Both Sides By Rev. Nina D. Grey July, 2000

This year's "formal" church ending also feels like a wonderful beginning! Rev. Beth Williams has been called to be Minister of Religious Education with the UU Church of Greater Lynn in Swampscott, and I know she will help that church strengthen its growing sense of intergenerational religious community. We had a fine candidating week with the Rev. Marlene R. Walker, and we have called Rev. Walker to be our settled Minister for Religious Education. I add my voice to that of our community in expressing my delight that Rev. Marlene will join with us in ministry.

Marlene has a deep sense of being called here and an expansive vision of our ministry together. She brings qualities that will be a gift to us all. I look forward to our conversations at General Assembly and our beginnings in ministry together this late summer and fall.

Unitarian Universalism is a year-round faith, and the religious community is important every month of the year. This is so even in the month of summer closing (and some UU churches still do close for the summer), when the ties that bind us to each other are stretched but not broken.

Now many congregations stay open throughout the year as we do. We worship, learn, respond to our world, and care for one another year around.

Newcomers who visit us in the summer find a community ready to receive and pleased to welcome them.

Because we do worship and provide a summer religious education program, and because many groups and committees continue to meet in the summer, it is important that each individual and family find ways to nurture yourselves and take in the wonder of summer's possibilities. I hope each of us will take time for this important refreshment of body, mind and spirit. I also hope we will find ways to be together for refreshment and celebration during the summer months.

And let us take time for gratitude and support to those in our community who offer their gifts to the community in July and August, by ushering for our services, leading or helping in worship, giving financial support, teaching children and adults, planning for our future and being accountable for the health of our congregation. Kudos to them all!

Our special thanks to Norman Hines, President during our 1999-2000 church year, for his able and inspired leadership, and to all the outgoing Board members for their dedication to our life; to all chairpeople of councils, committees, and groups; and all teachers and helpers in our church life. We are devoted to a ministry together, one which touches us and many others in our world. We keep the faith, never alone, rather with one another.

We have elected Allen Harden to lead us in the coming year, we have chosen Joan Pederson to be President Elect. Julie Neuman continues to grace us with her utmost commitment to our financial life, which makes our ministries possible. Bette Sikes is our faithful Parish Clerk, only one of the many nametags of her ministries in our congregation. And so many others, new board members, new council and committee members strengthen our faithful witness to life.

Indeed we are a congregation with a significant past, a meaningful present, and a bright and hopeful future. May our summer life, with its commitments and its pleasures, strengthen us. May we look forward to welcoming our new minister, Rev. Marlene Walker, with a spirit of love and adventure and a joyful openness to future possibilities.

With love, in faith,

Nina

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