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From the President's Desk
Another church year has come and (nearly) gone. Autumn will come again soon enough, bringing us back together with renewed drive, optimism, and energy to attempt to accomplish much.
To me, it perpetually feels like we're just getting started. We still haven’t really returned to “normal” (whatever that means) now that COVID is officially "over". We’re still in this liminal time, but one thing is clear: UUCM is still here, and that is truly a success story! We should be proud and grateful for this. We know how to lean on each other during the really tough times, but we can tend to isolate during the “normal times.” It is this isolation we need to overcome. Busy or not, purpose-driven or not, normal or not, we need each other. When we help each other, we all win.
We started the year intending to really lean into our mission statement and focus on the things that really matter. Given all that we accomplished early on this year, I’d say that our fall “semester” was a success. We also launched a Search Committee to find our next minister -- no small task!
Then, as the Holiday Fair transitioned into winter, we quickly faced the reality that we depend an awful lot on a small group of folks to keep this place running. But what we may lack in numbers, we certainly have in talent – even if it's hiding just below the surface, or even from ourselves. Maybe it's just waiting for a simple ask? The Board, minister, and Congregational Development Committee (CDC) have long discussed this and maybe even have called on you to help fill one of the many needs UUCM has. Many of us have resisted the call, saying we’re too busy, don’t feel ready, or don’t want to sit in more committee meetings. More meetings is never the goal. Feeling good about the work we do to live into our mission is.
For a few years now, we’ve tried to work out a way to make it easier to center ourselves around the work of the church -- as opposed to church work. Tried to figure out how to have fewer seats to fill so that the CDC can help us develop future leadership to help us learn and grow, and become the best version of ourselves. But it has become clear that, despite our best efforts, we need help to make this happen.
To that end, the Board has hired an outside consultant who can see an overview of our organization, how we function, and how we can best implement our plans to move forward. Someone to help us find our blind spots and set our road map into the future. Paul Nickerson of Nickerson Coaching has 15 years of full-time experience helping churches all over the country function more optimally, and can share examples of what has and hasn’t worked elsewhere. He will work with the Board over the summer and meet with the congregation in the fall. He’ll help us bring our new Board members online as we say goodbye to one minister and bring a new one on board. He can offer the unbiased guidance we need to remind us how we can and should all work together for the betterment of us all, to be the vital resource our community needs, and to more fully live into our mission.
Coming out of the pandemic, we’ve been lacking in leadership development training and ongoing education. So we’re excited to have a knowledgeable resource to help us grow, learn, and get the next year started off on the right foot. So while we might not see you over the summer, your board will be engaged, with open hearts and minds, preparing to start off the next church year with a bang!
Scott Blanchard (president@uucm.org)
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