From the President - April 2010
Since hearing the news that we do not have a candidate for a settled minister, my mind has been in overdrive, considering metaphors for our situation. One of the first was born out of my great disappointment. I thought of the congregation as a hopeful teenager, all dressed up for the prom in a formal or tux, getting a last-minute phone call saying our date was not going to arrive after all. Our ministerial search committee found us the perfect dates, but they decided to go to another prom. How do we handle such disappointment?
Indeed, how a community handles disappointment defines them. Using the metaphor of the jilted teen, we can be gentle with each other, acknowledging the feelings of loss. We can reassure each other that all is not lost. There will be other dances and dates. We will find a minister, and in the interim we have each other. Ours is a shared ministry, with everyone having an opportunity to play a role in the work of our church.
A second metaphor that comes to mind is that of marriage. I am so grateful that the ministerial search committee made the difficult choice to not bring us a candidate that would not fit our needs or help us fulfill our dreams. While another year of interim ministry may seem daunting, it pales in comparison to a failed ministry that leads to “divorce.” Because ours is a shared ministry, we can continue to work towards becoming the church we want to be with an interim minister.
While we cannot commit to a new settled ministry this year, we can recommit to each other and to our beloved community. We will find an interim minister, someone whose fresh perspective can help us develop in new ways. Our new ministerial search committee, building on the work and wisdom gained in the past two years, will find us a new partner in ministry. In the meantime, just as we strive to be our best selves individually, we can continue to become our best selves collectively as a congregation. Let us recommit to our future, continuing to seek the ministry that will help us become the church we want to be.
In faith, Pam Philips, President Board of Trustees