Minister's Spring 2009 Stewardship Letter

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

[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...

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..."

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

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

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “All of Them"

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

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.