Dear Members and Friends of the Hills Church,
The Church has reopened!
Let us repeat that:
The Church has reopened!
We are worshipping in the Sanctuary each Sunday. All are welcome – young and old, people of all genders and backgrounds, members and visitors, burning with faith, filled with questions, or some of both. The choir and congregation are singing. Church School is meeting. The Nursery School is open, and enrollment is up. Our Interim Co-Pastors are preaching. The Pumpkin Patch graces our lawn and the broader community is wonderfully appreciative of this return to a cherished October tradition.
Yes, we are still wearing masks, we are signing Peace rather than shaking hands, and we remember those who suffered or died in the pandemic. It is not given to us to know the details of our future or that of the virus. But we do know that God loves us and lovingly holds the Hills Church in their hands.
LIVESTREAMING UPDATE
It is wonderful to again be worshipping as a congregation with our old and new friends in our beautiful and inspiring sanctuary. Some are still reluctant to return quite yet and almost all find that some Sundays we are out of town, otherwise occupied, or just resting at home. One of the silver linings of the pandemic has been bringing virtual worship to the Hills, allowing members and visitors from around the globe to participate with us in spirit. Thanks to the commitment of our sound technicians, Kenny Goshgarian and Steven Hopkins, we continue to live stream each week’s service. Recording of the service is then available for later viewing as convenient.
CLERGY REPORT
Church Council acknowledged its excitement to work with our Interim Ministers Jill and Rick Edens and thanked our Associate Ministers, Judy Swahnberg and Anne Marie Holloway, for their tireless service and commitment in shepherding us through the “interim interim” period. We call the congregation’s attention to an upcoming guest preacher. On Sunday, October 24th, Rev. James D. Ross II, SNEUCC Minister of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will preach on “Our Faith Can Make Us Well” using the lectionary text: Mark 10:46-52, which is the story of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus.
CALLING A NEW SENIOR PASTOR
Gary McCabe, Co-Senior Deacon, provided an update on the Settled Minister Transition process. The first step in the journey is the formation of a Transition Committee, whose primary focus will be updating the profile of the Hills Church to reflect our current membership, the recent successful Capital Campaign and property renovations, and the outcome of our recent task force efforts, particularly around Strategic Visioning. The Council received with joy the news that Debbie Karlsson and Susie Alexander have agreed to serve as co-chairs of this small committee which is focused on providing truthful and compelling descriptions of the Hills Church, and the future directions we have discerned to fulfill God’s call to humankind and the Hills Church in particular. Chris Stowell, Moderator Emeritus, has agreed to serve on the Transition Committee, which will be expanded by an additional handful of members with skills in writing and analysis.
Debbie and Susie, along with Gary and our Co-Pastors Rick and Jill, are meeting on an ongoing basis with Rev. Alex Shea Will, Area Conference Minister for the Northeast Region of the SNEUCC, who will facilitate this process. We expect Rev. Will to visit the church at one of our Sunday services early next year to speak about the process of calling a new Senior Pastor.
Once the Transition Committee has produced the church profile and materials, a new and larger Search Committee will be formed to call the new Settled Minister. This Search Committee will be consciously selected to represent the breadth and diversity of the congregation, although it is recommended that one or possibly two members of the Transition Committee serve on the Search Committee to provide continuity.
In parallel to the activities of the Transition Committee, the Deacons, assisted by Rick and Jill Edens, will work to validate our membership rolls so that the profile accurately reflects our recent reality.
2022 STEWARDSHIP APPEAL
Church Council heard from Sarah Pedersen, Moderator, Andy Wilson, Chair of Stewards, and Rick and Jill Edens, about plans for the 2022 Stewardship Appeal. The Chairs of the appeal will be announced shortly. Susan Walton and Linda Wilkins, who chaired the 2021 Stewardship Appeal, have graciously agreed to assist the incoming chairs in an emeritus role. The Moderators, Chair of Stewards, and Co-Pastors will also support the appeal. We are looking to identify Rising Co-Chairs, who will assist in the 2022 Appeal and then Chair the 2023 Appeal. Much more to come as we all journey toward Stewardship Sunday which will be November 21st, the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
WEBSITE UPDATE
Over the past several years, many have noted that our current website is old and out of date, both technologically and in content. The new Co-Pastors have focused us on the need to get a new website before we get into the active search for a new Settled Minister. A group including the Moderators, Rev. Anne Marie Holloway, and Myralee Wilson is working relentlessly to get professional resources to work with us to quickly create a new website that is alive and breathing.
PASH OBENG’S RETIREMENT AS HILLS CHURCH MISSIONARY
Sarah Pedersen reported that the Church and Rev. Pash Obeng have mutually concluded that his part-time service as Hills Church Missionary will conclude at the end of October 2021. Pash sees working to support the Siddi people of India as his continuing life work. However, the frequency and length of his visits to India will decrease. A number of members of the Hills Church will continue to work actively as part of the African Indian Alliance. We anticipate the Christian Service Support Board will continue to include the AIA among the worthy organizations supported by the Hills Church. We look forward to welcoming Pash to our Hills worship service on November 7th.
