by Cindy Carrol
President of the Congregation
Much of the work we have been doing in the church this year reminds me of the bulbs in my garden. Our resources, buried deep within fertile ground, have rested a bit, then begun to create new growth from within. Two task forces in particular have been working to create a better structure for the work of our church. Although the i’s still need to be dotted, and the t’s crossed, I would like to share some of the thinking about this restructuring which we hope to have available for a vote at the Annual Meeting.
One task force is looking at the committee structure we now have in place. The task force has asked if our present system fosters a sense of working together toward common goals. It has looked at problems of communication among committees, with the Board, and with the congregation. Norman Hines and his committee has invited a number of church members with differing perspectives to share in their deliberations. What will be suggested to the congregation, I believe, will encourage a greater sense of cohesion among the committees and councils of the church.
The second task force is working to create a Committee on Ministry, which would replace the Ministerial Relations Committee we now have in place. Under our present system, the MRC concerns itself solely with the professional ministry of the church. It has served as a sounding board for the Senior Minister, a place for congregants to try to resolve conflicts with the minister, and a body which evaluates the work of our professional ministry. A Committee on Ministry differs in that it looks at the lay ministry of the church as well. It will oversee goal setting for church committees as well as our professional staff. It will evaluate attainment of goals by both professional and lay ministry. And it will still serve as a place for resolving conflicts with the professional ministries. The difference may seem minor. I think the shift in emphasis has enormous implications for the conduct of church life.
Neither of these initiatives is ready for final consideration by the congregation, but we are getting close. By the end of April I expect we will be able to look at the recommendations of the two task forces. We hope to have several opportunities for exploration and discussion of these proposals by the congregation at large during the month of May.
Change for the sake of change makes no sense at all. But changes which will further the work of this church will make us flourish. The green leaf tips push forth even now, and soon we will be rewarded with a profusion of flowers - small and delicate, large and showy - but all sturdy enough to withstand any weather.
AT THE MARCH BOARD MEETING WE…
learned from Beth Williams that the children’s R.E. program now has 58 participants, up from 30 last year!…approved further exploration of creating a resale shop to benefit Grove Parc and the church in the Big Basement…heard progress reports from the Committee Restructuring and Committee on Ministry task forces…learned that the Canvass is moving along as expected.