Notes from the President's Desk – July 2016

Change is the one Constant
This column has been written by former president, Carolyn Briggs, for the past four years. It has been a place where one could find important information on our church activities as well as inspiration on how this church changes lives for the better. Now it is my turn to provide information to you, the members and friends of our congregation, about matters of our church that concern us all. It may take me a while to get the hang of things and hopefully you will find my “notes” helpful. Please know that you can email your questions and concerns to me at bryanabuck@hotmail.com and I will try to answer them as best I can in a timely manner. If I do not answer immediately it may be that my other full-time job swallowed my remaining energy for the day. Most often I prefer face-to-face conversation. You are also welcome to attend our Board meetings.
Now back to that idea about change. I am very much an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” kind of guy. Tradition holds that the title of this column should take on a naming convention similar to those from previous Board Presidents. Marcy’s Musings, Jim’s Jottings, David’s Diagonals and Tom’s Time are of the recent past. Bryan’s Eight Bits or Bryan’s Bulletin or Buck’s Bang do not really resonate with me in much the same way that Carolyn may have struggled and then came up with the current and classically simple, “Notes from The President’s Desk.” As I said, if it ain’t broke…
This church year marks the beginning of a new era. We welcome the Rev. Dana Worsnop, who will be starting in August. We, as a collective group, worked for two years with the aid of professional staff to reach this new place of opportunity. Everyone should be proud of what has been accomplished and filled with excitement for the days ahead.
We have new Board Members and we have Committee Chairs who are looking for help in providing the programs that add richness to our church life. These folks want and need your support. Seek them out, get to know them and volunteer to help in any way that you can. A big part of being successful is achieved by simply showing up, and sharing your time and talent. Sunday Services are always better when you are there. Children’s RE is always better when your kids are there. Committee work is always better when you participate. These are some of the ways you build upon your spirituality and, perhaps more importantly, discover what it means to be in relationship with members of our community.
Lastly, I am a believer in our Covenant of Right Relations. You can find it on our wonderful website. That Covenant helps define how we are to “be” with each other because we will not always agree with each other. In my opinion Unitarian Universalism is not a black or white, day or night, living faith religion. It is a religion that lives in the gray. It can be a messy and tension filled place. Which is why we are frequently called back by our ministers to become our best selves. Please read the Covenant and give it your thoughtful consideration. It is the foundation of good beginnings and to understanding that we don’t have to think alike in order to love alike.
Living in Paradise,
Bryan Buck, President