Two months in, and I’m still having a grand time with you all here at UUCV. I appreciate all your help, the warmth of your welcome, your responsiveness in worship … and your patience. I have graduated from drinking from a fire hose to feeling just a step or two behind in all sorts of tasks and conversations. This is actually progress.
I have three top priorities, then a list of about five significant matters/ issues/tasks just below that. There are at least two more shelves worth of priorities below that. This framework is helping me prioritize and resist the tug to take on too much, too fast. I appreciate those of you have encouraged me in resisting the temptation of over-functioning.
The top three are:
- Leading meaningful and engaging worship
- Supporting the Religious Education program through a(nother) time of transition,
- Being part of the Safe Sleep and Homelessness Task Group.
I’ve also been doing things like meeting with the board and finance committee and establishing weekly staff meetings.
Places you can help on the next shelf:
Pastoral Care
Beverly Jordan has done a wonderful job holding the pastoral care of the congregation during your time of transition. She has been indispensable in helping me get up to speed on pastoral needs. I have been happy to be invited into your lives and to feel like I have offered support and care. Beverly is now able to give more attention to her work as Membership Manager. Please now refer pastoral needs – your own or others you know about – to me.
In the next few weeks I’d also like to get underway creating a Pastoral Care Team to share this ministry. Please share with me people you think would be good at this – folks you trust, who listen well, who have the tenderness and strength to accompany others through challenging times.
Worship
We need a couple more “magical” people to help with MAGIC – Media and Graphics in the Congregation. These are the folks who create the slide shows that accompany worship services. Familiarity with technology as well as good visual sensibilities would be handy. One Magical Someone says that PowerPoint can be both ministry and art form.
Installation
My installation service as your minister will be on Sunday evening, Feb. 19, 2017. An installation is a recognition and celebration of the covenant between a newly settled minister and the congregation. There is some pomp, circumstance and ceremony. Clergy are invited, as are people from the wider community. The last time UUCV had such an event was when you ordained and installed Rev. Jan Christian. It would be great to have a team of 3-4 to help plan the event, which should be a good time for all. If you can help in any of these areas (or volunteer some likely suspects) I would be grateful.
Blessings and love, Dana