my illness, and inspired me to do everything in my power to fight this disease, and to stay focused on the big dreams we have shared together about the future of First Parish and our role within the larger Portland community. So even as we gaze retrospectively upon our past, let us also look with vision and imagination toward the future, as we work together to become both the kinds of people, and the “community of memory and hope” that our heritage and our destiny summon us to be.

WORSHIP COMMITTEE MINUTES

2008-12-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

Present: Charlie Grindle, Kitsy Winthrop, Alex landry, Janet Puistonen, Jackie Olivari, Linda Blue

Issues Addressed:

Sermon in an envelope............Janet agrees to look through Tim's packet of sermons that he provided when candidating and consult with Tim.

Ushers for January 2009..........Committee members will take turns every week as head usher w/ Linda acting as head usher the first Sunday in Jan.

Usher Responsibilities.............in particular the head usher, to be discussed at the next meeting.

Ushers for the Solstice service............the "Suits" will usher; childen will greet and perhaps pass out orders of service. They wil not participate in the offering.

Eventide Update: this service will become weekly (Weds) in the New Year.

Burning Ritual for New Year: all set, Will in the pulpit.

Need for new members for Worship Committee....it is agreed to ask Celine McFarquar to join us. She was delighted to be asked and has accepted our invitation. She will join us at our next meeting.

Snow Cancellations: please check your e-mail before leaving home.

Next Worship Committee Meeting scheduled for 1/8/2009 @ 5:30 pm in the Parish House.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Who ARE all these Preachers, anyway? (and what are they doing here?)

2008-12-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

I know it’s been written about many times before, but now that we have our entire team in place, it bears repeating.

Last summer, when it became obvious that I would not be able to resume my ministry full-time in September, I applied for the Long Term Disability insurance benefits provided for me under the terms of my compensation agreement. Once those benefits had been approved, money that had originally been budgeted to pay my salary again became available to the congregation, allowing First Parish to hire additional staff to assist me in the performance of my duties here.

We call these ministers “the Ministerial Support Team,” and as a team we hope to create a much more exciting and dynamic ministry here at First Parish than any one of us might have hoped to create alone.

The Rev. Elizabeth “Kitsy” Winthop was ordained in 1982 , and has been a resident of Maine for more than a decade. In that time has served numerous congregations up and down the Maine Coast and in Canada, including one in New Brunswick (where she continues to visit once a month). Kitsy’s main responsibilities are for Pastoral “Care Ring” and to the Life Long Learning Council, although as a resident of Portland she is also often available to respond in an emergency if none of the other team members are available.

The Rev. Dr. William Saunders was ordained in 1972 (when I was still a sophomore in High School!), and began his ministry up in Brunswick in 1976, while still completing his PhD in American History at Columbia (does any of this sound familiar?). Will recently retired and was designated Minister Emeritus by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Portsmouth, New Hampshire (South Church), although he continues to serve the UUA actively in other ways, most prominently as the Trustee from the old NH/V District (which has now been consolidated with our district here in Maine). Will’s primary responsibility has been to work with me, the rest of the staff, and our deeply devoted lay leadership group in order to develop a set of working “Standard Operating Procedures” that will allow us to grow from our current size of approximately 100+ households into a 550+ member “Program-sized” church like the one he just left in Portsmouth. His experience and expertise in this area make him a valuable “coach” to our entire congregation, but it should also be said that Will is here to serve as my “back-up” in the event that my own health should suddenly take a serious turn for the worse, like it did last spring.

Also serving on the team is our newly-ordained (and much revered) Charlie Grindle, who has been designated now as “Minister of Music” in recognition of the completion of his course of study at the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City. As part of his expanded role here at First Parish, Charlie is responsible for coordinating our new Wednesday evening “Eventide” service, which is already beginning to develop its own dedicated (and growing) following.

Despite the many limitations imposed upon me by my cancer, I plan to continue to fulfill my principal responsibilities as the called, settled and installed Minister of this Parish by preaching approximately every other Sunday, and by being in church to lead the worship service even in those weeks when I’m not preaching. I will also, of course, continue to write this monthly newsletter column, and to keep up with my semi-consistent internet “blog,” (which I know many of you have grown to appreciate ALMOST as much as my Preaching).

As my health allows, I likewise hope to continue to attend the monthly Executive Committee and Governing Board meetings, as well as meetings of the Trustees, the Worship Committee, and the Membership Committee, and our weekly Tuesday afternoon Staff meeting. And I remain committed to being available by phone, e-mail, or in person (if necessary), to any church member who really feels that I’m the only one who will do. Just please be aware that this will not be nearly as easy for me to do as it has been in the past, and that we have many other fine people for you to talk with, who will probably do just as well as me.

Throughout my illness, I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity and support of the members of this congregation, as you have cared for me and shared with me in my battle against this disease. And just as you have ministered to me, I invite you now to share with me and Kitsy and Will and Charlie and Sally and Sue and so many others (should I try to name them here?) as we work together to create and re-create “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City.” This is our mission, and our ministry both to one another and the larger Portland community.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Celebrate the Holidays at First Parish:

2008-10-31T20:54:00.000-04:00

The holiday season can often be a frantic time for families. Each year they seem to begin earlier and earlier, bringing with them ever-expanding lists of things to do, places to go, and people to see. Tough economic times only seem to compound these difficulties, making the burden feel all that heavier. But here at First Parish, we like to think that we’ve scheduled a few activities that can help people REDUCE the burden of the holidays, beginning with our new Wednesday evening Eventide services, to be held at 5:50 pm on November 5th, November 19th, December 5th and December 17th. These half-hour services of readings, music and meditation are intended to provide a peaceful midweek interlude in our otherwise hectic lives, and will be lead by our newly-designated Minister of Music, Charlie Grindle.

On Sunday November 23rd we will celebrate our annual, intergenerational Cider and Cornbread Communion, as well as dedicating any children whose parents wish to have them formally recognized and acknowledged as members of our faith community. Which reminds me, if you have a child you would like to have dedicated this year, please contact the church office right away in order to make those arrangements.

Sunday December 14th is the date of the “Pageant of the Nativity,” a unique living tableau which has been First Parish’s annual holiday gift to the greater Portland community for over eighty years. Seating is always crowded at this popular holiday event, so if you would like to attend this year plan on arriving early.

This year, not only does the Solstice fall on a Sunday (December 21st); that date also marks the beginning of Hanukkah, and provides the occasion for another intergenerational family service recognizing the many other faith traditions who celebrate “holy days” this time of year. One of the things people often say they appreciate most about Unitarian Universalism is our willingness to be enlightened by wisdom from ALL the world’s great religious faiths, based on our own belief that “the Truth” is true no matter where you find it, and will still be true no matter how you label it.

And, of course, for those who still enjoy a traditional Christmas touchstone, on Wednesday, December 24th we will celebrate our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Finally, on Sunday January 4th we will observe the last of our intergenerational holiday services, by conducting our annual Burning Ritual. Many faith traditions, as well as our society in general, encourage individuals to make Resolutions for the New Year. But in many Unitarian Universalist churches, we also encourage people to let go of their regrets from the year just gone by, by writing them down on small slips of paper and burning them as part of the Worship Service. You may be surprised by how liberating this may feel, even if you don’t feel like you have that much to regret.

C.K. Chesterson once observed that “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” This year, why not invite your whole family, and invite all your friend, to gather once more around the Heart(h)fire, and join us for the holidays at First Parish.

HOW TO BE A GOLD CUP GREETER

2008-10-25T10:49:00.000-04:00

Every Sunday, as I welcome first time visitors to our service, and invite them to join us at the coffee hour, I also encourage them to speak with one of our "Gold Cup Greeters" -- church members who are willing to act as "hosts" to our visitors, and answer whatever questions they may have about First Parish or Unitarian Universalism in general.

Yet I've never really talked about how one BECOMES a Gold Cup Greeter, or what is expected of someone who makes this particular commitment.

The first part is easy. One becomes a Gold Cup Greeter by picking up a Gold Cup. It's really as much a matter of attitude and willingness as any special training or expertise. A prospective Gold Cup Greeter should feel comfortable about embracing the "Ministry of Hospitality" -- or in other words, be someone who ALREADY thinks of First Parish as their Spiritual Home, and who delights in welcoming guests into our parlor, and helping them feel at home as well.

The next part requires a little effort. As tempting as it is just to stand around and wait for someone to approach you, Gold Cup greeters need to be PROACTIVE in their hospitality. Look around the room for people you don't recognize, and when you see one approach them and simply say "Hi! My name is ______. I don't think we've met." That way you don't have to worry about whether they are a first-time visitor or their family has been attending First Parish for three generations. They'll tell you what you need to know.

It may well be that your visitor doesn't have any questions. But you can still continue the conversation by asking a few questions of your own. You might ask them whether this is their first time in a UU church, or what inspired them to visit today? You can ask whether they have family with them, or how long they've lived in Portland? -- basically, it's just a matter of taking a genuine interest is another person, and trying to learn a little more about them. Above all, try to learn (and remember) the visitor's name, and (if they haven't already) get them to fill out a visitors card. Those two things are the most important factors in our early efforts to establish healthy, long-lasting relationships with newcomers to our congregation.

Likewise, they may have questions that you just don't have the answers to. Rather than making something up on the spot, take advantage of that opportunity to introduce your visitor to someone ELSE in the congregation who just might have the answer you're looking for: one of the ministers, or Membership/Hospitality Coordinator Val Blais, a church officer, other long-time church members, or simply somebody passing by. The whole point is to help our visitors connect with real people, rather than simply standing alone in a corner waiting for something to happen.

As you do converse, try to keep the conversation focused on the needs and interests of the newcomer and what First Parish has done for you and might do for them, rather that starting off by talking about all of the expectations and responsibilities of Formal Membership. Nobody in their right mind joins a church because they want to give away their money and attend committee meetings. Furthermore, if we CAN'T meet their expectations as a Faith Community, we have no business asking them to do those other things in the first place. So once again -- keep it focused on the needs and interests of the newcomer, and what we might do for them rather than what they might do for us.

Finally, make a point to Remember the Name of the person you greeted, so that when you see them again in two or three weeks, or on the street or in the check-out line at Hannafords, you can greet them by name and thus let them know that someone cared enough about them to remember.

And that's all it really takes to become a Gold Cup Greeter: the willingness to welcome someone new into our Spiritual Home, and to care enough about them to remember their name.

Minister’s Report October 14, 2008

2008-10-14T14:49:00.000-04:00

We are a month now into our new Program Year, and slowly settling into what (I hope) will be a sustainable routine that will allow us to make noticeable progress toward our goals, relieve much of the stress on our hard-working (and short-handed) leadership team, and still leave plenty of room for having fun.

Much of our ability to do this successfully depends upon the attitude with which we approach the task. So let us all try to remember to be gentle with ourselves and one another, and to reman confident that we have within us and among us the knowledge, wisdom, experience, expertise and resources to overcome whatever unforeseen challenges we may encounter upon our way.

Let us all be “slow to anger and quick to forgive,” eager to take responsibility and reluctant to place blame, devoted to those high purposes and values which give our lives (and life itself) its greatest meaning, and committed to the challenge of our mutual promise of “Walking Together.”

Thus endeth the sermon.... [Amen & Blessed Be]

****

I thought that our Leadership Retreat last month marked an important step forward on our journey as well, and want to make certain that we keep on track with the same momentum we began to develop there. Naming our fears about the long-term condition of my health was important, but I hope we all can keep in mind that “I ain’t dead yet” and I don’t plan to be for a long, long time. Likewise, the “Ministerial Support Team” we have now put in place is a very talented and experience group, and as we move forward and learn how to work most effectively together, I believe we will be able to accomplish a great many things here that I would never have been able to achieve alone, even in the best of health.

Our Goal of Consistent, High Quality Worship likewise seems to be coalescing very nicely. As we work toward becoming what some have described as “a seven-day-a-week, ‘full service’ Program Church,” a solid three hour Sunday Morning Program of Worship, Fellowship, and Education (for both children and adults), plus our new bi-weekly Wednesday Evening Evensong service, represent a very nice start.

I’ve also made a recommendation through the Worship Committee to the Trustees for better Lighting & Sound in the Meetinghouse. The latter is actually pretty good at the moment, but the former has always been problematic; the recommendation I have made should solve a good percentage of the problem at a nominal cost (under $750)

The Search for a new Director of Religious Education seems to have pretty much taken on a life of it’s own: a committee has already been formed, and I believe are already meeting to draft a new job description and to advertise the opening in all the usual places. I can’t predict and won’t attempt to try how long this will take, but my assumption is that as with the last search the committee will generate a “short list” of acceptable candidates, and I will select one of those based on my own sense of who will fit best with our team. Personally, I am much more concerned about finding the right person than I am “filling” the position, but I also recognize the perceived sense of urgency, and the desire to have someone in the position right away.

Kitsy and I also spoke with our District Program Consultant, Benette Sherman, at the UUMA Chapter Retreat last week, and she offered to be of help to us in any way we could use her in this process. Meanwhile, Barbara Ann McHugh has officially resigned as Chair of the Committee. I am uncertain at this moment about what steps are being taken to replace her.

Our final goal, Improved Communications, seemed to me in a little danger of being lost after the retreat; personally, I would hate to see that happen, especially since it also seems to me very closely tied to our Pathway to Leadership initiative, and my own desire to help every member of the congregation discern their own vocation or “ministry” here at First Parish.

Thus, in addition to finding the right people to do those essential “jobs” around here (both staff and volunteer), it also seems important that we define those jobs more accurately and precisely, and also that we develop the kind of consistent and reliable Administrative “Standard Operating Procedures” which will allow both staff and volunteers to concentrate on DOING those jobs, rather than trying to navigate the system where the jobs are to be done.

This in turn requires consistent and effective methods of training, Training, TRAINING so that everyone KNOWS what those procedures are, and can follow them reliably and successfully.

Finally, we need to be more effective about communicating among ourselves, both up and down the system from Staff and Committees to the Governing Board, and also laterally between Committees and even the Staff members themselves. Part of this challenge has to do with how effectively we use our meeting time, and another part has to do with effective communication between meetings, and especially the use of e-mail and the web.

We should keep in mind that the three core purposes of meetings are to 1) share information, 2) solve problems, and 3) Make Decisions. The more closely we can organize our meetings around those purposes, the more effective they will be.

Likewise, in terms of reporting, I want to continue to push the idea of “Quick Minutes.” At the end of EVERY meeting, just before the check-out, each Committee should take five or ten minutes to recount what was actually discussed and (especially) decided there, and then draft a brief report which can be e-mailed within 24 hours to all committee members, plus the office and anyone else who is a potential stakeholder. It should also be posted to THIS SITE (which is easily done, once you’ve been signed up as an “author” or -- in a pinch -- Barbara or I might be willing to do for you).

These Quick Minutes should include the following information in this order:

Name of the Committee

Time, Date and and those present at the meeting

Decisions Made: for each decision, this should begin with a brief description of the problem and the desired outcome, what actions are to be taken, what resources are available/authorized, who is the responsible contact person, and the deadline by which the decision is expected to be implemented.

FYI items - especially those which potentially impact our master calendar or require space use in the building.

The date, time and location of the next meeting.

The more quickly we can consistently use these Quick Minutes, the more consistently we will be able to share information among committees quickly and accurately.

The last little bit of business I wish to report on this month has little to do with the retreat itself, but rather involves what I see as a critical need to revitalize our Pastoral "Care Ring” into a more effective network of ministers and volunteers capable of reaching out to those members of our community who are in need of face-to-face ministry from First Parish. This is one aspect of my job which my own disability had made it nearly impossible for me to do effectively, yet also made critically clear in my mind is essential for us to thrive as a faith community capable of effectively transitioning from a “graying” church to a Growing one.

Or to put it a slightly different way, the outpouring of support for me as I have faced my illness has been simply overwhelming. I have been so amazed and gratified at people’s generosity and good will, and by the innumerable offers of assistance in ways both great and small. Yet the one thing I would appreciate most of all is that same style of assistance being made available to those to whom I would normally minister to myself if I were in good health, but who are now essentially without a pastor because of my illness.

Kitsy and Sally and Charlie have all stepped up to take on some of that responsibility, but there still needs to be more. We need to recruit, train and assign a whole new “Care Ring” of Coordinators, Pastoral Visitors, and Caring Volunteers who can provide occasional meals and transportation, or perhaps just a little congenial afternoon company and conversation, to those members of our community who are unable to get out and do these things for themselves. Think about it in terms of Matthew 25:40 -- “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” It’s an important and potentially very personally fulfilling ministry.

Now that we are close to the completion of our new Congregational directory, the next step should be to take a “census” by comparing those names to the names of those who have been “missing” from church so far this year, and to ask ourselves “why are they missing?” “Who are their friends?” “what can (and should) we do about getting in contact with them again?” One nice thing about moving our annual financial canvass to the Spring it that it allows us to reach out to our “lost lambs” without necessarily having our hand out looking for a donation at the same time!

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “It’s only the ceiling, not the sky....”

2008-10-01T14:41:00.000-04:00

One of the most interesting personal insights that came out of our recent leadership retreat in September was just how much anxiety people are feeling about my health, and how my own apparent LACK of anxiety about those same issues tends to make people feel even MORE anxious than they might feel otherwise!

I really don’t know how to respond to all this. My health is what it is, and some days I worry about it more than others. But every morning (at least so far) I’ve woken up knowing that my cancer’s not going to kill me today, and it’s probably not going to kill me tomorrow either. In fact, if anything, I’m actually getting a little healthier. And that’s generally enough to get me through the next 24 hours.

I DO worry about how some of my other related health issues, such as my lack of mobility, my chronic fatigue, and especially the “fuzziness” I experience from the medications I take to control my pain, have limited my ability to do my job they way I want to. My decision to file a disability claim this past summer was one of the most emotionally difficult things I have ever done in my life, and I still feel uncomfortable about it, even though it has made it possible to bring in colleagues like Kitsy and Will to assist me, and thus transform a challenge into an opportunity.

But still, I don’t really feel like a “disabled” minister. I feel like a human being attempting to minister to others despite my present disability, and often frustrated by my inability to perform at the same level I’m accustomed to performing. Yet even though I can’t do everything I’m accustomed to doing as well as I’m accustomed to doing it, I also know I still have an important contribution to make. Figuring out the parameters of that role, and learning how to fulfill it, is the real challenge facing me now. And it’s really no different than the challenge every one of us faces when we enter the doors at First Parish -- whether for the first time, or after countless times spanning decades and generations.

I’m also quite sensitive to the sentiments raised at the retreat that it would be nice “to catch a break” every now and then. Misfortune around here seems to run the gamut from my cancer diagnosis to the ceiling in the Meetinghouse, and all sorts of other setbacks in between. And yet I am also discovering that we are a congregation of survivors: strong, resilient, resourceful, creative...we encounter a crisis, face it squarely, work the problem and resolve it.

My own optimism is grounded in experience. It has nothing to do with blind hope or wishful thinking; if anything, it is rooted in a profound sense of cynicism which simply accepts that if something can go wrong it probably will go wrong (and at the worst possible moment), but that nevertheless we have the expertise and the resources to patch things up and move forward on our journey. And at the end of the day, that’s really all any of us can ask. Until it’s time to wake up again, and embrace another 24 hours of authentic living...................twj

PUBLIC OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR FIRST PARISH (2008-09)

2008-09-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

• Continue to define and establish a recognizable public identity (our "brand") through the CONSISTENT use of the slogans and images we have chosen to identify ourselves with: the image of our historic Meeting House, "A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City," and "Portland's Original Faith Community (gathered in 1674)"

• Continue to create a top-notch Sunday Morning Worship, Education and Fellowship experience.

• Develop and maintain a relatively simple, straight-forward, content-rich and easy-to-navigate website. "Easy to Navigate" means it should be as intuitive to read as a daily newspaper. "Content Rich" means it should invite readers to lose track of time as they follow interesting link after link exploring our virtual community in depth.

• Use various other inexpensive, “guerilla marketing” techniques to increase our familiarity, and to entice potential visitors to the web. As we do currently, we should continue to promote BOTH our main Sunday AM worship services, as well as concerts and other community events, and the public use of the Meetinghouse for weddings, funerals, and rites of passage.

• Our Public Outreach emphasis this year is two-fold. The general theme is to “Celebrate the Season at First Parish Church” (also “Join us round the Heart(h)fire at First Parish Church” and “Join Us for the Holidays at First Parish Church”), a season which begins with the Cider and Cornbread communion on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and concludes with the Burning Ritual on the Sunday after New Year. But we also want to promote our alternative EvenTide services (“twice the music, half the talk, same great message”) and help them establish a strong identity as well.

• Finally, we need to remember that everything we say in Church, everything we post to the web, everything we publish in the newsletter and bulletin or even say publicly to one another in the coffee hour is also potentially being heard and interpreted by someone brand new to our church, who has very little context for interpreting those remarks, is naturally a little inclined to be skeptical and suspicious of organized religion, and is trying to make up their mind about whether they really fit in here. So in all our communication with one another and the wider world, lets remember ALWAYS to focus on what the church can do for Newcomers, rather than what we expect Newcomers to do for us. Let’s remember to stay away from jargon, acronyms, and inside jokes; and let’s especially try to avoid those “cringe-worthy moments” which make the minister want to curl up in his wheelchair and shrink away to invisibility.

Tentative First Parish Worship Topic Schedule 2008-09

2008-09-11T16:47:00.000-04:00

[for planning purposes only. Speakers and Themes subject to change without notice. THIS PAGE WILL PERIODICALLY UPDATE! Please click on the highlighted title above "Tentative First Parish Worship Topic schedule, 2008-09" and bookmark THAT URL in your browser in order to access this page directly, rather than merely returning to the most recent post to this blog.]

September 7th - Ingathering Water Ceremony [INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special] - "From the Banks of the River Jordan to the Sheep Pool at Bethesda, God's Gonna Trouble the Water" - Tim Jensen, preaching.

September 14th “Progress, not Perfection” - Tim Jenen, preaching

September 21st “Rest Assured” - Will Saunders, preaching

September 28th "Salvation by...Bibliography?" - Tim Jensen preaching (Banned Books Week)

October 5th “Acorns of Faith” - Kitsy Preaching

October 12th "To Cross the Wide, Wild Ocean."- Tim Jensen, preaching

October 19th "Here There Be Dragons" -- Tim Jensen, preaching

October 26th "World Peace: a Wealthy Western Idea? - Charlie Grindle, preaching

November 2nd (Day of the Dead) [Kitsy Preaching & Tim]
[INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special]

November 9th "Tragic World, Comic, Vision" - Will Saunders, preaching

November 16th "A Living Faith" - Tim Preaching]

November 23rd (Cider and Cornbread/Child Dedications) [INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special] "Thank You. You're Welcome" - Will Saunders, preaching

November 30th (Advent) "By one elastic thread to thin tiwigs" - Karen Foley preaching

December 7th (Advent) "Naughty or Nice?” [Tim preaching] [Will available]

December 14th "No Gift Like Your Presence" - Kitsy Preaching. (Pageant in evening, Kitsy & Tim

EIGHTY-SECOND ANNUAL FIRST PARISH CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
4:45 pm in the Meetinghouse.

December 21st "It Will Come Back" Charlie Grindle, preaching [(Solstice - INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special - Worship Committee]

Weds Dec 24th Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
[Tim and Worship Committee. Kitsy?] [no Will]
Carols @ 5:30; Service @ 6:00 pm in the Meetinghouse

[CHRISTMAS DAY THURSDAY DECEMBER 25TH]

December 28th "Epiphanies Large and Small" - Kitsy Winthrop, preaching.

January 4th "An Adventurous Spirit" - Will Saunders, preaching. Burning Ritual [INTERGENERATIONAL]

January 11th "A Promiscuous Assembly of Believers and Seekers" - Tim Jensen preaching

January 18th (MLK Sunday) "There Comes a Time" - Kitsy Winthrop, preaching

January 25th "A Great, Good Place"

February 1 "Afflictive Dispensations of Divine Providence" - Tim Jensen preaching

February 8 "Mystics, Skeptics, and Dyspeptics" [Tim preaching] [Kitsy available}

February 15 "Love" [Kitsy preaching]

February 22 [Charlie Preaching] ( (no Tim)

March 1 "Mr Jefferson's Prophecy" - (1st Sunday in Lent) [Tim Preaching]

March 8 "The Man With Two First Names" - Wiill Saunders preaching

March 15 "Mr Jefferson's Legacy" - Tim Preaching

March 22 "Sisters in Spirit" [Kitsy preaching]

March 29 [Stewardship Campaign kick-off Sunday - "In Our Hands" -- Charlie, Tim, Kitsy and Will Preaching

April 5 - PALM SUNDAY "...the things that are God's" [Tim Preaching]

April 12 - EASTER [INTERGENERATIONAL] [Will Preaching]

April 19 - (Earth Day) Charlie Preaching

April 26 Will Preaching

May 3 Kitsy Preaching

May 10 "Wir Alles sind Gotts Kinder" - Tim Preaching. (Mother’s Day/Child Dedication) [INTERGENERATIONAL]

May 17 Will Preaching

May 24 "Cleric-2 Actual. Out" - Tim preaching [Memorial Day Weekend]

May 31 Charlie Preaching [Annual Meeting to follow]

June 7 Religious Education Sunday

June 14 Flower Communion

June 21 Father's Day (?)

June 28 Pride Sunday (?)

July 5th [No Service]?

July 12 Summer Services begin

July 19

July 26

Aug 2

Aug 19

Aug 16

Aug 23

Aug 30

Sept 6 [No Service - Labor Day weekend]

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Rest Assured”

2008-09-01T17:27:00.000-04:00

***

Amidst all my idle summer daydreams of sailboats and red convertibles, the anticipated return of my One True Passion is looming just over the horizon. It's hard to believe it, but Labor Day weekend is nigh upon us, and that on Sunday September 7th our regular Church Program Year begins again at First Parish with the celebration of our Annual Ingathering Water Ceremony. My travels this summer have been less geographical and more of the metaphorical/inspirational variety, but I have a great title for my homily that first Sunday which reflects my inner journey: "From the Banks of the River Jordan to the Sheep Pool at Bethesda, God's Gonna Trouble the Water." (for those of you who feel the need to be forewarned, my texts will be Genesis 32:22-32 and John 5: 2-9.)

And then the following Sunday, September 14th, I'll be preaching on a topic I suspect may very well prove the theme of this entire year: "Progress, not Perfection." This was a motto one of my Oncology Nurses wrote on the white board in my room at the Gibson during my month-long hospitalization there last Spring, and it has certainly inspired me many times in the many months since. The progress that I've made since those days is considerable, yet "perfection" is likewise still a far sight down the road. But don’t expect me to preach that entire sermon now! You'll be hearing it in church (or maybe reading it on the web) soon enough.

Another thing that happened over the summer was that I filed a Long Term Disability claim under the terms of my UUA group insurance, which I recently learned has been approved. This basically means that I am now free to work as much or as little as I am able, while at the same time freeing up some payroll money that would have otherwise gone to compensate me, thus allowing us to bring in other ministers and additional outside help to assist me with the overall ministry of the church.

Again, I won't try to go into all the details here, but we are now in the final stages of assembling a fantastic team of clergy, program and support staff, and volunteer lay leaders who will not only allow us to continue "business as usual," but also represent a real opportunity for us to "take it to the next level." For my own part, for years I've boasted that I have one of those “perfect jobs” -- a job I love so much I can hardly believe I get paid to do it, and which I would gladly do for free if I could afford to. Now I actually get a chance to prove it in front of God and all of you. And with your help, I'm confident we can make it happen.

Last Spring, when I was suddenly and unexpectedly hospitalized after Easter, the amazing amount of affection and support I received from this congregation was truly overwhelming. I was especially proud of those of you who stepped up and came forward to help fulfill a few of my many ministerial duties: the members of the Worship Committee, our Office Staff, Church Officers and Governing Board Members, members of various Committees, the Greeters, the Ushers, and so many others who went the extra mile to make certain that when both Neighbors & Strangers arrived at our doors on Sunday mornings, they received the same quality experience of First Parish that they might have had I been here to greet them and lead them in worship myself.

And I also know (and appreciate) just how challenging this was, and how hard you all worked to complete that task successfully. You all did good, and you deserve both ample praise and a chance to put up your feet and take a rest. So consider this the first installment on the former; as for the latter, I hope that you all will rest assured that a little hard-earned rest is indeed assured. But let’s not plan on resting too long. There’s still plenty more work for us to do. And now that I’m feeling better rested myself, I can hardly wait to get back on the job again......twj

THE STATE OF THE CHURCH (2008)

2008-06-06T10:09:00.000-04:00

Over the years I’ve become accustomed to the practice of preparing my annual report in the form of a “State of the Church” sermon, which I generally deliver at the Sunday worship service on the morning of the Annual Meeting. This year, for a variety of reasons, that is not going to happen; but I thought that I would at least try to preserve a little of the tradition by retaining a more “inspirational” tone to my report, rather than merely recounting a lot of events and statistics.

Obviously, this has been a very unusual year -- certainly not something that any of us anticipated or planned for. And yet it has also turned out to be a remarkable year, and has led this congregation in new directions and to develop new competencies that have both stretched us, and also revealed the underlying strength and resilience and creativity of this community as a whole. We ARE the church people believe we are. And having seen this now with our own eyes, it is much easier to believe it ourselves.

We began this past program year with four broad themes that were to be our priorities for the past 12 months. These areas have all evolved and been more carefully defined in that time; here is my sense of where we have come, and where we are headed now.

“A WARM & WELCOMING PLACE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY”

I want this idea so closely associated with First Parish that people can’t think of one without immediately thinking of the other. Every good thing that we want to happen in our church follows from greater attendance and participation, and these in turn are driven by the effectiveness of our “Ministry of Hospitality” -- the manner in which we both welcome visiting newcomers into our “church home,” and also our ability to inspire our current members to attend more frequently and participate more deeply than perhaps they have in the recent past. We’ve made a fantastic start in the right direction (and of course we will never achieve perfection), but we also still have a pretty long way to go before I’m satisfied. The good news is that now we are in a position of building on strength rather than trying to overcome our shortcomings. But I’m told the change is palpable. People have noticed the difference: in our greeting, in our worship, in our general level of excitement and enthusiasm and activity on Sunday morning. So, let’s keep up the good work and do a lot more of the same!

I saw in the newspaper the other day that we are a congregation of 140 members, 100 or so of which tend to show up in church on any given Sunday. The point I would like to make is that we can double this number, and still double it again, and probably again, without losing that personal known-by-name sensibility that makes membership in a faith community so significantly fulfilling. When it comes to “marketing” the church, we are NOT looking for better techniques of appearing personal while being impersonal! We are looking for more effective ways of creating and nurturing authentic relationships one person at a time, within a broad and diverse network of shared values and activities. And it all begins with our attendance and experience at Public Worship, and grows from there. It is driven by participation, and face-to-face interaction, and our willingness to take a genuine interest in other people, and to open ourselves and our lives to them as well.

It’s important to understand that membership in a church means different things to different people at different points in their lives. It means one thing when you are a child, and quite another when you have children of your own. You might be a young single person living in the city and trying to establish yourself in a career, or empty nesters looking for meaningful and fulfilling ways to fill your time now that you have a little time for yourselves. Perhaps you are recently married, or recently divorced; starting a new job or retiring from one. You or a loved one could be facing a serious illness, and suddenly in need of a faith community again after a long time away. Or perhaps you are a longtime member of the church whose circumstances prevent you from being as “active” as you once were able to be in the past, but who still appreciates being connected though visits from friends and written copies of the sermons.

If it seems to you that we are focusing a lot of our attention on Newcomers, it’s because the needs of Newcomers often tend to drive the development of new programs, which everyone else is then obviously free to benefit from as well. But we need to achieve “A” grades in all these areas if we want to fulfill our full potential as a church. Show up, get involved, bring your friends. That’s the way to grow a church, and it’s also the best path for growing our own individual spiritual lives as well.

BUILDING A RAINBOW 2.0

I’ve written a lot more about this topic on April 29, so I won’t try to repeat all that information here. But just like every other church I’ve ever served, this church has budget challenges, and we are working hard to meet them in ways that are responsible, sustainable, and allow us to effectively carry out our mission as a faith community. I am VERY pleased by the reorganization and emergence of a truly broad-based Finance Council charged with the responsibility of figuring out how we can achieve our dreams and still live within our means. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not going to happen overnight. But I have faith that it will happen, because I have a LOT of confidence in the members of this church; and am truly delighted that the Trustees have agreed (at least for the time being) NOT to replace the patch in the Meetinghouse ceiling until we have accomplished our goal. Sometimes it’s nice to have a tangible reminder of the distance we have to travel. And a specific event to celebrate at the end of the journey.

In its more than 300 years of existence, First Parish has worked through a variety of different financial models in order to pay its bills and balance its budget. Until 1820, when the Maine Constitutional Convention meeting at First Parish voted to disestablish civil religion and create a separation of Church and State, First Parish was a tax-supported part of the Standing Order of Churches in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Local taxpayers set the budgets and paid their own assessments both for the upkeep of the Meetinghouse and the support of the minister. Shortly after disestablishment, the Meetinghouse was privatized (essentially the pews were sold as condominiums) and a Religious Society was organized to handle the business affairs of the congregation itself; while in the early part of the 20th century the so-called “Proprietors of the Pews” placed their financial interests in a Trust for the benefit of the congregation as a whole, and especially the preservation and maintenance of the Meetinghouse itself.

Since that time, First Parish has essentially supported itself through the same four broad sources of revenue. The first, obviously, is income from the Endowment Funds, which over the years have increased considerably both through additional bequests and normal growth in the financial markets. The second source of revenue has been rental of our building to outside groups in need of the kind of public space we can offer. Providing this space to others is also part of our mission as a public institution, so in many instances this particular revenue stream is pretty much a break-even proposition. A third source of revenue are public fun(d)raising activities like fairs, concerts, and the like -- which again serve multiple purposes in regard to creating deeper connections among ourselves, and developing important outreach links into our larger community, but provide a relatively small percentage of our overall operating budget. Far and away our most important source of revenue is direct financial contributions by our members and friends, which we solicit from one another in the form of pledges during our annual Stewardship Campaign.

A pledge is basically just a promise -- as well as a planning tool which the church uses to estimate how much money we will have to spend on salaries, utilities and various other church programs over the course of our fiscal year. And yes, we are literally counting on people to keep their promises in order to meet our obligations; in fact, we are hoping they will exceed them. But we also understand that circumstances sometimes change, and that no single individual’s pledge, no matter how large or small, will ultimately make or break our budget. Rather, it requires the generosity of us all, each of us doing what we can, to allow us together to achieve what we dream of as a faith community.

Our pledges are not just promises we make to one another; they are promises we make to ourselves. They are the tangible expression of our gratitude for the many gifts the Universe has given to us, and our desire to become more generous souls in our own right. Finally, they represent the direct "hands on" voluntary financial support of our shared belief that this church and its work are important. They reflect our willingness to trust and count on one another, even though we can’t always predict or control every little circumstance of life.

It’s been my experience that churches never really seem to have enough money to do everything they dream of doing, but that in a pinch they always seem to come up with what they need to do what they must. And it may well be that First Parish will never again enjoy a truly “balanced” budget -- that we will always be living just a little beyond our means, in the hope and with faith in one another that we will somehow manage to catch up before the bill collectors catch up with us. But my desire is that the approach outlined in Rainbow 2.0 will help us all to think carefully about our mission and budget priorities as a congregation, while working together to cut those ‘dark red’ expenses that keep us from funding the pink, the green, and the blue. This will also help us to think about new ways to maximize EACH of our revenue streams (and perhaps even create some new ones), by building on that same sense of trust, mission and shared purpose cultivated during the development of our spending plan.

“PORTLAND’S ORIGINAL FAITH COMMUNITY”

I like this phrase because of its overlapping connotations:

We were the First -- the Original.

We stand at the Historic Center of this Community, and continue to embody that public heritage today.

We are Innovative: we stand out as community leaders by courageously embracing the new and the progressive.

But mostly I like it because it expresses a good reputation I’d like us to live up to. It expresses the responsibility of “becoming the Church people believe we are.”

If becoming “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City” expresses our desire for greater attendance and numerical growth, then owning the identity of “Portland’s Original Faith Community” reflects what might be thought of as “Incarnational Growth” -- a growth in our effectiveness to deliver on what we promise by developing greater skills and a trained team of leaders who have the ability to bring us together to achieve a common purpose. It also reflects the all-important paradigm shift from “finding enough people to fill all the jobs” to finding an appropriate job for every person. Again, I’ve written about this extensively elsewhere and won’t try to repeat it all here. But I hope that in the coming year we can continue to build upon this aspect of our ministry as well, by recruiting and training more Small Group Ministry facilitators, by expanding our Care-Ring Circle and teams of Parish Visitors, by growing our Faith in Action Program and Life Long Learning opportunities, and of course continuing to build our Religious Education and Music programs. These things are not going to happen overnight. But if we are deliberate and intentional about making them happen, by “matching our own deep yearning to the worlds deep need,” we will make continuous improvement and progress toward our goal.

"NEXT STEP"

Notwithstanding everything else that has happened in my life these past 12 months, perhaps my greatest single institutional disappointment is that we were not able to execute our “Next Step” option this past Spring. I’m still not certain how much detail I am allowed to disclose in public, since we still have other options open to us and are actively exploring them. But I also continue to believe that this was and is the correct vision for the future of First Parish, and want to both thank and congratulate the Next Step team who have worked so hard these past few years to bring this project to fruition. One of the great things about being a 334 year old institution is that we can afford to be patient and take our time. And in the meantime, we continue to move forward by building a solid foundation beneath our "castle in the air."

One very serendipitous step forward in this regard was the collaboration between the Trustees and the Society in creating a new fully-ADA standard handicapped-accessible bathroom on the main floor of the Parish House. Not was this project long overdue, but it came (for me at least) at just the right time. One next step now might be to look at making similar modifications in the basement of the Parish House -- both to increase the ease of wheelchair access through the side alley door, and also the general attractiveness of Freshman Alley in general. By working with the city and our neighbors at 415 Congress, we can at least attempt to transform that very visible and public space into something that we can feel proud of, rather than the current eyesore of dumpsters, concrete barriers, cigarette butts and graffiti. It's not everything we'd hoped for. But at least it is a start.

CONCLUDING THOUGHT(S)

One of the most important lessons my illness is trying to teach me is that the goal is always "Progress, not Perfection." Although many of the things we are attempting to achieve together are relatively simple and straightforward, that doesn't necessarily mean we will automatically accomplish what we set out to do without a few twists and turns along the way. But if we can stay focused on these four core areas: community outreach, fiscal accountability, leadership development, and a clear long range vision, we can avoid the temptation of being distracted by the merely "urgent," and maintain our essential focus on the truly important. This is especially true, at least for the moment, in the leadership development area. For various reasons, we have a lot of vacancies to fill right now, both on the staff and in key volunteer positions. These are both aspects of the same challenge -- and in both situations, the solution is to FIND THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB, rather than merely trying to fill an empty chair with a warm body. I also believe that the right talent we need is already in this congregation, and that much of this matching process is simply a matter of helping our current leadership team figure out how their current skills, interests, and personal availability match up to the perceived institutional needs of the church itself. This process of discernment is not going to happen overnight, nor are we likely to find the leaders we most need now among people who are relatively new to the church and Unitarian Universalism themselves. But we do need to create

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - "I Will, With God's Help"

2008-05-01T09:21:00.000-04:00

It's hard to imagine writing my column this month about anything other than my illness, my Installation, and the amazing outpouring of encouragement and affection and support I've received, not just from the people of First Parish, but from people all over the world as word of my condition spreads through the vast network of friends, colleagues, and former parishioners whose lives I have touched and whose lives have touched mine in the three decades I have practiced this strange and wonderful vocation of ministry.

And likewise, it is hard to imagine writing anything new that I haven't already written again and again in my blog, One Day Isle, or expressed in person on more occasions than I can recount. My profound feelings of gratitude, and amazement, and humility and blessing.... Words fail me, and I am reduced to a sense of silent astonishment and overwhelming emotion. I feel so fortunate -- which you might think would be strange for someone who has been afflicted with a potentially fatal illness. But I can't describe it any other way. Can't really explain it either. Death seems very distant to me now. I just feel so lucky to be alive.

The occasion of my formal Installation as the Minister at First Parish would have been a monumental milestone in the course of my ministry under any circumstance. But under these particular circumstances it is profoundly awe-inspiring. Awesome. An expression of faith and hope and trust and confidence in the promise of the future, which recognizes that life is uncertain and nothing can be known for sure, yet which empowers us all to believe in ourselves, to believe in one another, and to trust that whatever the future may bring we will be equal to the task and able to meet the challenge.

A faith which affirms the power of a loving "community of memory and hope" to embrace a vision of its future and step confidently in the direction of its dreams: transcending doubt, transcending uncertainty, transcending all of the cynical, skeptical attitudes of modernity which hedge themselves in the sophisticated "wisdom" of the aloof observer, and calls us instead to take a stand and to make a commitment -- to express our convictions without reservation, hesitation, or fear.

And perhaps most importantly, a faith which understands that we can not do this work alone, and that each of us is here neither one moment less nor one moment more than God needs us to be, however vaguely we ourselves may understand that need, or the sacred/holy/spiritual/divine Truth beyond "truth" that gives that purpose meaning and makes our lives meaningful.

This is why it is with both humility and gratitude that I willingly accept this charge to serve as your Parish Minister, and will continue to do so to the best of my abilities come what may. Not only with God's help, but with the help of all of you as well.......twj

MINISTER'S REPORT (April/May 2008)

2008-04-30T20:02:00.000-04:00

I suppose it was unavoidable that my April report should be so tardy -- but perhaps it will work just as well as an early report for May. The unexpected change in the course of my illness, which left me hospitalized for most of the past month, was certainly not anything any of us had planned for. But I'm very pleased by the way that so many people have stepped up to fill in. I'm especially grateful for the way that Darrell Goodwin has taken on the role of Installation Marshal, along with the overwhelming task of organizing the details of that event. As I have tried to say on so many occasions and in so many different ways this past month, I feel so proud and so fortunate to be your pastor. And I'm looking forward very much to this coming weekend, and my physical return to First Parish to celebrate my formal installation as the settled Parish Minister of this congregation.

Even though I've pretty much been out of the loop this past month, this is where I see us right now.

• Leadership Team. The biggest challenges facing the Governing Board at the moment are simply finding the right officers to fill out next years vacancies, and pulling together a workable Finance Council in order to address our on-going budget challenge. At the moment these tasks probably seem a lot more daunting than they really are. We have the talent, and we have the resources too; we simply need to find the time, the commitment, and the shared sense of purpose to pull them all together. We have all these things as well, of course -- and when they DO come together, we're all going to feel a lot more relaxed.

• Worship Team. The way that our short-handed Worship Committee has come together to fill out the remainder of the program year, and to segue seamlessly into our summer service schedule is admirable. I know that behind the scenes not all has always gone smoothly, but the impression of people in the pews on Sunday morning is that we haven't missed a beat.

• Pastoral Care Team. The team of caregivers that has come together around helping me and my family during my illness is truly impressive. And one of my greatest concerns about being ill is the way it has effectively prevented me from meeting my own responsibilities as a pastoral caregiver. So my great hope is that we can in some way utilize some of the momentum that has been generated around my illness in order to offer these same services to other members of the congregation who require them.

I envision our "Pastoral Care-Ring" as a set of concentric circles, or perhaps a pyramid with a solid foundation (or outer circle) of volunteers willing to offer specific services (like providing transportation or preparing a meal), a smaller group of Care-Ring Coordinators who match these services to the people who need them, and finally a more highly-trained group of Pastoral Visitors who work with me and our chaplain(s) to provide the kind of one-to-one Pastoral ministry that even the members of a very large congregation should be able to count on from their faith community.

• Staff Support. One very obvious problem that has emerged during my illness has to do with communications. Because I routinely attend meetings of the Governing Board, the Trustees, and various other key committees, I am also typically in the position of being able to answer questions Barbara or other staff members may have about those activities. But once I became ill, not only was I not around in the office to answer those questions, I no longer had the information either!

There's no quick and easy fix to this problem, but something I think might help would implementing the practice of sending "Quick Minutes" by e-mail immediately following key church committee meetings. These Group e-mails should be clearly identified as such, follow a standard format, and contain the following information: 1) decisions on any "Action" items. 2) the name of the Contact Person responsible for carrying out that particular activity 3) any building use implications (i.e. date/time/room). They should be sent to every member of the Committee itself, along with ccs to office@firstparishportland.org and minister@firstparishportland.org. I don't think this will solve the problem entirely, but it may mitigate it somewhat.

I likewise want to commend Barbara, Rebecca, Charlie and Moe for all going the extra mile during my illness. We are a small staff as it is, with way more to do than time to do it. Seeing how they have all continued to do their own jobs well, while at the same time pitching in to cover for me, is both gratifying and a cause of concern. I'm certain whatever additional assistance we can provide for them would be very appreciated.

• Music Director Search. This is something that has basically come to a standstill while I've been out of commission. My hope is that once I am released from Rehab and have begun my Chemotherapy, that the Search Committee will convene and put together a process to have a permanent Music Director in place to begin in the Fall.

• My Timetable. Clearly, this is proving to be a little unpredictable. But given my current understanding, I expect to be in Rehab for another week or two following Sunday's Installation, and then to be discharged into some form of Assisted/Independent living situation, most likely at Seventy Five State Street, where I will be able to receive prepared meals and transportation to my medical appointments as well as enjoying accessible living quarters. Depending upon how much mobility I recover, at some point I may be moving to my study at the Eastland Park Hotel, or to an accessible guest room in a private home. Likewise, in July I will have to make up my mind about whether or not to give up my apartment on Carleton Street at the end of my lease and find more accessible permanent living quarters.

The chemotherapy itself is scheduled to last for approximately 12-18 weeks, and consists of 4 to 6 three-week cycles of two weeks treatment and a week of rest. At the end of that period, there is very little statistical advantage in continuing the same treatment, so another assessment is conducted and a decision made about whether to: a) wait, watch, and do nothing until the cancer recurs; b) begin an alternate form of follow-up treatment; c) begin palliative care. Obviously, nobody can predict what kind of outcome I will receive as a result of my treatment, but my hope is that I will be at the high end of the bell curve, and feeling healthy enough to return to work full time in September.

BALANCING A BUDGET: BUILDING A RAINBOW

2008-04-29T14:14:00.000-04:00

Rainbows aren’t typically the first thing to spring to mind when one thinks about balancing a budget. Budgets are generally about getting out of the Red and into the Black, and it doesn’t really matter how you get there. But the options are generally pretty simple: increase revenues, cut expenses, differenciate between the things you merely want and the things you really need, and get rid of the former while preserving as many of the latter as you can. And when revenues match expenses, the budget is balanced and we can all sleep easier at night.

None of this has really changed. But it’s also important to remind ourselves that “balancing the budget” is not the primary mission of a church. Obviously, we need to learn how to live within our means, and to do so in a sustainable way that also reflects the values and principles of our faith community.

But not all Red Ink is Created Equal. It’s been my experience that churches never have enough money to do all the things they dream of doing, but they always seem to come up with the resources to do the things they know they NEED to do.

My hope for First Parish is that we will use this Opportunity to have a serious conversation about the importance of the on-going ministry of our congregation to this community in the 21st century, what our actual priorities are, and how we can best fulfill this mission given the resources available to us.

When I say that not all Red Ink is Created Equal, I mean to suggest that our expenditures can actually be divided into several different categories depending upon our level of control over them and their relative importance to the success of our overall mission.

DARK RED expenditures are for things that might be thought of as Necessaries. These are often “fixed” expenses (like electricity and heating oil) which are provided by outside venders, are required (or necessary) for our on-going operations, and over which we have very little direct control other than to use less.

BRIGHT RED expenses represent our Obligations -- responsibilities which we have voluntarily chosen to take on, but are now obligated in good faith to pay. Most Personnel expenses tend to fall into this catagory.

PINK represents our Commitments. These might be thought of as expenses which we would like to take on (such as adequate health insurance benefits and regular Cost of Living Adjustments for our staff) because they reflect our values, but which we just aren’t certain we can really afford.

If all this Red Ink isn’t complicated enough, there are also VARIOUS SHADES OF GREEN. These respresent expenditures to fund the Healthy Practices that will help us better fulfill our mission, grow the church, and either save money or generate additional revenues in the long run. We all know “it isn’t easy being green.” But most of our program and committee expenses tend to fall into this catagory, as do expenses like the storm windows and

And then finally, there are our SKY BLUE DREAMS-- our vision of what First Parish might look like when we lift our eyes skyward and look to the horizon, and see our church as if money were no object, and at its best and highest potential. This is our “Castle in the Air” -- the church we WISH we could create if only we felt we could afford to build the foundations under it.

The point of this whole exersize is not to spend a lot of time arguing over whether a particular catagory of expense is Blue or Green or Red, or to try to identify and eliminate all of the “superfluous” Green and Red expenses in order to concetrate our limited resources on meeting our essential Red obligations. Rather, the goal is to give us a common language with which to talk about our historical expenditures (and how we might better manage and control them), as well as our future aspirations and priorities going forward.

We don’t often talk about our current financial situation in these terms, but First Parish actually has a balanced budget right now. It’s just not a budget that is balanced in a sustainable way, or one that adequately reflects our mission, values and priorities as a faith community. It requires us to defer important on-going maintenence to the Meeting House by drawing upon money that would otherwise be set aside for that purpuse, and is also dangerously vulnerable to inflation and the dangers of a recession. Likewise it fails to fund adequately the kinds of new inititives we might undertake in order to better serve the larger Portland community, and (in the words of Bob Greenlaw) “become the kind of church people think we are.”

In order for us to live up to our reputation as Portland’s Original Faith Community, and fulfill our mission of being “A Warm and Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City,” we need to continue to offer excellent services in the traditional areas of ministry like Worship, Education, Fellowship, Hospitality, Pastoral Care, Community Outreach and Social Justice Advocacy that First Parish has historically provided to the Portland Community for over three centuries now. And we also need to be exploring new avenues of ministry, and new revenue sources that will allow us to better serve the community as it changes and evolves in response to changes in the large culture.

Finally, if we look First Parish specifically in fiduciary terms, we might think of the church as a legacy which we have received from our ancestors and hold in trust as a bequest to our descendants. It is likewise a gift which we give to the wider Portland community, and in particular a gift we give to one another. Our individual levels of participation may vary from time to time as the circumstances of our own lives change, but the shared desire that First Parish will always be here for those who need it is at the heart of the Covenental responsibilities that hold us all together as both “people of faith” and “a community of memory and hope.”

GOING FORWARD

I. The First Step might be to bring together a “Financial Summit” this Spring in order to better define the problem and identify the tasks ahead of us, as well as fleshing out the details of the plan and the direction outlined below. The specific objectives of this/these Spring meeting(s) are:

• to bring together the people in the church who have both the institutional memory and the financial expertise to accomplish these objectives. (ad hoc Finance Council)

• to get a good handle on our actual historical expenditures, as well as our current revenue sources.

• to draft a preliminary “spending plan” (in multiple colors) which reflects both our historical actuals, and also our future aspirations, while:

a) cutting as much of the “Dark Red” as possible.
b) honoring our “Bright Red” obligations.
c) identifiying our “Pink” commitments as future goals.
d) prioritizing the various “Green” inititives we would like to begin.
e) lifting up the “Blue” aspirations we’re working for.

• to identify honestly and accurately our present and potential future revenue sources, and to begin to explore ways of improving, increasing, and expanding them.

II. “The Patch in the Ceiling”

• Following up the work of the Spring summit, we need to develop a more permanent Finance Council that includes the Treasurer, the Stewardship Team, the Planned Giving Team, a representative of the Trustees, etc. We all need to do what everyone else is trying to do, and we to do it together!

• The Campaign Begins Today to promote the vision of what we hope to accomplish, and what we will need to do in order to pay for it. We need to share the dream and recruit more partners!

• ºLiving Within Our Means” means paying as we go. Once we have identified our fixed expenses and our reliable revenue sources, we need to manage our cash flow in such a way as to pay our essential bills on time while deferring as many of our discretionary expenses for as long as we can. “Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do or Do Without.”

III. “The On-Going Appeal”

• Use the enthusiasm of the start of a new church year to publicize the Rainbow Spending Plan, and how it reflects the mission and ministry of the church.

• Create some sort of Autumn “signature” outreach/fun(d)raising event in order to raise visibility and good feeling as well as additional money.

• Send sincere, year-end “Thank Yous” to ALL of our current contributors, along with annual statements reflecting their total contributions for the previous tax year. Let them know how much we appreciate their generosity and partnership.

• Make a general year-end appeal for individuals to remember the church at the holidays.

• Make personal, one-on-one Stewardship Visits to our “Annual Givers” -- individuals who prefer to contribute to the church in one lump sum at the end of the tax year.

• Spring 2009: Every Member Stewardship Campaign to kick-off fiscal 2009-10 and “Rainbow 2.0.”

IV. Next Steps

First Parish has utilized a lot of different methods for paying the bills in its 335 year history, and it may well be that we are in a period where the paradigm is once again changing. It may well be, for example, that we DO want to be in the Real Estate business right now, simply because it provides us both with additional revenue and a tangible asset that helps us fulfill our core mission. The “four pillars” of our revenue stream will no doubt continue to be income from invested funds, member giving, fundraising activities, and building rentals for quite some time. But we can and should continue to explore alternative means of generating revenue, while at the same time attempting to enhance the sources we currently rely on.

Likewise, our Budget (Spending Plan) equals our Mission equals our Ministry. Wealth = Worth = Value(s). It’s what we do (and try to do as well as we can) in order to be who we say we are, and to become what we dream of being. The goal is NOT simply to reduce our expenses to the bare minimum. The goal is to be as responsible about ALL our expenditures as we can be, while getting as far into the Blue as we can afford to.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC

2008-04-01T07:58:00.001-04:00

Dancing with my daughter Stephenie

News travels quickly by word of mouth, especially in a church community. After sharing during the Candles of Joy and Sorrow a few Sundays ago the news of my illness,. I was both amazed and gratified by the outpouring of sympathy and support I have received from friends, family, colleagues, former parishioners, and of course all of you here at First Parish. I feel as though I am seeing blossoming before my very eyes the living proof of the truths I've been attempting to learn, practice, and preach with love for the past thirty years: about the values of Gratitude, Generosity, Humility and Service; and the importance of Compassion, Community, and Common Sense; and especially the power of an authentic Ministry of Hospitality to bring out the best in people, and to empower them to do good in the world, while walking together in a covenantal relationship of mutual trust, accountability, and support.

Facing a potentially life-threatening cancer diagnosis is obviously an emotionally intense experience, so I am actually a little surprised by how calm I feel. Perhaps this is simply evidence that all this expensive theological education was actually worth the money after all, but I am also well aware of the fact that I am not the first person in this congregation, nor even its first minister, to receive this kind of news from their physician, and the knowledge that I am not alone gives me great comfort. So I want to repeat my request that those of you who have had some experience with this sort of thing in your own lives will help reassure others in the congregation that it is indeed a normal part of living, that doubtlessly almost every one of us will at some point receive news like this from our own physicians, and that we simply have to have the courage and the trust to take things in stride, without worrying too much about the things we can't control, and concentrating our attention on the things we can.

By the time this newsletter arrives in your mailbox, I will have doubtlessly already started my treatments for this illness. Obviously I can't predict now how I will be feeling then, but I imagine that I will be either on medical leave or at the very least on some form of "light duty" for much of the foreseeable future. I have started keeping a "cancer blog" http://onedayisle.blogspot.com which you are welcome to read as you wish for updates on my progress. And, of course, the plans for my formal installation as the fifteenth settled minister of this congregation, on Sunday May 4th, continue to move forward on schedule.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support and encouragement during my time of trial, and especially for calling me here to Portland to serve as your minister. Although this is certainly not the start of a new ministry that any of us would have anticipated or hoped for, I have great faith that our journey together will indeed lead us to a place of deeper spiritual insight and wisdom, and that we will emerge on the other side both stronger souls and a stronger community as a result..........twj

****

>From the President
Sue Veligor: Susan@cornerstoneplanning.com

I expect at this point that most of you are aware of Tim Jensen's health issue. Surprise, fear, sadness and worry are some of the many emotions/reactions that spring forth for me. One of the characteristics I recognized (and admired) immediately about Tim, when we first began our relationship, is his philosophy of identifying opportunities in all situations, including those where others tend to only see problems. Thus, as you might imagine, he already has discovered the silver lining that envelops his lung cancer. At first, it was in the context of discussing Rebecca Hines' (our new RE Director) request for financial help to pay health insurance premiums. For Tim, this request hit close to home; he knows how fortunate he is to have coverage. Perhaps this might lead the church to set a goal of providing health insurance to all staff?

An opportunity for us as a congregation, which also may stem from Tim's illness, is not unlike that which we've witnessed around such serious events as 911, whereby people truly come together, united in a mission, and in the process have expanded the bounds of selflessness. This morning when I asked Tim how he was doing he confessed to being pleasingly overwhelmed by the many offers of support he's received and went on to observe that "we need a coordinator to manage the people who want to help." Jackie Oliveri has offered to take on the role of coordinating Tim's care committee during his treatment. Jackie will send out an e-mail and include information in the Sunday Bulletin as soon as possible as to what Tim's needs are.

This month I attended a Membership meeting, a Stewardship meeting, and a Pathways to Leadership team meeting. In these meetings, the discussion has been around helping members become more near to their church: to offer regular occasions for socializing and connecting; to find opportunities for folks to develop and grow personally; and to build a society that reflects everyone's best effort.

To that end, I am excited to tell you that on April 6th and 13th you are invited, at coffee hour, to examine the many possibilities for enrichment that exist within our structure. I have asked each committee or council chair to provide a brief description of the opportunities under their purview and an estimate of time commitment. These volunteer positions will be posted in the Parish Hall with chairpersons from the respective committees nearby to answer questions and sign you up to fill one of these important roles at First Parish.

Will you join me, please, in being part of "the three legs: Time, Treasure and Talents," which Rev. Jensen often refers to when honoring the diverse contributions that define our "whole" church experience.

Four Simple Rules

2008-03-14T10:18:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting post from another UU blogger about an alternative way of "doing church." Making Chutney

MINISTER'S REPORT - March 11, 2008

2008-03-11T11:18:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday during the Candles of Joy and Sorrow I shared with the congregation the news that a few weeks ago I visited my doctor after waking up in the night and discovering that I was coughing up blood. A subsequent chest X-Ray and CT scan indicated a mass in my right lung the shape of a good-sized Jalapeño pepper, which of course triggered a whole series of other diagnostic tests now scheduled over the next couple of weeks. I also mentioned that I knew I wasn't the first person in the congregation (or even the first minister) to receive this kind of news from their doctor, and that I certainly wouldn't be last; and asked if those who had experienced this sort of thing in their own lives would reassure the others that it is indeed a common and natural part of ordinary human existence, which needs simply to be taken in stride, one step at a time.

Personally, I'm much less concerned about the course my treatment will take over the next few weeks or months than I am the ways that receiving treatment for this illness (whatever it turns out to be) will effect my ability to conduct my ministry here at First Parish. It's still too early to tell exactly how much time I may need off, but I think it would be a good idea to begin discussing some of the options for covering my most essential duties when the time eventually comes that I am not really capable of easily and effectively handling them myself.

Always one to see opportunity, in this regard my becoming ill at this time may actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise, since it also creates a certain degree of urgency around tasks like revitalizing our lay pastoral "Care-Ring" and recruiting new volunteer leaders for other key positions, and also pretty much insures that I won't just try to do it all myself.

Recruiting additional Care-Ring Volunteers and Coordinators would normally fall under the jurisdiction of the Membership Committee, but we may want to appoint some additional folks to assist with this task. Ordinarily, a good first step would be to distribute some sort of "helping hands" sign-up sheet on which people could indicate their availablity, and the kinds of things they are willing to do. We then need to identify people who would be willing to volunteer to coordinate matching services to individual needs, and also create some sort of training for Pastoral Care Associates who are willing to serve as Parish Visitors. Finally, we need to identify and appoint a new Chaplain or Chaplains, to take over for Sally Madore (who has already effectively resigned from that post in order to focus on her hospital ministry, although she has agreed to remain on our letterhead).

We also need additional support for the Worship Committee, both in terms of planning for services when I can not be in the pulpit, and also to help me with the Installation Service on May 4th. The good news is that a lot of these services are close to being covered; but someone is going to have to take charge of wrapping up the details and shepherding them through.

I also want to remind people about the rescheduled "Path to Leadership" dinner this Friday, and our plans to hold some sort of "Volunteer Fair" later in the Spring.

There are still three pre-paid spaces for the District Small Group Ministry facilitator training, which has been rescheduled for this Saturday at A2U2. Neither Linda Blue nor Rebecca Hinds (who is now back in Minnesota to see her dying grandmother and attend the funeral) are available this weekend...and if there is interest someone is welcome to attend in my place as well. The training runs from 9 am to 1 pm, with lunch on your own; my advice if you're interested (or know of someone who is) is to just show up. The first three will be free, and I'm pretty sure they'll take your money at the door. I will try to pin this down with Helen Zidowecki as soon as I can.

Shortly after I first learned that my health was not all that it should be, my friend Elizabeth Leavitt offered to come here to Portland to be with me and help out however she could during this time. We're now trying to figure out some of the financial and other details that would make this possible. I've known Elizabeth since Divinity School; she is also an ordained UU minister with a strong background in dealing with the medical care system. If Elizabeth is able to come, I would propose that the Governing Board sponsor her as what is known as an "Affiliated Community Minister," and also that we appoint her to serve as one of our Chaplains.

Next Steps -- once I have a formal diagnosis and treatment plan, I plan to share that additional information more formally with the entire extended congregation: possibly through a Newsletter Column, or some sort of letter or e-mail blast, or possibly all of the above. I would also hope to be able to provide some of the additional details of how we plan to cover my absence in the likelihood that I will be forced to take some sort of medial leave for treatment this spring.

Finally, I can't begin to tell you how gratifying it is to me personally to experience the love and support so many individual members of this congregation have offered me now that I have shared this news. I am so very proud to be your minister.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Springing Forward”

2008-03-01T14:54:00.000-05:00

I know it’s hard to imagine, with four-foot tall snowbanks still lining the sidewalks, and winter storm warnings every other day, but better days are just around the corner. And I, for one, can hardly wait. “March Fo(u)rth” is the only date on the calendar that is also a command. And soon we’ll all be marching forward, toward warmer weather and longer days, and the long-awaited rebirth of new life in Spring.

A recent survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life indicates that approximately one-half of Americans have changed religious affiliation over the course of their lifetimes, either from one faith community to another, or from no faith community to a new faith community, or even from their original faith community to no faith community whatsoever. And buried deep within the footnotes of the report is the information that approximately seven-tenths of one percent of Americans identify themselves as “Unitarian or other liberal faiths,” and that approximately half of those identify specifically as “Unitarian (Universalist).”

Three-tenths of one percent is approximately 600,000 souls…not a whole lot of folks in a general population measured in the hundreds of millions, but approximately four times as many as the number of UUs who are currently listed on the membership rolls of the 1,042 congregations that make up the Unitarian Universalist Association. So, where are all these missing Unitarians? Out meditating in the woods? At home drinking espresso and reading the Sunday New York Times? Or perhaps spending time at a playground with their families, or doing volunteer work for a progressive social service agency, or even just enjoying a leisurely brunch at a cozy, local restaurant?

The fact is, they could be just about anywhere. But they’re NOT in church…and I’m curious why. What is it that we need to be doing better or differently that will make our congregation a more attractive option for these “phantom” UUs? How can we best serve the people who ALREADY know they belong here, but for some reason don’t feel like hanging out with the rest of us?

I’m a firm believer that people have different needs for spiritual connection at different times in their lives. Sometimes you just want to sit quietly for an hour on Sunday morning, enjoy the music and listen to what the preacher has to say. Sometimes you want to be involved up to your eyebrows, with classes and small groups and social events, and volunteering for every activity and committee you can find. And sometimes it’s enough simply to walk by the front door and glance at the message in the Wayside Pulpit, and know that if you choose to you can walk up the steps and through the front door any time you like.

But sometimes people just get out of the habit. This is why I would like to suggest that in addition to “Bring a Friend to Church” Sunday, we ought to have a “Bring a Friend BACK to Church” Sunday. Easter, or the Jim Scott concert on April 6th, or my Installation Service on May 4th – these would all be great opportunities to invite someone you know to visit our congregation and worship with us…either for the first time, or for the first time in a long time. Who knows? – they may be missing us just as much as we’ve been missing them. The only way to find out is to ask…….twj

(ALMOST) EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM (FOR BEGINNERS)

2008-02-24T08:21:00.000-05:00

The Unitarian Universalist Association was formed in 1961 as the result of the consolidation of two existing religious organizations: the American Unitarian Association (founded in Boston in 1825), and the Universalist Church in America (c. 1785, leading to the eventual creation of the “Philadelphia Convention of Universalists” in 1790). Both these institutions in turn represented still earlier ecclesiastical organizations and theological traditions which, in some cases, can be traces back to the earliest days of Christianity.

• Unitarianism: the belief that God is One. (i.e. Jesus is not God).

• Universalism: the belief that ultimately All Souls shall be reconciled with their Creator (i.e. “no hell” or Universal Salvation).

Nowadays there is some question about how “UUism” is best understood:

1. is it a form of “liberal Christianity,” and the historical successor of these two earlier ecclesiastical bodies?

2. is it a “post-Christian” Protestant heresy, embracing wisdom and inspiration from ALL of the world’s great faith traditions?

3. is Unitarian Universalism its own “New Religion?”

Of course it is also possible that we may be all of the above, or even NONE of the above but something entirely different instead (such as “secular Humanism in religious clothing,” or “the Democratic party at prayer”).

But however one chooses to understand “Our Liberal Movement in Theology,” it’s important to acknowledge that Unitarian Universalism’s most direct, powerful and immediate historical roots are Biblical, and are derived from a certain method for reading the Bible, which was eloquently articulated by William Ellery Channing in his 1819 Baltimore Sermon entitled “Unitarian Christianity.”

“Our leading principle in interpreting Scripture is this, that the Bible is a book written for men, in the language of men, and that its meaning is to be sought in the same manner as that of other books...[through] the constant exercise of reason.”

Channing and his fellow Unitarians were accused at the time of elevating human reason above the word of God. Nowadays, this method of interpreting Scripture is basically universal throughout the academic community; the Fundamentalist doctrine of “verbal inerrancy” (“God said it, I believe it, that settles it”) is an early 20th century backlash against what is now known as the “historical-critical” method of Biblical scholarship.

What Channing REALLY did was privilege the authority of what was known as “Natural Theology” over that of Supernatural Revelation. In other words, Scripture (ALL Scripture) is best understood as a testimony of human experience, which may contain or reflect a “revelation” of the Divine, but which is always mediated through the personality and peculiarities of the authors, and their own particular historical and cultural context and assumptions.

In a subsequent generation, this principle led to a notion called “Absolute Religion,” which was believed to be true regardless of whether or not human beings believed or understood it, but which was to some degree or another reflected by every authentic “historical” religion. In other words, what is True is True whether we believe it or not, and is true for everyone regardless of our differing levels of understanding. But Absolute Truth is also ultimately mysterious and unknowable, since (after all) we’re only human, and not God. The task of religion is one of “Self-Culture” -- a growing understanding of “the Truth” in the context of our own lives, through a humble and disciplined, free and responsible search not just for “Truth,” but even more importantly for “Meaning.”

THREE VERY IMPORTANT AND CLOSELY RELATED CONCEPTS:

FREEDOM: we are “a Church Without a Creed.” Rather than organizing ourselves around a shared confession of belief, members of UU congregations enter into a Covenant to “walk together” in a relationship of mutual trust and support.

REASON: UUs are not free to believe whatever we wish; we are COMPELLED to believe what our reason and our experience tell us to be true.

TOLERANCE: UU churches are governed by Congregational Polity, which means that local church members retain the right to elect their own leaders and select their own ministers, and to manage their own affairs through both consensus and “majority rule,” with the rights and opinions of “dissenters” honored for the integrity of their different point of view. We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable.

The ATTITUDES that accompany Freedom, Reason, and Tolerance are Integrity, Humility, and Respect. And together they create the environment through which we work to bring out the best in one another, and make the world a better place for everyone.

MINISTER’S REPORT – February 12th 2008

2008-02-12T10:01:00.000-05:00

Highlights:

Worship Calendar is filling out nicely; Charlie Grindle will be serving as our “interim” Music Director, and may be interested in remaining on permanently as our “Minister of Music.”

20 individuals have signed up for our “New UU” Explorer Classes.

Nominating Committee is meeting to improve our leadership development process, and also to recruit new leaders and volunteers in several key areas

Stewardship Campaign

We’ve known for some time that First Parish will be operating at a budgetary deficit for the next few fiscal years, and that the Trustees will be playing a “backstop” role to make certain we can continue to pay our bills (and specifically make our payroll!) in a timely fashion while we move toward a balanced budget. The questions that remain are just how far out of balance are we, and what can we do to make up the difference? Church Treasurer Carl Laws and Trustees Treasurer Ted Noyes are now in conversation about how best to manage the cash flow through their respective accounts in order to meet all of our obligations.

Finding the resources not only to bring our current budget into balance, but also to be able to afford to do all the other things we DREAM of doing, is an ongoing challenge…as it has been for every church I’ve served. It’s not a challenge we are going to overcome overnight. But if we continue to do the right things, if we continue to invite people into partnership with us, if we continue to provide the kind of service and ministry to the members of this community that we aspire to provide, I have faith that the resources will follow, somehow. So let’s not take our eyes off of the road ahead to stare too long at the gas gauge. We all know what’s in the tank. Let’s make the most of what we have, trusting that when the time comes we will figure out a way to “fill ‘er up.”

Special Fundraising Events

This obviously relates to the topic above as well. Linda Shary has a fantastic idea for a Spring festival, but still needs lots more help to make it happen.

Planned Giving

There is a committee, and it is indeed meeting. This is potentially a very important aspect of our long-term financial stability, but once again it’s not going to happen overnight.

“Next Step” – (415 Congress Street)
.
[if there is anything new to report, it will be done verbally at the meeting]

Improved Policies and Standard Operation Procedures

Barbara is reviewing who has been issued keys, and has reissued all of the alarm access codes.

The Pathway to Membership

The “New UU” Explorer classes have begun. We have 20 people enrolled, and my hope is that at least that many people will be joining the church on Palm Sunday. The Membership Committee is also planning to re-contact all of the names on our list of recent visitors, in order to invite them to fill out an anonymous “Survey Monkey” regarding their impressions and experience of First Parish.

Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish

The Nominating Committee met last week, and will be meeting again tomorrow night. The Committee is looking to expand both its membership and its scope, and working to create a more comprehensive leadership development strategy as well as filling some of our currently vacant key leadership positions.

Children’s RE program

Rebecca Hinds has accepted the position of Director of Religious Education, and did indeed begin work on January 15th.

Worship & Music Program

Charlie Grindle begins as our regular substitute organist/choir director this coming Sunday, and has expressed some interest in continuing on permanently as a “Minister of Music,” with additional responsibilities to be determined. This will all be part of the discussion for the Search Committee, which I hope will consist of myself, Personnel Committee Chair Jeff Logan, at-large member Mary Bloch, and one representative each from both the Music Committee and the Worship Committee. The Worship Committee STILL needs to find a new Chair/Council Representative to replace Bob Greenlaw, who resigned from the position because of personal circumstances.

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

A by-law amendment to resurrect the “Communications Council” (with Dennis Levasseur serving as Chair) was not ready in time for the special congregational meeting last month, but we are basically proceeding forward as if it had (with the intention of formally re-establishing the Council at the May Annual meeting), and allowing the “proto-Council” to function as it needs to in the meantime.

Small Group Ministry program

A district-sponsored Small Group Ministry Training workshop is scheduled for March 8th at A2U2 – a link to the event site can be found here. I hope we can find a group of interested people to attend this training, and help revitalize our own small group ministry program here at First Parish.

Chaplains/Pastoral Care Ring

If anything, we seem to be going backwards in this area. 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 (who had both previously indicated interest in serving in this capacity) are essentially missing in action as their own lives move in new directions.

Articulating a Clear Vision and Long Range Plan for the Future of First Parish

The challenge/goal of “Becoming the Church People Think We Are” continues to call us to examine 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.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “What’s for Lent?”

2008-02-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

The season of Lent isn’t something that Unitarian Universalists generally pay a lot of attention to. We tend to think of it (when we think of it as all) as six dreary weeks separating school vacations, the period of time between Mardi Gras and Easter where nothing really happens, and nobody really expects to have much fun anyway.

But within the traditional Christian liturgical calendar, the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday is a season of renewal: a time for prayer and fasting, study and sacrifice (which means, literally, “to make sacred”) during which new “converts to the faith” would prepare themselves (like Jesus in the Wilderness) for their own “rebirth” (through baptism) at the beginning of Holy Week.

Personally I’ve always been attracted to the idea of a disciplined season of religious growth and learning. Lent isn’t about giving something up; it’s about trying something new, and learning more about the life of faith in the process. In that spirit, I always try to do something a little special for the churches I serve, which usually turns out to be a great experience for me as well.

Those last few weeks before Easter are also a great time to bring a friend to church. On February 10th UU musician Jim Scott will be leading our worship service, so if you know of someone you think might enjoy being part of First Parish, and have been looking for an excuse to invite them to one of our services, this is your big chance. Feel free to reassure them that accompanying you to church one time is not a lifetime commitment, even though it might just turn out to be a life-changing experience.

When you aren’t in the habit, stepping through the doors of a place like this can feel pretty intimidating. It’s nice to have someone you know there by your side to show you the ropes. So I encourage everyone to think carefully about who you care enough about to share this meaningful part of YOUR life, and then to offer them the hospitality of our community. It might just turn out to be the most amazing gift you ever give them.

Finally, this year on Palm Sunday (which comes early this year on March 16th) we will be formally welcoming new members into our congregation here at First Parish. No immersion in water will be required (other than your usual bath or shower); all you really have to do is show up and sign the book, receive the accolades of your new co-religionists, and enjoy the delicious food afterwards. But we are also offering a series of classes during Lent that you can take beforehand in order to learn more about our faith tradition, and how to get the most out of your membership here. Please look for more information elsewhere in this newsletter, or call or e-mail me if you have any questions.

OK, so maybe Lent really IS a dreary time of year. But that’s no reason to take it personally. Rather, take advantage of this opportunity to renew your spirit and refresh your soul. And let’s enjoy one another’s company in the process.

Planning to Grow

2008-02-01T10:08:00.000-05:00

My friend and Divinity School classmate, Dan Hotchkiss, who now works as a consultant for the Alban Institute, has written a very excellent article about planning for church growth, which includes the observation: "With the possible exception of rich, repentant criminals, nobody visits a church in the hope of being asked to pay some of its bills. But a lot of people visit with vague hopes of friendship, intimacy, spiritual succor, and support in living a more useful life...." Dan's point is that by planning to create the kinds of activities which nurture these things, rather than setting numerical goals for membership growth per se, churches actually have a much better chance of achieving the growth they desire.

The complete text of Dan's article can be read here

Small Group Ministry Training

2008-01-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

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

2008-01-07T11:35:00.000-05:00

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”

2008-01-02T09:49:00.001-05:00

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

DECEMBER MINISTER'S REPORT

2007-12-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

We’re four months into this new ministry now, with six months left to go until the end of the program year. We’ve identified our on-going priorities for the year as Stewardship, Membership, and Outreach, and are working to make meaningful advances in each of these three areas. Energy and enthusiasm are high, Sunday attendance is good, and although money is always an issue in churches so far we seem to be paying our bills.

Now, here’s an evolving checklist of things I would like for us to try to address before the end of the program year in June. If it all seems a little overwhelming, DON’T PANIC! The job of the Governing Board is simply to help define the desirable outcomes and necessary tasks, to identify and recruit the appropriate people to carry them out, and to make certain they have the training and the resources they need to be able to get the job done. Obviously, we won’t accomplish everything we hope to right away. But at least we can get things moving in the right direction

Wrap-up the Stewardship Campaign [Stephanie, Carl, Stewardship Team]

* Follow-up with the last of the folks we have not heard from yet.
* Add up the total number of pledges and the amount pledged
* Calculate the average & median pledges
* Do the analysis
* Thank the donors and volunteers
* Begin planning and recruiting for next year.

Special Fundraising Events [Bill, Carl, Linda, others?]

* The silent auction for handicapped accessibility is off to a great start!
* Now we need to start thinking about scheduling other events for later this spring (Jim Scott concert? Linda’s Spring Festival idea?)
* First steps toward a more formalized planned giving program.

“Next Step” – Trustees: especially Paula, Steve, Ted]

* We should know in another month or so whether or not this is going to fly.
* If it DOES fly, we will be entering into a whole new era of space utilization, program development, community footprint, etc. Be Prepared!
* If it doesn’t fly, we will need to move on to Plan B – what will we have to do in order to be able to accommodate all the things we want to do here in the space available?

Develop More Explicit Administrative Policies and Standard Operation Procedures [Tim, Barbara, Sue, others?]

* Identify more realistic deadlines for routine office work
* Predictable meeting schedules!
* Policies/Procedures in place: simplify, simplify

Articulate a Clear Vision and Long Range Plan for the Future of First Parish [Tim, COM, entire leadership team]

* “Becoming the Church People Think We Are.”
* “Roles, not Goals” – what part should First Parish play in the larger Portland community? How do we step up and fill those shoes?

Keep Enhancing the Pathway to Membership [Tim, Val, Sylvia, Membership Committee]

* (See Previous Handout – “The Path to Membership”)
* Benchmarking Measurements – what percentage of 1st time visitors
visit again? become formal members?
* Keep tweaking the materials and practices
* Hire a paid, part-time Membership Coordinator (?)

Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish [Tim and Nominating Committee, Governing Board]

* (See Previous Handout – “Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish”)
* Work with the Nominating Committee: “a ministry for every person”
* Develop better job descriptions
* Refine recruitment procedures.

Children’s RE program [RE Committee, new DRE, Tim]

* get the new DRE up to speed ASAP
* on-going Training and Team-building, program development

Worship & Music Program [Tim, Music Committee, Personnel Committee, Worship Council]

* Chip’s decision to resign actually puts us in a position to rethink (and expand) our entire music program: Organist, Accompanist(s), Choir Director, “Artist(s) in Residence,” guest performers
* Work with the Worship Council to better define the kind of worship experience we hope to create -- Order of Service Changes, Sept 2008?

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

* (See Previous Handout – “Thinking About Outreach”)
* Two new slogans: “Portland’s Original Faith Community (gathered in 1674)” and “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City”
* Some upcoming events we may wish to publicize:

January
Arrival of the new DRE
“New UU” Explorer Classes

February
10 Jim Scott Service (and Concert?)
Rev Tim’s Semi-Vegetarian Potluck and Lenten Study Series

March
16 New Members Reception on Palm Sunday
23 Easter Sunday
29 First "Greater Portland Community Forum @ 1st Parish" (?)
30 UUA Social Justice Sunday

April
16 Music Sunday
20 Earth Day

May
5 Installation Service
11 Mother’s Day/Spring Child Dedications
18 Spring Festival (?)

Small Group Ministry program [Tim, Bill, existing SGM participants]

* Identify existing groups – support and coach
* Spring facilitator training
* Open enrollment: form new Covenant Groups

Chaplains/Pastoral Care Ring [Tim, Membership Committee, Chaplains]

* Sally Madore, Bob Greenlaw, Johanna Spencer, more?
* Identify, Recruit and Train additional Pastoral Visitors, Care Ring Volunteers
* BTS Field Education Student?

BECOMING THE CHURCH PEOPLE THINK WE ARE (AND EXPECT US TO BE)

2007-12-06T11:10:00.001-05:00

When church leaders begin to reflect about what it means to be a “successful” church, they are often tempted to look first at the things that are easy to measure: Attendance, Membership, the size of the Church Budget, the results of the Annual Stewardship Campaign, and the amount of the Average Pledge. These are all good benchmarks of institutional growth, but if they become the ONLY benchmarks they also tend to start driving the entire organization, and in the process the less tangible things that make churches authentic faith communities sometimes get lost or fall by the wayside.

This is why it is also important to consider what some church consultants call “Incarnational Growth” – how effectively does our congregation embody our Mission as a community of faith, and how can we grow in both maturity and expertise as people of faith in order to make our vision real? At the risk of oversimplifying the process, the challenge of Incarnational Growth essentially involves thinking about "roles, not goals," while examining three successive questions regarding the seven core areas of our church program.

• What is our definition of excellence in this area?
• What would that look and feel like if we actually achieved it?
• What do we need to learn and do in order to make that happen?

Just as a reminder, the seven core areas are:

• Worship
• Lifespan Religious Education
• Fellowship
• Hospitality
• Faith in Action
• Community Outreach
• Pastoral Care

This is an invitation to avoid impatience, and to dream big dreams. We are in this for the long haul, and planning for an era, not just a year or two down the road. If we know where we want to go, with persistence and tenacity we will eventually get there. Or to paraphrase Thoreau, until we draw the blueprints for our “Castles in the Air,” we will never be able to put the foundations under them.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Portland’s Original Faith Community”

2007-12-01T08:56:00.000-05:00

I’ve been thinking an awful lot of late about the complex relationship between innovation and tradition. Between roots and wings. Between memory and hope. It’s a fairly ubiquitous topic in my line of work, with its constant challenge to be out there in the vanguard and on the cutting edge, while still remaining solidly grounded in the values and principles of our liberal religious heritage. The latter connect us to the wisdom of the ages. The former evoke our creative imaginations, that portion of our life-spirit which “maketh all things new,” and that Scripture tells us was created in the image of God.

When properly aligned, tradition provides the stable foundation which allows innovation to flourish. When they become out of alignment, it can sometimes start to feel like that age-old struggle between the irresistible force and the immovable object. Thomas Jefferson once advised: “In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, flow with the current.” I prefer a more pedestrian metaphor. So long as our feet remain planted solidly on the ground, our heads are free to soar as high among the clouds as they wish.

Tradition teaches us not to fear change, because we know that we have faced change in the past, changed, and still endured. The knowledge of who we are and where we have come from can also show us where we need to go, and how best to get there. A heritage of innovation challenges us to live up to the legacy of our ancestors, and to carry forward the spirit of their vision here in our own time, in ways that they might never have imagined. This “living tradition” is what gives our faith community the continuing power to transform people’s lives for the better, while at the same time connecting us all to that long line of people – some living, some dead, some not yet born – who share this journey with us, and whose lives also have been (or will be) transformed by our dynamic, on-going relationship with one another here in this place.

I personally am delighted by the knowledge that the First Parish Church is indeed Portland’s Original Faith Community: gathered in 1674, and still going strong 333 years later. In this holiday season, as we celebrate so many of the traditions of our past, and with the approaching the New Year, and its many associations with fresh starts and new beginnings, let us call to mind once again the familiar words of the 19th century hymn composer William DeWitt Hyde: “Since what we choose is what we are, and what we love we yet shall be, the goal may ever shine afar, the will to reach it makes us free.”

WORSHIP THAT WORKS

2007-11-28T08:57:00.000-05:00

A group of us have been enjoying a regular "conversation" about the experience of Worship and what it means, in part guided by an excellent new book by two UU ministers called Worship That Works. Here are some key concepts worthy of even more discussion.

Four Dynamic Forces that influence worship “norms”

What is the “Founding Culture?”

What are the Worship Traditions?

What is the Musical Baseline?

What is the Physical Space?

These four factors combine to create the "personality" of a particular congregation. They may change and evolve over time, but are ignored at one's peril. Meanwhile, one important purpose of worship is to change people's lives for the better: to instruct them, inspire them, and to send them out again into the world renewed, rejuvinated, and ready to face the world for another week. According to the authors,

Transformative Worship…

· invites the congregation into holy time and creates sacred space from the very beginning of the service

· includes an affirmation of the congregation’s central mission, values, and promises

· uses powerful symbols that are familiar to the congregations and are rooted in the community’s history and tradition

· is culturally sensitive, honoring and interpreting the context and setting of ritual elements and service content drawn from the world’s diverse cultures

· finds ways to invite and include people at all ages and stages of life

· skillfully uses the arts, particularly music, to express the ineffable in ways that are culturally accessible to the congregation

· recognizes inclusive singing as a way of opening the heart to the presence of the holy and to the mission, vision, and values of the congregation

· uses any announcements as a reminder of the mission, vision, and values of the congregation, and as a bridge from the service to personal actions and commitments

· invites and creates congregations of generosity and abundance

· finds ways to recognize individual lives within the body of the community, holding the personal and the collective in dynamic tension

· includes silence and words that remind us of our dependency on the mystery of life and each other

· honors traditional and contemporary sources for the congregation’s faith journey and helps place this journey in time, through the framework of the liturgical year

· can happen without a sermon, but the power of the word through excellent preaching is the key that unlocks the possibility of transformation in most of our congregations

· sends people out into the world with a personal sense of mission, with their highest values reinforced.

From Worship That Works: Theory and Practice for Unitarian Universalists, by Wayne Arnason and Kathleen Rolenz (Boston: Skinner House, 2008)

NOVEMBER MINISTER’S REPORT

2007-11-13T09:53:00.000-05:00

After last month’s Governing Board meeting, more than one of you mentioned to me that I seemed to be handing out an awful lot of “homework,” and reminded me in effect that all of you are volunteers with “day jobs,” who are generously doing the important work of the church in your spare time.

Fair enough. So to put it all in context, most of the things that I will be distributing to you from time to time are mostly for your information and feedback, and perhaps to stimulate your imaginations. The “homework” is all optional and voluntary, and in effect is to help me better learn about First Parish. Notwithstanding all of the routine work that has to be done around here just to keep things going from day to day, this is still very much a “learning year” for all of us. You are learning about me, I’m learning about you, and hopefully together we are both learning a little more about First Parish: what we do well, what we hope to do better, where we want to go together, and what resides at the “soul” of our shared spiritual life as a covenanted community of faith.

And this is why, in addition to the three priority areas of Membership, Stewardship, and Outreach, I asked all of you to think about creating simple, transparent, easily teachable and consistently repeatable Standard Operation Procedures for each of your respective areas of concern, and also to try to carve out some time for yourselves to learn more about the “big picture.” Because both of these things are going to be very important to us in the years ahead, and will make all our work easier in the long run.

To borrow a sporting metaphor, this first year of my ministry here might basically be thought of as a “rebuilding” year. We have a new coach and new players to integrate into our team, we are working together to learn and implement an entirely new “game plan,” and we have many long hours of training and practice ahead of us before we achieve our full potential. We’ll still play a full schedule this season, and hopefully win a lot more than we lose. But winning a championship doesn’t happen overnight. We need to commit ourselves to creating that “culture of success” over a long haul if we truly wish to achieve everything I believe we are capable of achieving.

And on that note, here are some quick updates:

• Accessible Bathrooms. My understanding is that our accessibility architect has already drawn up plans to remodel the parlor bathroom on the main floor, and is in the process of creating similar plans for the two bathrooms off of the multi-purpose room on the ground floor. These two bathrooms will probably NOT be fully ADA handicapped accessible (something about lack of space for an adequate wheelchair turning radius), but they will be more accessible than they are at present, and also still accommodate some of the other uses we’ve talked about in terms of pageant dressing areas, and a dedicated custodial mop sink. The Women’s Alliance has also been working on plans to refurbish the parlor kitchen (and move the Sexton out of that space entirely). Between what the Alliance has to contribute, our anticipated insurance settlement from the water damage, and a possible “bridge” loan from the Trustees, I’m hoping that all of these projects will be completed by this spring prior to my Installation service (as well as the slate roof, belltower, and plaster ceiling repairs in the Meetinghouse proper, all of which are on the Trustees’ menu). We will still need to address the fundraising issue to make up the balance of the cost of the bathroom remodel, whatever that turns out to be. The number which people have been kicking around is about $5000, but we won’t really know the exact figure until the work itself goes out to bid.

• Membership Growth. As of Monday afternoon, I have mailed out a total of 55 visitors welcome letters since the start of our regular services in September. This is truly excellent traffic! (In comparison, I don’t think I mailed this many letters total the entire four years I served in Carlisle). Next steps on the Path to Membership are a newcomers brunch/reception after church on December 2nd, and the beginning of our “Explorer” series/New UU classes in January. The traditional Sunday for formally receiving new members into fellowship is Palm Sunday, which this year falls on March 16th. Our “benchmark” goal is that 20% (or more) of this year’s first time visitors will choose to affiliate formally with First Parish by signing the book on or prior to that Sunday.

• Stewardship Campaign. Stephanie will doubtlessly want to deliver her own, more detailed report on this as the campaign itself wraps up, but from where I sit the indications are that this has been very successful, both in terms of improved process and also early results. The next three steps in this area (as I see them) are a) to consolidate the learning and success of this years campaign, so that they can continue in subsequent years; b) to begin to pull together our “special events & fun(d)raising” team as we talked about at the Planning Retreat, and c) to work more closely with the Trustees around issues of bequests and planned giving.

• Community Outreach. Here’s a handout of some of the things I think we ought to be thinking about in terms of improved promotion and public relations. Again, feedback invited but not required.

• DRE Search. As of this morning, there were nine resumes in my file. My understanding of the process is that the DRE Search Committee will do the initial screening, and that I will also interview the “finalists” – and that hopefully we will be able to come to a consensus decision. The goal is to have someone on board by January.

• Worship. Attendance seems to be solid and energy high, although it’s difficult for me to know how to compare what is happening now with previous years. I’ve been involved in a very interesting on-going conversation about worship on alternating Wednesday evenings, based on the book Worship that Works, and some of the insights from those meetings will no doubt make their way through the Worship Committee and into our worship service, but no really major changes to our current Order of Service are contemplated before next fall. In the meantime, we will continue to “experiment” from time to time with alternative worship practices, although always within the over-arching structure of our current tradition.

• Small Group Ministry. This is another area here at First Parish where I’m still learning the ropes, but which I hope will become a significant component in our overall program mix. I like to think of “Covenant Groups” (sometimes also known as “Chalice Circles”) as simply one component of a more expansive SGM program, which should also include “Affinity” groups (like Connections and the Soulful Parenting Group) and more traditional Adult Religious Growth and Learning offerings. I’ve met with several of these groups already, and hope to begin revitalizing this program again after the first of the year as well

• Lay Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care Ring. Sally Madore has asked to step down from her position as lead lay chaplain, although she has agreed (at my request) to remain on our letterhead, and to fulfill some of those functions on an on-going basis as needed. In the meantime, I don’t see any need for us to limit ourselves to just one lay chaplain, and would kind of like to expand this program a little, in connection with improving our overall system of recruiting and training “Care-Ring” volunteers. The sad truth is that if we are successful in achieving our membership growth goals, there is simply no way that I personally am going to be able to provide the level of personal pastoral care I was accustomed to when serving smaller congregations. So we need to start putting together a program to take over much of that responsibility, so that our members who need and desire pastoral care will not be left to do without.

THINKING ABOUT OUTREACH

2007-11-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

A lot of people have been expressing to me a desire to see First Parish do something more effective in the way of advertising, in order to attract more people to our congregation. But in my experience, effectively advertising a church can be a tricky business, where if you don’t know what you’re doing it is easy to spend an awful lot of money without much positive result (and in some cases, even a negative one). So here are some of my reflections on the subject, as we start to think about moving forward in this area.

• The notion that we can simply purchase more and better advertising and that more (and better) people will begin attending church on Sunday mornings as a result is deceptively naïve. We need to be very specific, targeted, focused and intentional about what we hope to accomplish in “marketing” First Parish, and how best to go about achieving those objectives in an effective and economical way.

• One specific starting place might be to examine more closely what we are already doing in the way of “static” advertising (our exterior and interior signage, our pamphlets and literature, our Yellow Pages ads, our Saturday newspaper ad, and especially our newsletter and website), in order to determine whether or not we are portraying a consistent identity (or “brand”), and how we might better use these tools to reinforce the identity we would like to portray.

• Likewise, rather than presuming that the purpose of a Public Relations campaign is simply to attract more newcomers through the front doors (who may or may not return and eventually join First Parish), we might frame our objectives in both a broader and a more nuanced manner, by asking:

 what might we specifically do to improve the image, reinforce the identity, and raise the visibility of First Parish in the larger community? [i.e. to increase our “brand recognition”]
 what can we do to promote specific events of interest to the larger community other than Sunday Services that are taking place here at First Parish? [i.e. to create and promote alternative entry points]
 what can we do to inspire our current members to become more deeply involved at First Parish, and to encourage them to invite their friends?

Finally, I just want to make it clear that advertising alone is not going to grow the church all by itself. It’s just not enough merely to get people through the front door; we also need to welcome them warmly, anticipate their needs and desires, and effectively satisfy those expectations so that they will return and bring their friends. If we FAIL to do these things, we are probably better off NOT advertising, since newcomers who are disappointed by their experience here will probably tell their friends as well….

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “…at the speed of Church”

2007-11-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

Autumn is my favorite time of year in New England. OK, technically, it’s Indian Summer (which is really just Autumn at its best). The crisp, brisk air. The colorful autumn leaves. Traditional college football rivalries and (of course) Thanksgiving Day. I’ve often expressed my opinion that if the Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth Rock at any other time of year, the inhabitants of this little corner of the world would all still be speaking Algonquin. Autumn is the season that makes up for the bitterly cold winters, the soggy (and muddy) springs, and the oppressively humid summers (which I’ve been told never happen in Maine). It’s the season that makes New England what it is.

The heart of Autumn also marks a slight lull in the rhythm of the church program year: a quick pause to catch our breath and take a look around between the scramble to get everything started up again after Labor Day, and the hectic bustle of Advent and the holidays. And then, in January, another little breather before marching forth into Lent and Easter, and finally coasting along past Earth Day and Mother’s Day and Memorial Day to the end of spring, and the beginning of our informal summer services. And then, after Labor Day, the whole thing begins all over again. World Without End.

The leisurely pace of the life of the church can often become frustrating for those who wish that churches could be more “businesslike,” and deal with issues in a far more efficient and timely fashion than they generally do. And there have certainly been many times in my long career as a minister when I have shared that frustration.

But over the years I’ve also grown to realize that life in the business world is typically driven by people who work 40+ hours a week simply to earn their livelihoods, while in comparison churches are notoriously “understaffed,” (even by the standards of most other non-profits), and tend to depend on the generous work of part-time volunteers in order to get things done.

There’s a big difference between being part of an organization where everyone is expected to show up 5 days a week/50 weeks a year, and one where we are doing well if half the people show up once or twice a week for more than a couple of hours at a time. It’s simply not fair to judge the performance of the latter by the standards of the former. It’s like comparing Pumpkins and Cranberries. One grows in a patch and the other in a bog, but both have a place at the table.

On the other hand, (at least compared to most businesses) churches really are in it for the long haul, and can afford to take a larger view in order to see the bigger picture. First Parish, for example, has been serving this community since 1674, and (God willing) will continue to be a vital presence in the heart of the city of Portland for another three centuries and longer. When you think in those terms, there’s always going to be plenty more that needs to be done around a church; and even though ministers supposedly work 24/7, no minister can ever hope to do it all alone. In fact, without the support and active assistance of all of you, I doubt I’d be able to get much of anything done at all.

Scripture also tells us that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.” The most essential thing is that we learn to walk together in the right direction, moving quickly enough that no one gets too far out in front of the rest of the group, but not so quickly that others are left to lag behind. Some forge ahead and blaze the trail, some lend a helping hand to stragglers and bring up the rear, and all are responsible for assisting and encouraging and supporting one another, in every season of our lives. So that with every step we take toward our destination, there will be even more of us to share the journey than when we started out…….twj

OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEER MINISTRY @ THE FIRST PARISH IN PORTLAND

2007-10-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

Key to Qualifications (from mild to “super spicy hot”)
no previous experience necessary/on-the-job orientation and training only (the “Buddy System.”)
* At least one initial training session, plus on-the-job mentoring.
** Multiple orientation/training sessions, plus on-going supervision & mentoring.
*** Significant initial training and on-going mentoring, plus regular consultation with the Minister.
**** Appointed by the Minister and confirmed by the Governing Board.
***** Elected by the members of the Congregation.

Sunday Mornings
Greeter(s)
Usher(s)
Verger*
Flowers & Chancel Decoration
Coffee Hour Host(s)
“Buttonmeister” (helps make permanent name tags)
“Gold Cup” Greeter(s)*
“Conversations with the Minister” coordinator

Religious Education Lead Teacher**
Religious Education Assistant*
Religious Education Substitute*
Religious Education Greeter

Worship Leader*
Chalice Lighter (traditionally a child)
Children’s Storyteller*
Choir Member**

Small Group Ministry Program
Covenant Group Convener
Affinity Group Convener
Covenant Group Facilitator**
Affinity Group Facilitator**
Life Long Learning Instructor**

“Para-Ministry”
“Care-Ring” Volunteer
“Care-Ring” Coordinator**
Faith in Action Volunteer
Faith in Action Coordinator**
Pastoral Care Associate***
Lay Chaplain****

Committee/Council Membership

(The Committee/Council system is at the heart of our congregation’s historical tradition of self-governance or “Congregational Polity.” Each Council is represented by a member of the Governing Board responsible for that particular area, and typically meets once a month to share information, make decisions, solve problems, and plan future activities. The specific Committees (as well as any ad hoc sub-committees, task-forces, or ministry teams) generally meet as needed in order to complete their respective tasks, and communicate more routinely by telephone or e-mail. In some instances the Council and the Committees are essentially the same entity, while in others the Committees effectively operate independently of their Council, and report back only as needed.)

Building Systems Council:
Building & Grounds Committee
Memorial Garden Trustees

[Communications Council:]
Public Relations
Website/Electronic Communications
Newsletter
Membership Directory
Denominational Affairs

Faith in Action Council:
(specific Committees/Coordinators vary by project)

Finance Council:
Finance Committee
Stewardship Team
Planned Giving Team
Special Fun(d)rasing Events

Lifelong Learning Council:
Library Committee
Children & Youth Religious Education (CYRE)
Adult Religious Growth & Learning (ARGL)

Membership Council:
Sunday Hospitality
Outreach & Newcomer Orientation
Social Activities
Caring Committee (the “Care-Ring”)

Worship Council:
Music Committee
Worship Committee

Governing Board/Leadership Team

Governing Board*****(Council Chairs plus Officers and three At-Large members)

Executive Committee*****(President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Clerk, one At-Large member. Minister & DRE, ex officio)

Nominating Committee/Path to Leadership Team***

Personnel Committee***

Committee on Ministry****

THE PATH TO MEMBERSHIP

2007-10-10T10:27:00.000-04:00

OVERVIEW: Often when churches begin discussion ways to “grow” their membership, they allow themselves to be distracted by the numbers, and forget that numbers are merely a marker for measuring how successfully we are performing our core mission, which is transforming people’s lives for the better.

Perhaps a better way to think of growth is as an expression of our “ministry of hospitality.” Our church is like a feast, a banquet, a party to which everyone is invited, and it’s our responsibility as hosts to make certain that everybody feels safe and welcome, and that they are getting fed, meeting the other guests, can find what they need, and are basically having a good time.

Research shows that first-time visitors to a church typically follow a predictable “path” to eventual membership, and that growing churches tend to be aware of that path, and take steps to help newcomers move along it smoothly as they decide for themselves whether or not a participation in the life and community of a particular congregation is going to be part of their own spiritual journey. The world may well beat a path to our door in search of a better mousetrap, but it helps if there are at least signposts pointing the way, so that they don’t accidentally become lost in the woods.

Step One: Attraction (Invitation & Recruitment) - “Come on in, the water’s fine!”

• This is typically the most difficult element to control, and the most expensive to influence significantly. But there are a variety of ways in which we can work to raise our profile and enhance our reputation in the wider community, and this goal should be pursued in an intentional manner.

• Our central location is also a valuable asset that contributes significantly to our public visibility. Small things like the Wayside Pulpit and our Reader Board can do a lot to attract people’s attention and invite them through the front door.

• Our Website is likewise a very important vehicle for encouraging “seekers” to visit our church in person. A “FAQ for Visitors” is being developed, and will be added to our homepage as soon as it is ready.

• Far and away the most effective method for attracting newcomers to our church is “word of mouth” combined with a personal invitation from someone they know. Thus much of our work in “recruitment” is actually creating the kind of environment where people feel comfortable inviting their friends, and creating the kind of institutional culture where that sort of invitation becomes normal.

Step Two: First Impressions - “Getting Your Feet Wet”

• This is VERY IMPORTANT! Although First Parish feels like a second home to many of us, visiting an unfamiliar church for the first time can be a very intimidating experience. Likewise, most first-time visitors to a church make up their minds within five minutes whether or not they will return a second time.

• Visitors and Members alike are warmly welcomed by a Greeter from the Membership Committee as they arrive in the Vestibule. Current Members are reminded to wear their name tags; visitors are invited to make a nametag, and also to sign our guest register or fill out a visitors card at the Greeters Table. The Ushers continue to distribute Orders of Service and the Sunday Bulletin (which now contains information specifically of interest to newcomers) as they have in the past.

• Visitors are explicitly welcomed to our church by the Worship Leader, and invited to coffee hour following the service. In the coffee hour, a “Newcomers/Welcome Table” containing information about First Parish and Unitarian Universalism is staffed by representatives of the Membership Committee. “Gold Cup Greeters” circulate through the coffee hour, introducing themselves to people they don’t recognize (something as simple as “Hi! I don’t think we’ve met before”), and personally welcoming them to the church.

• Follow -up postcards from the Greeters-on-duty are addressed and sent that same day to each first-time visitor. The names of these visitors are also reported to the office for inclusion in our “Prospective New Members” database.

Step Three: Returning to Explore - “Wading Right In”

• In addition to the postcard, a Welcoming Letter from the Minister is sent to each first time visitor, once again welcoming them to the church and inviting them to participate as they choose in a variety of activities designed specifically for newcomers (see below).

• If the visitor has indicated specific areas of interest on their visitors card, these are followed up separately by the appropriate volunteer in charge of that activity.

• “Permanent” nametags are made for each visitor, in order that we might more easily track those who return for a second time, and also so that each second time visitor finds something “belonging” to them waiting for them if and when they return.

• Approximately one Sunday per month there is a “Welcoming Conversation with the Minister,” where Newcomers have an opportunity to ask their questions about UU & FP in a semi-structured environment.

• As needed, a three-session “New UU” class is offered for individuals who are specifically interested in becoming members of the church.

Step Four: Commitment - “Taking the Plunge” (officially becoming a “Formal” Member of First Parish).

• Following completion of the New UU class, individuals are personally invited to become members of First Parish.

• Those who wish to become members sign the membership book, and are formally welcomed into Membership at a brief ceremony during the Sunday Morning worship service

• It’s important to recognize that the decision to become a member of a church is a very personal thing, and that some individuals will choose NOT to affiliate officially with the church, but will still participate actively in many of our programs and ministries. This is OK.

• SHORT CUT FOR “EXPERIENCED” UUs. Some individuals will arrive at First Parish already familiar with Unitarian Universalism, and perhaps having already been a member of another UU congregation. These individuals will be told that they are welcome to participate in the classes if they like, but may also simply join the church by privately signing the book after a conversation with the minister.

Step Five: Discipleship - “Going Deeper” (Making Your Membership Work for You)

• As part of their New Member orientation, each new member will be encouraged to find both some sort of program, activity, or “fellowship circle” which enhances their own spiritual life, and also to find some sort of volunteer opportunity which supports the larger mission and ministry of the church (see below). “One hand for the boat, and one hand for yourself.”

• It is important that a “catalog” of potential activities be visible and accessible to new members. Potential Fellowship Circles include participation in a covenant group or other Small Group Ministry, membership in the choir, enrollment in a life-long learning class, or participation in any one of the dozens of activities which take place here every year.

• The underlying goal here is not only to deepen and enrich the quality of each new member’s faith experience. We are also attempting to integrate them into our larger community in a meaningful and fulfilling way. A good benchmark for this process is the formula “Six friends in Six months.”

Step Six: Vocation - “Being Sent” by finding a personal ministry that supports the larger Mission and Ministry of the Church.

• Often there is a great deal of overlap between “Going Deeper” and “Being Sent.” But it would be a mistake to assume that every committee is a “fellowship circle,” or that volunteer work alone is enough to deepen someone’s faith experience in a meaningful way

• At the same time, it is important that new members (and long time members as well) recognize that their contributions large or small are important and appreciated, and that they are (to continue the nautical metaphor) valued members of the crew and not just passengers along for the ride.

• A membership/volunteer coordinator should work with the nominating committee to try to find a meaningful job for every person in the church. It can be large or small, it should be self-selected if possible, it needs to contribute in a recognizable way to the work of the church as a whole, and it needs to be recognized and publicly acknowledged as well. Simply committing to attend services regularly (and, of course, to greet the people sitting around you and sing the hymns enthusiastically) qualifies as a “meaningful job,” provided it is done in a meaningful and committed way.

OCTOBER MINISTER'S REPORT

2007-10-09T09:20:00.000-04:00

Congratulations on an excellent Retreat! -- lots of energy, positive focus and direction...now we just need to keep moving forward and Realize Our Vision, trusting that we will be able to solve problems and overcome whatever obstacles we may encounter as they arise.

Two Underlying, On-going Tasks (to accompany our three major goals)

1) I would like for us to take some time this year to examine our core processes (the things we do routinely all the time) in order to make them as simple and routine as possible. I would like every council/committee to try to develop some explicit Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs in the lingo), along with some basic volunteer job descriptions, that are transparent, consistently repeatable, and can be easily taught to others. This is essential to expanding our volunteer pool as the tasks themselves expand, and begin to outgrow the capacity of our current volunteers to handle in their spare time.

2) I also hope that we can all take some time to look beyond the “day-to-day” in order to learn a little of the theory behind what we are doing, so that when the time comes we are not only knowledgeable about what we do and how to do it, but WHY we do it in the first place. This is part of the essential task of Leadership Development -- so that as we are successful and grow our organization, our current leadership team will be able to function as “leaders of leaders” rather than simply trying to do more and more themselves.

Organizational Structure

There was some interest expressed at the Retreat in revisiting our organizational structure. I personally think this is a little premature, and would instead encourage us to think of ourselves as three informal teams (or maybe “ensembles”) - the Membership Team, the Stewardship Team, and the Outreach Team - which can come together in different combinations (or line-ups) depending on the specific task/goal. (I have also prepared a draft document “Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish” which reflects MY current understanding of what our organizational structure should look like from the perspective of a potential new volunteer if everything were operating just the way Frances intended it to. Please look this over since I’m going to need your help to flesh it out).

Pilot Projects

I also hope we can begin to work on some “pilot projects” in order to begin to expand our program in several key areas. These are NOT necessarily things I think our current leadership team should simply add to their portfolios (although obviously you are going to want to be involved early on in their formation); rather, all of these people will need to be recruited, trained and supported within the existing “council” structure.

[M] -- expand our SGM program: more Covenant Groups, new Affinity Groups, classes and workshops (coordinated with LLL Council?)

[M] – schedule and organize potlucks, other informal social gatherings -- start an on-going Circle Supper program?

[S] -- Planned Giving (coordinated with the Trustees?)

[S] -- An annual Signature “Fun(d)raiser” -- do we want to start with a “Midwinter Luau for the Loo?” Overall fundraising goal probably needs to be about $12-15k ($8k for the operating budget; another $4-7k for handicapped bathrooms and other accessibility modifications). But it also needs to be a “fun,” high-spirited event that generates lots of enthusiasm and good energy. (Possible Chairs/Organizers?)

[O] -- Faith in Action team...inventory of existing projects; creation of additional “short-ramp” hands-on Faith-in-Action opportunities. (Betsy/Artha/others?)

[O] -- “The Greater Portland Community Forum @ First Parish” -- a “convener of significant conversations” on a timely, time-to-time basis in order to improve the quality of communication, mutual understanding, and community life among Portland’s diverse citizenry. (Bill D & friends)

Other potential emerging priority areas:

• Music outreach in the form of additional public concerts, etc. [Chip?]

• Our Children’s Religious Education program...esp hiring a new director.

• And, of course, our Sunday Worship Service....more guest speakers, special music/musicians, etc.

• Not to mention getting the word out that all this is happening.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - "Let’s Connect!”

2007-10-01T08:53:00.000-04:00

It’s that time of year again – the season of our Annual Budget Drive. It happens every year, like clockwork. Because that’s what “annual” means. And we do indeed have a budget to make.

I was talking the other day with a friend of mine (not a churchgoer himself) about how we pay the bills around here.

“But a pledge...” he said, “that’s basically just a promise, right?”

“That’s right,” I said.

“It must take a lot of faith to run an organization as complex as a church on what amounts to a handful of promises…”

“Yes, it does,” I replied. “But fortunately, that’s the business that we’re in….”

The truth of the matter is that our Stewardship Campaign is always about a lot more than mere money. That’s the bottom line beyond the bottom line. The term “stewardship” itself reflects the important understanding that “church” is a gift that we give to one another, and that THIS church is a legacy which we have received from our spiritual ancestors, and hold in trust for our spiritual descendents.

And in the meantime, we are charged with the responsibility of balancing that delicate equation of Worth, Wealth, and Value in order to fulfill our generation’s own generous contribution to the on-going ministry of this faith community to the larger community.

Stewardship is ultimately about both Mission and Vision. “Mission” is simply a fancy way of describing the meaning and purpose of our lives – what we do in order to leave the world a better place than we found it. And Vision is our sense of what the world might look like if we take our Mission seriously, and are successful.

But the word I really like is “campaign.” Campaign means literally “to take the field.” And that’s what this time of year is really all about. Do we sit on the sidelines warming the bench? Or do we get into the game and make a difference, knowing that we are all part of the same team, working together to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves as a congregation?

That’s why this season is always so exciting. Because the opening tip-off is just around the corner……….twj

"A Few Simple Truths"

2007-09-22T11:04:00.000-04:00

Let me share with you a few simple truths about religion and money.

First of all, churches never have enough money to do everything they dream of doing. Or if they think they do, then their dreams aren’t big enough. Our aspiration, literally, is to transform the world and make it perfect. But realistically speaking, we generally have to settle for simply making it a little better by our on-going presence in it.

On the other hand, churches always seem to find the money they need to do the things they know they absolutely have to do. Sometimes I can’t figure out how they do it; it simply seems like a miracle. But they do. Every time.

A big part of my job, as a professional religious and spiritual leader, is to try to empower people to bring these two realities closer together.

First Parish is Portland’s original faith community. Since 1674, this congregation has worked to create “a warm and welcoming place in the heart of the city,” where individuals of every stripe and color can come together to dwell together in peace, seek the truth in love, and help one another grow their souls into greater harmony with the divine.

It’s an important ministry, and it doesn’t come cheap. But through the gracious and grateful generosity of us all, we will somehow figure out a way to make it happen again this year.

One gift at a time….

RETREAT NOTES

2007-09-15T10:15:00.000-04:00

The First Parish in Portland, Maine, Unitarian Universalist
Governing Board Meeting
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 -- 7:00 pm

Governing Board Members Present: Rev. Tim Jensen; Pres. Sue Veligor; V.P. Bill Dickinson; Treas. Carl Laws; Clerk Bruce Carver; Members At Large Judy Dale & Leslie Runser; Children’s R.E. (and D.R.E. Search Committee) Nathalie Hutchinson & Linda Shary; Worship Bob Greenlaw; Membership Sylvia Skillin (Chair) & Val Blais

Also present:
Trustee Representative: Beth Marshall
Faith In Action: Artha Freebury (Co-Chair)
R.E. Search Committee: Kathy Stewart
Guests: Betsy Whitman; Leigh Mundhenk; Cate DiMarzo; Stewardship Stephanie Eglington (Chair);

Co-Facilitators: Ellen Alcord & Grace Valenzuela

The Leadership Retreat starts off with a potluck on prior evening (Friday, September 14 from 6PM to 8PM). Participants engage in a round robin share time. Attendees express their visions and hopes. Reverend Tim facilitates the discussion.

Morning retreat starts off with a “Coffee and Pastry - Mix and Mingle” from 8 to 8:30AM. Meeting convenes at 8:30AM

I. Welcome and Introduction. Participants respond, “What are you looking to get out of today’s retreat?”

II. Covenant is created, to provide guidelines for retreat communication, process and self-expression

III. Outcomes for the day: retreat Agenda is distributed and reviewed

IV. Revisit existing goals and priorities from 2006/2007
a. Copy of the three First Parish 2006 Leadership Retreat goals are distributed: comprehensive membership development strategy; increased stewardship; and, connection to larger denomination and community.
b. Definition and clarification of the three over-arching goals/outcomes are elaborated upon and word-Smithed.
c. We name the accomplishments and efforts that have unfolded over the 2006/2007 church year, as related to these goals.

V. Redefining and expanding upon goals, priorities and needs assessment. Small groups brainstorm, by establishing extended goals and benchmarks. Next steps are identified as they relate to each goal/outcome, and we identify “who” may be involved in implementing these goals and needs.

VI. Report back to the large group. Small groups report out on their ideas, priorities and next steps (attempting to identify: resources, challenges, council/committee responsible, and timeline).

VII. Next steps.

VIII. Evaluation of the retreat. Check out.

Meeting adjourns at 12:35PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Bruce D. Carver, Clerk

GOAL #1. NOTES FROM MEMBERSHIP GOAL GROUP 9-15-07

First Parish has Developed and Implemented Comprehensive Membership Strategies that feed the Heart- fire.

Priority activities

1. Developmental Engagement (We need a better phrase here) but our intention is to integrate RE activities and programs intentionally and age-appropriately into Faith in Action and other areas of FP life. ( long term continuing objective) and (CRITICAL SHORT TERM INITIATIVE) keep current 4th and 5th graders interested in FP into their middle school and high school years.

This age group influences their family's church attendance very powerfully. This is the age when sports and increased school load competes for time and interest. If the youth are not interested, the family will stay home because the kids are too young to be left home alone.

Next Steps:

Encourage collaboration by RE/FIA/Worship -

Identify activities which appeal to youth and will keep youth engaged. What do we currently have available? What might we add?

Communicate these initiatives through RE/Website/other PR ideas

Resources:

Internal - RE – Natalie Hutchinson, FIA- Betsy Whitman, Worship – Bob Greenlaw; FP members and friends who have experienced good youth activities and programming. Possible focus group with youth.

External – UUA , NED RE consultant, other churches with successful youth activities.

2. Age Group Programming and Strategies – recognizing and providing programs for lifespan interests.

Next steps:
Identify Adult RE person/team
Focus groups for various age groups
Identify age appeal of current offerings (e.g., Building Your Own Theology, Articulating Your Faith)
Identify new offerings to meet identified interests. (possible topics: UU and Family Life,UU and Spirituality, UU and Sexuality (OurWholeLives program), UU and Christianity).

Resources: Membership/Life Long Learning/FIA/Minister/VALS (Values and Lifestyle Survey material for our area), UUA.

3. Calendar – to provide visual overview of church year activities with annotations to help everyone understand what's happening when. (What is a Water Communion anyway?)

We also need to code what activities are open and what are closed groups on the calendar. Our current calendar shows groups that rent space here and doesn't clarify whether they are open to FP members.

Next Steps:
Ask Admin. Asst for suggestions -
Ask each Committee/Program/Activity to give their dates to office
Put calendar on Website, in Newsletter, print for Parish House and Vestibule

4. Public Relations – Communicating about the activities of FP is vital to Growth. No one is doing that job now. Need job description, then a call for member who might be interested ASAP.

Next Steps: Val Blais will search UUA Interconnections and other UUA sites, talk to Tim, and bring info to Membership, and to other councils, maybe at GB.

We rewrote GOAL #2 to read as follows:

"First Parish has developed a culture of generosity and stewardship strategies that allow us to meet our commitments, sustain our values, and support our vision."

These responsibilities, values and vision include:
• General budget in the black
• Staff compensation (with benefits) according to fair compensation guidelines
• Accessibilities of building
• Make a difference in the world through advertising, outreach, and Faith-in-Action

Strategies include:

Development comprehensive Fundraising/Stewardship Plan, including:
- Annual budget drive
- Special events
- Building use/rental
- Planned giving – L. Shary, T. Rogers, and W. Bonney will organize
- Grants

Develop culture of generosity
- take ownership of endowment; behave like we’re all trustees
- be a lover of mankind; believe that we are all angels
- communicate real numbers relating to prior week’s attendance and financial support of outreach through:

o Stone Soup
o Pulpit
o Weekly bulletin
o E-mail blasts

Build and maintain Stewardship Team under umbrella of Finance Council
- remembering that canvass people are only one aspect of Stewardship
- recruit folks to run special events
- planned giving team
- transparency of church finances

GOAL #3

First Parish established strategies that increase connection to and involvement in the larger denomination and community.

All Goals need Extraordinary Amounts of Communication between Committees and from Committees to Congregation!!!!!!

1. Create a Community Forum
• Activities/Tasks: Willing agreement of respective committees, secure governing board support, find contacts who have knowledge of people in various community roles, $?

• Challenges: Find a leader (Bill & Janet), organization

• Responsibility: Bill Dickinson will lead a cross-functional team

• Date: Spring of 2008

• Benchmarks: Minimum of 2 forums held by June 2008

2. Implement National UU goals locally
• Activities/Tasks: Awareness of what the goals are, move global thought/idea to local action, team up with other faith communities/committees, find a leader, scalability (getting people to see there are small and large things to do.

• Challenges: Apathy, scalability

• Responsibility: Faith in Action??

• Date:

• Benchmarks:

3. Attend local, district, and national UU events. Also, attend UU presidents, RE Director, etc. events.
• Activities/Tasks: Find out when and where meetings are, attend.

• Challenges: Finding enthusiastic and interested members to attend.

• Responsibility:

• Date:

• Benchmarks: When a First Parish member attends a meeting

4. Encourage members, church employees, and church leadership to participate in ecumenical and/or interdenominational groups.

• Activities/Tasks:
• Challenges:
• Responsibility:
• Date:
• Benchmarks:

5. Get more members involved in Faith in Action.

• Activities/Tasks: have a Faith in Action Sunday

• Challenges: Apathy,

• Responsibility: Faith in Action leadership?

• Date:

• Benchmarks: Sufficient # of people to carry out Faith in Action’s goals.

6. Broadcast to the larger community who we are as a church and what we offer.

• Activities/Tasks: On-going banner program, press releases to local papers about activities Church is involved in, radio ads, new signage

• Challenges: Who will lead,
• Responsibility: PR person, governing board, all members

• Date:

• Benchmarks: When any Portland citizen can speak to what that big stone building next to city hall is all about.

7. Develop a way for members to comfortably talk about our church and our faith to outsiders.
• Activities/Tasks: Organize conversation to talk about “talking about” First Parish to friends and neighbors.

• Challenges: Isn’t religion a private issue, it’s not polite to talk about, don’t want to be seen as proselytizing.

• Responsibility: Leslie Runser

• Date: 12/1/07

• Benchmarks: Every seat in church filled on “Bring a Friend Sunday.

SEPTEMBER MINISTER’S REPORT

2007-09-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Under ordinary circumstances I will attempt to e-mail my report to the members of the Governing Board prior to the meeting. In this instance I hope you will forgive me for handing it to you at the meeting itself.

General Observations: it’s great to be here, I’m gradually settling in, keeping plenty busy, slowly unpacking. I appreciate all of the excitement and enthusiasm about my arrival and the start of a new church year, and share it.

Committee on Ministry met last Sunday, and has trimmed itself down to five members as stipulated in the By-Laws: Betty B (acting chair), David B, Alex L, Leigh M and Sally W. On the strength of my assurances that a minister is not a piece of equipment whose warranty becomes void if not properly installed, the COM accepted my recommendation to plan for an Installation service in the spring rather than this fall. The main work of the Committee will be to learn and implement the “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation and review process, as stipulated by our Letter of Agreement.

Worship. Our Ingathering Intergenerational Water Ceremony seemed to come off relatively smoothly, with only a few predictable glitches and 144 souls in attendance. Following Bill D’s inspiration, my hope/goal now is to work to routinely double that number, so please start thinking about inviting your friends. I’m still in the process of figuring out how best to “manage” recruiting worship leaders, children’s storytellers, chalice lighters, guest speakers, etc. but trust that this will all work itself out in relatively short order.

Membership has been hard at work preparing for our Ingathering Sunday – we have a new nametag stand, and are in the process revising many of the materials which we make available to newcomers. Samples are available.

Stewardship has pretty much been operating independently without the need for much participation from me, and is planning to covenant with our Visiting Stewards and kick-off the annual budget drive and stewardship campaign on September 30th.

Religious Education has developed a draft job description for the open DRE position. Sunday School classes will begin this coming week.

I look forward to seeing many (if not all) of you again this weekend at our Leadership Retreat!

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “It’s a New Day at First Parish!”

2007-09-04T08:50:00.000-04:00

Which really isn’t saying much, when you stop to think about it. I mean, isn’t EVERY day pretty much a new day, no matter where you are? But notwithstanding my overly-zealous semantic literalism, there sure seems to be an awful lot of energy around First Parish these days, and even a newcomer like myself can notice it. An air of excitement and anticipation. With just a whiff of expectation and urgency. Great things are just around the corner. Assuming that the roof doesn’t fall in first.

We’ve typically been told from childhood that “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and “slow and steady wins the race,” or that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” So why do we have such a hard time believing it? Is it merely the accelerated pace of our 21st century lifestyles, and the desire for instant gratification cultivated by our consumer economy? Or is there a more fundamental inconsistency between our dreams and our means, and the fact that we generally tend to think a lot quicker than we can do?

Likewise, there is a vast landscape of possibility between “Perfection” and “Catastrophic Failure.” But at least if we know our desired destination, and can see it clearly in our mind’s eye, we are able, in the words of Thoreau, to “advance confidently in the direction of [our] dreams,” and “meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” By endeavoring to live the lives which we have imagined, we move beyond that “invisible boundary” after which “new, universal and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within” us, and we learn to measure our success according to the things we already do well (and can learn to do even better), or can easily learn to do without. “In proportion as you simplify your life,” Thoreau continues, “the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.” Or in the words of that old, familiar Unitarian hymn “The goal may ever shine afar; the will to win it makes us free.”

The passage I’ve been citing concludes with one of my all-time favorite quotes from Walden: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put foundations under them.” The discipline of building a solid foundation capable of supporting everything we imagine for our church isn’t nearly as exciting as the original act of imagination itself, but without that foundation we might as well just be daydreaming. Safely navigating the narrow path between Patience and Progress, Frustration and Persistence, Tedium and Tenacity, Desire and Commitment, may not always feel like the most rewarding journey on the planet. But ultimately it’s what makes the difference between wishful thinking and having dreams come true…………………………twj