Pastor Gayle's Reflections
“Honor the tradition but expand the understanding.”
Neale Donald Walsch, 21st century
February marks a time of new roles and new beginnings for our congregation. After our Congregational Annual Meeting on January 22, we have a new set of elected leaders, as well as a handful of new committees to form, as provided for in the constitutional amendments we approved. As the Boards meet in the coming weeks, we will work together to determine who will serve in which role and be responsible for which task. We will begin to plan for the events of the spring semester. The Cabinet will also be looking for those willing to serve on the committees of the congregation, including Missions and Outreach, Ways and Means, Stewardship, Decorations, and Fellowship. All who choose to serve in positions of leadership on the Boards and Committees of this congregation ought to seek to “honor the tradition but expand the understanding.”
Many members and friends have “been around” for a number of years and know how things have been done in the past; you know what has worked and what has been less successful. You have served in positions of leadership and learned much about how to plan congregational events and do the daily work of the church. It is you with experience who are called now to serve as teachers of the traditions and past practices of this congregation, knowing that your students will, inevitably, make the work of the church their own; they will, and should, find ways to “expand the understanding” of what it means to be this congregation in this community. But we cannot do this without all the people of the congregation. We must teach and learn from each other in order to be the best, the most whole, the greatest congregation we can possibly be.
And we cannot forget, as we volunteer and organize and assign and work out details, that we are not just any non-profit organization – we are a church. We are a people called together not only for worship and fellowship, but to serve one another and our community, in the name of God. We are called to be God’s people, the hands and feet of Jesus Christ, strengthened and guided by the Holy Spirit. Let us not lose sight of the One who calls us and who we ultimately serve, the God of love and compassion, known to us in Jesus.
May we be blessings to each other and our community!
Pastor Gayle
· Please note that Lent begins on Wednesday, February 22, Ash Wednesday. We will gather as a congregation on that evening at 7:30 for our traditional Ash Wednesday Service with the Imposition of Ashes.
· Good News Think Tank will begin our Lenten series on Wednesday, February 29. We will meet for study and discussion from 10:30 AM until roughly noon each Wednesday throughout the season of Lent. ALL are welcome to join us! If you are planning to attend at least some of the sessions, please let me know so I can have resources for every participant. We look forward to seeing you!
A note to all Board and Committee Chairs:
Please let me know when your groups are meeting so that I may join you as we work together to plan for the months and year ahead. Thanks!
Office Hours
Generally speaking, my office hours will be 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM Monday through Thursday each week. Of course, it is always possible that a congregational visitation, church-related meeting, or pastoral emergency may take me away from the church. It is still best to make an appointment, if possible, by calling the church office or sending an email to the church address. Please note that my office hours will differ on days when Cabinet, Guild, Confirmation or other groups meet outside of these regular hours. I will continue to observe Friday as my day off and will not schedule appointments on that day.