Dear UUCPA members and friends,
This is Rev. Peter, with a little wrap-up note on our first year of interim ministry together.
First, many thanks for helping to make it a very pleasant and fruitful one. Just a small sampling of those fruits includes:
- Launching several new small groups, like Seasoned Souls for 60+ people, an LGBTQ+ group (starting late summer), and a new Chalice Circle. (Chalice Circles meet for most of a year (usually twice a month) to explore spiritual topics. If you’re interested in possibly joining one please email Jeff Cashdollar at admin@uucpa.org and he’ll add you to a list.) A budding Young Adults group is also in the works.
- The Main Hall lobby display of our newest members’ photos and bios, which are great conversation starters for welcoming and getting to know these lovely folks better. (The display also helps new visitors see that other people have recently joined UUCPA.)
- Reviving home-hosted Circle Suppers that offer newcomers another way to connect socially with current members.
- The Campus Vision remodel project making significant headway after some initial delays caused by hidden construction issues.
- Joyfully celebrating Rev. Cat’s ministerial installment in February, and appreciating UUCPA’s wonderful volunteers in May. (Thanks to all again!)
- Board of Trustee members now presenting the pre-service Welcome and Announcements, and being available after every service to respond to any questions or concerns you may wish to communicate.
In addition, our Membership & Growth Committee has been doing remarkable work to help us more effectively welcome newcomers, offer them clear opportunities to connect to this soulful community, and stay connected if anyone seems to be drifting away. And if you lead a group or activity at UUCPA, you can support this vital work by simply entering the names of those who attended each gathering into our church database (called Realm). It only takes a moment, and every name you note is a way of saying “This person was recognized, and they matter to us.”
To aid this effort, on Sunday 6/28 at 11:45am in the Fireside Room, M&G Committee members Autri Dutta and Maricia Scott will explain how this data supports the future health of our community by helping us welcome and connect with every person who walks through our doors. Included is a hands-on walkthrough of how to record attendance in Realm (via both the app and the web), so if you have a phone please bring it!
This new data-driven initiative is aptly titled, “Growing with Intention.” And as our second interim year proceeds, another intention will increasingly come to the fore: the process of identifying and considering candidates for UUCPA’s next long-term minister position.
And these overlap. Because the more intentional and strategic UUCPA is about both its current operations and future potentials, the more talented candidates will consider this congregation one of their top prospects for their next ministry. As your interim minister I’ll do all I can to support this. Yet reflecting on how this might be done in the groups and processes you’re involved with is everyone’s responsibility—and opportunity.
In this spirit, I hope that you’ll intentionally don your creative thinking hats, have thoughtful discussions with “teammates” about how you’re viewing and doing things, and consider what fresh opportunities to enhance and/or expand your efforts and contributions may emerge. If any ideas bubble up that might require broader church consideration, one first place to take them is to the aforesaid Board member available after every Sunday service. Or you can email Jeff and he’ll make sure the appropriate parties are informed.
And by the way, electing our Ministerial Search Team after much thoughtful congregational input was another important fruit of this first interim year. You’ll be hearing from them in the fall as the search process proceeds.
Well, my “little wrap-up note” got not so little. But I’ll now wrap up by sharing a few dates to note:
- My summer vacation and study break begins today (6/27), and I return to work 8/4.
- Summer guests will lead great services from 6/28 – 8/23, and Rev. Cat and I will lead the yearly Water Communion “Ingathering” on 8/30. (Religious Ed. classes start 8/16.)
- Then I/we hope to see you at our annual congregational picnic in adjacent Mitchell Park on 9/13!
Meanwhile I wish you a lovely and sweet mid-summer, and want to thank you again for making this a highly enjoyable first year of interim ministry for me.
Many Blessings,
Rev. Peter