A Warm & Welcoming Place

300 Households

2009-06-02T08:00:00.001-07:00

At the congregational meeting last Sunday, Search Committee member Jeff Logan announced that one of the things we are looking at as a congregation is starting a blog. And I wish I’d had the presence of mind at the time to mention that this congregation already HAS a blog, and you’re reading it right now! So far I’m the only one who has posted here, but there are others (at the moment Will Saunders, Steve Jenks, and Ashley Lansbury) who all can any time they like, and I hope you will choose to add others as well. It’s a good way to communicate about the things that are important to us all, as well as an archive of good ideas and our on-going plans.

Last Sunday Ashley also mentioned her personal goal of growing First Parish from the 100+ household congregation we are now to something in the 300-350+ range -- a so-called “Program-sized” church. It’s a tough transition, because there are a lot of advantages to remaining a church of 100: the relationships tend to be more personal and easily-formed, for example, and it is even possible to know everyone in the church. This can be true of a larger church as well, but first one needs to recognize that larger congregations are highly-structured institutions -- organizations rather than “organisms.” They might best be thought of as a collection of overlapping communities, rather than a single large community in its own right. And simply recognizing that in itself requires a big change of attitude

But more importantly, we don’t want to grow to 300 households simply for the sake of being 300 households. Rather, we have a duty and an obligation to grow this congregation to whatever size the greater Portland community requires us to be, and 300 households is merely the next easily-defined “plateau” at which we might rest. And I’m VERY confident that there are AT LEAST an additional 200+ households “out there” who would very much appreciate having First Parish in their lives, if only someone would be willing to take them by the hand and show them around. They may not even realize that this is what they are looking for; instead, they may simply be feeling a little discouraged by what they witness going on all around them; they may be feeling discouraged, unfulfilled, angry and frustrated by their inability to make a real difference. We can help them change all that...or at least help them in making a start. Besides, we need all the partners we can find in our own efforts to make this world a better place.

Of course, we can always just sit here in the heart of the city, through open our windows and our doors, and receive whomsoever is sent. It’s a good ministry of “radical hospitality,” and an important one as well. But the big advantage of going out and GETTING these new members (as Ashley suggested Sunday) is that we get to cherry-pick a little: we get to invite our friends, or people we have met at other progressive venues who you just might enjoy getting to know a little better after worshiping together. Get aggressive: they may very well already know that you attend this church, and are wondering why you haven’t invited them already. Pick something special: special music, or a special ritual (like the Flower Communion), or perhaps a high-profile guest speaker. Every Sunday can be “bring a friend” Sunday, if only you decide to treat it that way.

Finally, and this is VERY important, we are NOT inviting people to join this congregation so that they can help us to pay our bills. So just put that idea right out of your head right now. Of course as our programs and expenses go, we will encourage our newer members to contribute their fair share -- principally by practicing financial transparency (which includes simplicity as well as accuracy) and setting a good example ourselves. But if anything, this outreach initiative is going to COST us money -- and we all need to know that and accept that going into it. But just as our spiritual ancestors here at First Parish invested in us, we have a duty to invest our resources in those who will follow us here. It’s both a duty and a privilege, for to those to whom much has been given, much will be expected as well.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Execution”

2009-06-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

In sport we see it so often it’s become a cliche. When it comes right down to the final seconds, when it’s crunch time and the game is on the line, the ONLY thing that really matters is whether or not your team can EXECUTE. Sure, it’s nice to have the right people in the line-up, and the perfect game plan all prepared. But unless those people can get it done -- perform in real time what you’ve drawn up on paper -- you might as well all just go home.

And it doesn’t just happen in sports. It’s a problem in business and in every other human organization I can think of, including churches. In fact, especially churches -- where so much to the important work is done by volunteers, with limited time, minimal training, an abundance of good ideas and a very complicated playing field.

But here are some ideas for better execution, both at church and in the wider world:

• Keep it Simple. Circumstances will complicate matters plenty on their own. So plan and stick to something that you know you can make work, and that will have the most meaningful impact. As my Dad (a process improvement consultant, among many other things) often says, it’s more important to do the right things than to try to do everything right. So concentrate on figuring out what those things are, and keep it all as simple as possible.

• Plan to Practice. Practice to Improve. I don’t think anyone ever does things perfectly the first time around, and for most of us perfection is just an abstract goal anyway. But recognize that there is a learning curve to any activity, and plan to take advantage of that by integrating what you learn into your plan.

• Know your Role and your Goals. Sometimes it really helps to figure out what to do if you know the outcome you are hoping to achieve. And likewise, if each “player” on the team knows and understands what his or her role is, it becomes a lot easier for everyone to work together in harmony.

To turn this around for just a moment, one of the essential tasks of Leadership is to be able to communicate that vision, and to explain and teach to every member of their team exactly what is expected of them, and how to accomplish it.

Rarely do organizations fail for lack of good ideas. Most folks I know have more good ideas in the course of a week than they could every hope to accomplish in a lifetime. The key is to focus on the RIGHT ideas, to keep the process as simple as possible, and to continue to practice and improve until you can execute like clockwork in crunch time EVERY time. That’s what seperates the winners from the losers, and the champions from the also-rans. And it really is in your hands now. So hands in, on three: TEAM!...............twj

A "theory" of Worship?

2009-05-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

The Rev. Erik Walker Wikstrom, until a few years ago our neighbor at the First Universalist Church in Yarmouth ME, and more recently now the Worship and Music Resources Director for the Unitarian Universalist Association was back here in Maine this past Wednesday to share some of his ideas about worship with the Maine chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, which just so happened to be meeting here at First Parish. Among the resources Erik shared was his list of the Top Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Worship, three of which resonated very powerfully in my own experience. Tend Your Own Spiritual Garden, Make Sure There's Something To Learn By Heart, and Strive For Excellence. The other seven are good as well, but these three are really special.

Erik also inspired me to look again at Wayne Arnason and Kathleen Rolenz's recent book Worship That Works: Theory and Practice for Unitarian Universalists. In particular, Wayne and Kathleen write about the "four dynamic forces that influence how a congregations worships," and which are "often beyond the control of the worship leader to directly influence in a short period of time." To frame this in a more positive tone, in order to lead meaningful worship for the congregations we serve, those services need to be authentic to the Founding Culture of the congregation, respect and embrace the existing Worship Traditions, acknowledge the normative Musical Baseline, and be appropriate to the Physical Space in which the worship takes place.

Over time, with trust, and in partnership with the people, a good worship leader can expand and maybe even change these dynamics, but they will probably never be able simply to ignore them or replace them with something entirely new. Rather, "the dimensions of worship -- the ability of the service to engage mind, heart, body, and spirit, to touch all the senses, to appeal to diverse generations and cultures -- arise from something beyond the will and creativity of the worship leader." It's not about us, boys and girls, not by a long shot. It's about our ability and our willingness to invoke the Spirit, and allow that Spirit to flow within us and through us and out again amongst the people in ways that feel at once both familiar and transformative [Nov 28, 2007].

Of course there is also always the popular old-school alternative view: "If you want to fill the church, fill the pulpit." Even in a denomination blessed with as many good preachers as we have, the truly great ones are few and far between. It's hard to argue with the success they enjoy though...both in theory AND in practice.... But fnding a good preacher and offering them Freedom of the Pulpit needs to be reciprocated by finding a preacher who will also respect and understand the "four dynamic influences" within the congregation they are serving, and adapt their style to fit the context.

Finally, how does one become a great preacher? Good question -- lots of practice to start with, I would guess. But the right kind of practice too -- not the kind that simply ingrains bad habits, but rather a discipline that grows new strengths. And there are classes one can take, and certainly plenty to read...both about preaching and worship, and about life and the human condition in general. (I think that's number four on Erik's list: "Read Poetry and Novels"). But tending your own spiritual garden, learning some of what your read by heart (the poetry in particular), and striving for excellence are three very good disciplines as well. Good Luck! And may your worship always be profoundly inspirational, and deeply devotional, and filled with the good feeling of community -- the love of God and the love of neighbor, and the love of strangers as if they are our neighbors, fellow children of God, and thus all brothers and sisters to one another....

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Mother, May I?"

2009-05-01T04:47:00.000-07:00

***

Now that the month of May is fast upon us, I am down to my final two appearances in the pulpit here at First Parish. On May 10th, Mother’s Day, I will be preaching on the topic “Wir Alles sind Gotts Kinder” (“We are all God’s children” -- I’ll explain why the German in the Sermon), and then on Memorial Day weekend (Sunday May 24th) will be my last appearance ever as your settled parish minister, title and topic still to be determined.

These last two sermons will also represent the 653rd and 654th sermons of my career, as well as the 43rd and 44th sermons I have delivered to this congregation, beginning with the very first sermon I preached here as a candidate on Mother’s Day two years ago -- the same day I discovered that my own mother had been hospitalized with a recurrence of her cancer, a cancer that would eventually take her life in a matter of only a few weeks.

The title of that first candidating sermon: “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City,” has continued to provide the theme for everything else we’ve attempted to do together here these past two years, through both my cancer and an economic meltdown that has touched the lives of just about everyone I know, both neighbor and stranger alike. Likewise, the distance we have traveled together in that time: spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally...seems immense.

And yet, in the greater scheme of things it is really only the blink of an eye: about 4% of my current life span (although perhaps 50% of my current life expectancy), less than six-tenths of one per cent of the history of First Parish itself. And I have no way whatsoever of measuring the effect that my ministry may have had on any of your lives personally, but I hope that it has been a meaningful and positive one.

As I have said on several other occasions, the privilege of being someone’s minister is NOT something clergy receive on account of our education or our credentials, or ultimately even as a result of our elective “call” and the subsequent covenantal relationship we enter into structured by the rules and traditions of our ecclesiastical polity. Rather, it is a relationship we earn one individual at a time, each time someone new decides we are worthy of being THEIR minister, and entrusts us with that sacred responsibility.

So thank you so much, all of you who have found me trustworthy in this way these past two years. As I prepare to return home now to the West Coast, to be closer to my family and to give 100% of my attention to fighing this disease, knowing that I carry with me the prayers and good wishes of so many of you makes a huge difference. Thank you so much for the privilege of having been your minister. And thank you again for the many ways that you have ministered to me as well.............twj

Church Shopping

2009-04-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

OK, this is all now Old News. But it's also still good news for churches like ours, if we are in a position to take advantage of it. What are the three most important qualities newcomers are looking for when seeking a new church? Believe it or not, it has almost NOTHING to do with theological orientation, political correctness, or denominational affiliation. Rather, the three most important factors seem to be

1) Location: how close is it to my home? how long will it take for me to get there? how easy will it be for me to find a place to park, etc. etc.

2) Leadership: in particular, how much do I like the minister, and do they really seem to practice what they preach? Is the minister open-minded or judgmental? Genuinely interested in me, or only interested in what I can contribute to the church?"

3) Overall Fit and Friendliness: do I really feel at home here, or is something just not right? How welcome do I feel, are people glad to see me, how easy has it been to form "honest to God" friendships?

It almost goes without saying that people who have been members of a particular congregation for a significant period of time tend to forget what their church looks like to someone who is passing through the doors for the first time. That first impression is critical; I've even seen research suggesting that most first-time visitors have made up their minds about whether or not they will return within about 30 seconds of their arrival. The second visit is even more important; if there is just one person there who remembers the newcomer and greets them by name, the odds of that person eventually becoming a formal member of the congregation skyrocket. So make up your mind to meet someone new yourself this next Sunday. Sure, you could make a mistake, and accidently greet someone who has been attending First Parish for 20 years. But that wouldn't be such a bad thing either, would it?

Four Stages of Stewardship

2009-04-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

A colleague of mine posted these to one of the ministerial internet CHAT-groups I read. I thought it was interesting, so I'm passing it along.

The Consumer pays for services received. The church is a store.

The Co-Op Member pays fair share of expenses. The church is a shared facility -- like a cabin shared by siblings.

The Owner invests more than necessary to create more. The church is a small business enterprise.

The Benefactor invests for the benefit of others with no hope of personal return. The church is a gift to the future.

Of course, my reflections didn't end there either. Because this list also reminded me of the "Golden Ladder of Giving" by the medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides, which I first learned about from "Building Your Own Theology."

Maimonides' Eight Degrees of Charity (from about.com/judaism)

8. When donations are given grudgingly.

7. When one gives less than he should, but does so cheerfully.

6. When one gives directly to the poor upon being asked.

5. When one gives directly to the poor without being asked.

4. When the recipient is aware of the donor's identity, but the donor does not know the identity of the recipient.

3. When the donor is aware of the recipient's identity, but the recipient is unaware of the source.

2. When the donor and recipient are unknown to each other.

1. The highest form of charity is to help sustain a person before they become impoverished by offering a substantial gift in a dignified manner, or by extending a suitable loan, or by helping them find employment or establish themselves in business so as to make it unnecessary for them to become dependent on others.

In these hard economic times, the mission of the church becomes ever more pressing and essential. But for those of us who have been fortunate enough to still have the ability to be generous, perhaps these words will be an inspiration to become true benefactors, both to neighbors known and unknown.

Tempus Fugit

2009-04-11T04:43:00.000-07:00

***

How Time Flies. And before too long, Tim will be flying out of here as well. With only a couple of months left in his tenure here at First Parish, the opportunities for saying our personal “fare-wells” are quickly disappearing.

But the Committee on Ministry is planning a variety of occasions to help remedy this situation. For starters, there is always your old fashioned “BLCS” appointment. “Breakfast, Lunch, Coffee, Supper” -- just pick a date (or two, just in case), pick up the phone, call Tim at his local number [(207) 233-7035 - you can also e-mail him at uuclericmindspringcom] and take it from there. Here is a list of some of Tim’s favorite places, most of them right here on the Peninsula: Beckys, Hot Suppa, the Portland Dinner, Dennys, Friendlys, the Top of the East, Norms, Wild Willies, Gilberts, Mesa Verde, the Green Elephant, King of the Roll, Bonobos, and the Beale Street BBQ. Or maybe you have a favorite place of your own that you would like to share with Tim before he goes. And you can always just meet up for a (free) cup of coffee over at 75 State Street. Because it’s not really about the food. It’s about the companionship.

Another option is to host a small party for Tim and a handful of other church members in your own home. Again, this doesn’t have to be elaborate: it can be anything from a traditional church potluck or sit-down dinner party to delivery pizza or some kind of take-out. There are plenty of dates available to do this; Tim is basically free every night except the Saturdays before he preaches (May 9th and May 23rd) or when otherwise committed to attend a church committee meeting. Once again, if you would like to host a party like this, it is best first to confirm a time and date with Tim, and then set out to plan the menu and the guest list.

Finally, the COM is coordinating a handful of events at church for people who prefer to say their good-byes in public. These include after-church get-togethers similar to the “Meet the Minister” sessions for newcomers, as well as an all-church reception and picnic following Tim’s final sermon here Memorial Day weekend, May 24th.

Tim’s time among us has been much too short, but profoundly intense. Please take the time to tell Tim what his ministry has meant to you, and to wish him well in his on-going battle with cancer. In the long run, we think you will be happy that you did.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Spring is sprung...

2009-04-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

***

the grass is riz, I wonder where the flowers is?” This brief bit of doggrel verse is one of my many memories from childhood, something that I learned from my father, and he no doubt from his father before that...passed down perhaps through so many generations that its actual origins are lost in obscurity.

There are lots of things in our lives like this, and the accuracy of their transmission is no guarantee of the quality of their content. Communications theorists sometimes call them “memes” -- tiny snippets of information which combine together as bits of code in order to form larger patterns of meaning, in much the same way that our “genes” combine together to create a genetic code that both defines who we are in a biological sense, and is passed down to subsequent generations as well.

As I prepare to leave First Parish, I find myself wondering what my “memetic” legacy to this congregation will be in years to come. I hope, for example, that the value of Radical Hospitality, and the vision of being “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City,” will both continue to thrive and grow here. These are ideas that I both brought with me, and that I also learned from you in an authentic and “honest to God” process of memetic cross-pollination. “Open all the windows and the doors, and receive whomsoever is sent.” It’s a worthwhile goal worthy of our faithful devotion. Yet it also requires a commitment to being “accessible to otherness,” and greeting neighbors and strangers alike with loving hearts, open minds, and helping hands.

I also hope that the support, encouragement, and gracious generosity that you have shown to me as I have wrestled with my illness will continue to be part of the personality of this congregation. Generosity breeds Gratitude and Gratitude in return breeds Generosity -- it is a classic “positive feedback loop” that has the potential to save the world from itself. So embrace these values in your own lives, teach them to your children and to their children, and know that with each good deed you do you plant the seed for another somewhere down the line.

Finally, I hope that this congregation will remember as fondly as I will the robust Spirit that filled the Meetinghouse the week I originally candidated here in May 2007, and again at my Installation the following Spring, and especially at last year’s Easter Sunday service, which might well have turned out to have been the last sermon I preached in my ministerial career. As it did turn out, thanks to your support I was able to return to the pulpit this past fall -- perhaps not as good as I ever was, but I hope good enough to serve!

Now I’m off in a few months the West Coast (and ultimately to the San Francisco Bay Area) to rest, recuperate and recover as best I can at my Father’s place in Fair Oaks. No one can say with any certainty what the future may bring, but I know my prayers are for ongoing vitality and prosperity here at First Parish, and for a long and happy life for myself. And may we all feel blessed by the too-short-of-time we shared together, and grieve the lose of “what might have been.”

Minister's Spring 2009 Stewardship Letter

2009-03-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.

I have some good news and some bad news about next year’s church operating budget.

The good news is that we already have all the money we need.

The bad news is that it is still in your pockets.

These days the state of the economy is unavoidably on everybody’s mind. Mortgage forclosures and the banking crisis, job lay-offs and the sad state of the stock market are all front page news; and none of us can really feel confident that our own situation is truly secure, no matter how secure we may feel at the moment.

Yet is is also at times like these that people need the church more than ever. Need a feeling of safety and sanctuary, and a place to renew their sense of connectedness to one another and to All-That-Is. Need a time and a place to seek inspiration and encouragement, and to express their devotion to and gratitude for the Spirit that gives us life and give life meaning. And yes, need a place to live out the values of compassion and generosity, just as others come here needing to benefit from benevolence of their neighbors.

Over and over again in my 30-some years of parish ministry, I have observed that even the healthiest of churches never seem to have enough money to do everything they dream of doing, but almost always seem to be able to come up with enough to do the things they feel they absolutely need to do.

For generation after generation, through wars and fires, panics, recessions and a great depression, the people of First Parish have come together to fulfill their mission and sustain their vision of BEING Portland’s Original Faith Community. Here at the head of Temple Street, we still have the ability to throw open our windows and our doors, and receive whomsoever is sent. We can still make people feel welcome and help them stay warm, even with the cost of heating oil being what it is.

This is the Good News: it is in our hands now.

We just need to each reach into our pockets....

An Open Letter to the Leaders and Congregation of the First Parish in Portland

2009-03-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

[On Sunday March 22nd after church, an informational meeting was held for the entire congregation in order to answer questions about my departure and the events which lead up to my decision not to return to the pulpit here next September. I did not attend that meeting, for reasons I explain below, but I did write this letter to the leadership team, to be read aloud in whole or in part as my contribution to the discussion]

Dear Ones:

This is how I would wish to handle these explanations, based on my own understanding and experience of the process.

1) Nobody had to "ask" me to resign. Strictly speaking, I had already resigned as of July, 2008 when I filed my long term disability application and it was accepted by our insurer. Therefore, at least in that regard, this was not really a decision that ANYONE made; it was simply an acknowledgment of the reality of my situation, which was anticipated by the standard language of our UUMA-vetted contract. Thus for the past 9 months I have essentially been working (1/4 time) with both the encouragement and at the indulgence of the Governing Board, and it would have required some sort of pro-active decision (even if something so simple as a line item in the 2009-10 budget) for me have continued beyond June 30th anyway.

2) Ordinarily, in this or any similar situation, my "default" setting would have been to continue working: not because this is what I wanted (I have always seen my own wishes as secondary to what is best for the congregation anyway), but as the natural expression of my deep gratitude and devotion to the people of this church, who have done so much for me in the past twelve months. I would have gladly "died in this ministry" if that is really what would have made me most of service here, but I honestly don't think that's what anyone expected of me, so naturally I had already starting thinking myself about transition plans, as were many of the other central leaders of this congregation. The process by which we shared these thoughts with one another, and later communicated them to other members of the congregation, was hardly perfect; no process is, especially when it has to deal with such emotionally charged issues and so many diverse perspectives. But all of us shared in addition a common commitment to the on-going health and vitality of First Parish, as well as a great deal of affection and respect for one another personally. And that should not be overlooked, no matter how awkward the process itself may have appeared.

3) When all is said and done, I think the decision that we made is the best one that could have been made under the circumstances. For my own part, there were two critical factors which convinced me that moving on at this time was the right thing to do. The first was the realization of just how much stress and emotional pressure my illness was putting on the other leaders of the congregation. As I said in my original letter, First Parish deserves a full time minister who is capable of taking care of the people here, not one who needs such extensive caregiving himself. And the second factor was the realization that I was no longer capable of giving 100% of myself to this ministry, simply because it was no longer there to give. Mentally, emotionally, intellectually and even spiritually, the powerful narcotics that I take to control my pain and the chemotherapy agents which are used to combat the course of my disease have profoundly diminished my ability to be the kind of minister I have always aspired to be. It's more than just a matter of a little fatigue. If I am no long capable of performing my job at the level of excellence I have set for myself, I honestly feel that I really have no business hanging on beyond my time either.

4) Finally, I think people should know that my own ultimate response to all of this has been one of great relief. And it's not that I won't miss you all (because I will, very much), or that I don't also mourn the loss of "what might have been." But I also have other aspirations for what is left of my life that being released from the demanding obligations even of part-time parish ministry will greatly assist me in achieving. I'm looking forward a great deal to living closer to my family on the West Coast, and (I'm only a little embarrassed to say) I will certainly not miss Maine winters one little bit. I sincerely hope that in the next few months people will take advantage of the many opportunities for us to say goodbye that the Committee on Ministry is working with me to create, which we hope will include small group settings and social engagements both at the church and in members homes, as well as ample opportunities for one-on-one breakfast, lunch or coffee meet-ups, and at least one large all-church event toward the end of May or in early June.

I recognize that this may all sound a little cold, analytical, and emotionally aloof. But this is exactly how I feel, as well as (at least from my perspective) a completely truthful narrative of events as they took place and I experienced them. I would be happy to allow the relevant portions of this to be printed out and read at the informational meeting, and will even be willing to read them myself, although I think I might find the kind of back-and-forth Q & A this meeting is certain to create a little too emotionally demanding, given the way that my painkillers bring my emotions so close to the surface (as so many of you have witnessed lately). Feel free to respond with comments if you like.

Tim

To the Members and Friends of First Parish...

2009-03-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Wednesday March 4th, 2009

Dear Members and Friends of the First Parish in Portland

After a great deal of reflection and no little soul searching, I have decided not to return in September to the pulpit at First Parish in the role of your settled parish minister.

I realize this announcement will come as a relief to some and as a disappointment to others. But I have known for some time now that I simply can not do 100% of my job 100% of the time, and that I require considerable assistance simply to do the 20% of the job I felt was still delivering 80% of the benefit.

What I have only recently come to appreciate is that I am also no longer capable of giving 100% of my self to this ministry, not because of lack of desire, but because it simply is no longer there. Because of my illness, I am no longer the kind of minister I have always aspired to be, and the emotional burden this has placed on many of the critical lay leaders of this congregation has been considerable.

Your kindness, generosity and support for me these past twelve months have been overwhelming. My gratitude and affection for all of you are equally immense. First Parish deserves a minister who is capable of caring for all of its members, and not one who needs to be cared for himself.

The first week in March may seem like an unusual time to make this kind of announcement, but it was felt that in the interest of transparency this news should be known before the start of our annual Stewardship campaign, so that individual church members might have the opportunity to talk about their feelings with their visiting Stewards. At the very least, it should give us ample opportunity to say our “farewells.” And may we all be blessed in whatever lies ahead.

Faithfully Yours,

The Rev. Dr. Tim W. Jensen, Parish Minister

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Tough Times Never Last..."

2009-02-24T08:20:00.000-08:00

And I never dreamed that I would find myself quoting Robert Schuler in a newsletter column, but these are indeed extraordinary times. Between the Bailout and the Stimulus, the constant talk in the media of unemployment, foreclosures, collapsing consumer confidence and the possibilities stock market crash, and the technical distinctions between “recession” and “depression,” we need few reminders that these are indeed difficult times. But the truly pressing question is how should we respond? What, if anything, can we do to make things LESS difficult, both for ourselves and for those who have come to church seeking support and inspiration in these challenging days?

This is the great paradox of life in a faith community. On the one hand, there are few among us whose lives have not been touched by this economic downturn. We’ve seen the value of our homes and our investments drop, felt the pressure in the workplace, some of us have even lost our jobs and are looking for new ones in a tight employment market. And what happens to each of us individually carries over into the life of the church as well, where we have also felt the impact of the declining value of our invested endowment funds, as well as the pressure to live within our means even when our resources fall short of our needs.

Yet at the same time, this is also a moment where people are seeking out the church, not only for inspiration and emotional encouragement, but for tangible assistance and support in their efforts to get back on their feet again. The church is not a social service agency, and never will be. Yet we can play a very significant and influential role in the lives of individuals who need a helping hand as well as an encouraging word, and for whom a small amount of assistance goes a very long way.

I’m not talking now about the folks who haunt every church community, dropping by asking to speak with the Pastor in hope of a handout. I’m talking about people who may have originally dropped in just to get warm and get a bite to eat, but who now for all intents and purposes are active members of our congregation. They worship with us every week, listen to the sermon and light candles during the candlesharing, perhaps even put a little something in the collection when they have it. Some of them you may know by name, others merely recognize by appearance; many offer little evidence of how hard their lives really are right now. Yet they need the church in ways that are difficult to define, yet of inestimable importance to their very survival.

How we choose to respond to this dilemma says a great deal about who we are as a church. Do we choose to hunker down, cutting back and withdrawing into ourselves until these tough times have passed? Or do we continue to open all the window and the doors, to embrace our ministry of radical hospitality, and continue to serve as “A Warm and Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City?” I know the answer that works for me. And if each of us will just do what we can, I’m confident we will be equal to the challenge. “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” It’s that essential “toughness” that has enabled First Parish to survive for as long as it has, and will insure our continued survival here far into the future........twj

A letter to the Members and Friends of the First Parish in Portland Maine

2009-02-18T15:07:00.001-08:00

[please click on the images to expand the to full size]

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “All of Them"

2009-02-01T07:29:00.000-08:00

There’s a “trick” trivia question which basically goes something like this: “How many months have 28 days?” The answer, of course, is “all of them” -- it’s just that most months have a few more as well. You can blame it all on the arrogance of Julius and Augusts Caesar, who in renaming lovely summer months after themselves, felt that those months also deserved an extra day as well, and “borrowed” them from an obscure month in the middle of winter where no one would likely miss them anyway.

But whatever else February may mean to you, this February 19th will mark for me the one-year anniversary of my life as a cancer survivor. This first year, I’m told, is an important milestone -- not only to a lot of the statistics improve dramatically for a one-year survivor when compared to the odds for someone newly-diagnosed, but a lot of the most dramatic changes have also taken place as well, which means that whatever subsequent adjustments need to be made will probably be a lot LESS dramatic. Statistically, at least. Because one thing I’ve discovered in the past 12 months is that Cancer really does seem to love drama...

But think about it. This past 12 months I have lost both my ability to walk and my ability to drive, which have obviously compromised both my mobility and my independence...dramatically.... These abilities may still improve (and in fact, I’m counting on it), but in the meantime I live with by disabilities now every day. I’ve had to give up my apartment, and all the things I associated with that: the freedom to come and go as I pleased, or strolling around the West End and here on the peninsula in general; playing basketball, riding my bicycle, shopping and cooking for myself (or taking myself out for pizza or wings!), even my little dog has died. So much has changed for me, it’s hard to keep track of it all.

And yet I’ve also learned so much as well -- especially about the relationship between dependence, independence, and interdependence, and the essential connection between generosity and gratitude, and the importance of learning to live life one day at a time. These are lessons I’ve known about in my “head” for a long time, but to actually have lived with them for a year now gives them a very special poignancy, and provides me with the kind of insight that can’t be ascertained by thinking alone.

And then there is my ministry. Again, I feel very fortunate that good disability planning and the hard work and cooperation of so many generous and well-intended souls have made it possible for us to hire our talented Ministerial Support Team, and for me to continue to serve in whatever capacity I feel most called and able. As a result, First Parish has both grown and deepened as a Faith Community in the face of an unexpected crisis which might have easily torn it apart. It hasn't’ always been easy, but we are stronger and better people for it. In a word, we are survivors...and perhaps that one word alone says it all.........twj

oUUr Grand Master Plan

2009-01-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

Articulating a Vision for First Parish in the 21st Century

I - Create a high quality, three-part three-hour Sunday Morning Program, consisting of...

• Accessible, engaging, and inspiring Public Worship

• A top-notch Religious Education program for our children

• The practice of “Radical Hospitality” and intentional outreach to visitors and newcomers, including regular orientation sessions and a well-defined “Pathway to Membership.”

II - Small Group Ministry [SGM]

a Small Group Ministry is any program intended to serve a group of 8-12 individuals, and can take a variety of forms:

• Affinity Groups [AGs] are small groups that are organized around a shared activity or interest. Affinity Groups at First Parish currently include *Connections, Soulful Parenting, and the new “Fibers” group.

• Covenant Groups [CGs - also sometimes known as “Chalice Circles”] are more “generic” SGMs organized around a covenant or mutual agreement to follow a particular process and practice, which includes:

a) a commitment to reliable attendance at regular meeting times, which can be either monthly or bi-weekly, depending upon the preference of the group.

b) the intentional cultivation of deep and meaningful interpersonal relationships among group members, through the use of an opening “check-in,” and other trust-building activities.

c) a process of on-going education and spiritual “self-culture,” through the use of facilitated, topical discussions. Ideally, at least one of these topics each month would be the same for every group in the church, in order to facilitate a larger, secondary conversation among the entire congregation.

d) annual service projects -- generally at least one within our church community, and another in service to the larger community.

• Life Long Learning (LLL) offerings can also often function as Small Group Ministries, although generally they are of too short duration to create the kind of deep, interpersonal relationships SGMs are intended to cultivate. But often Life Long Learning classes provide the seed for the formation of a new Covenant Group, thus expanding the SGM program organically.

III - The Community Care Ring

the Community Care Ring might best be thought of as a series of concentric circles, with the ministers and the chaplains at the center as “primary pastoral caregivers,” and the other circles expanding outward to embrace the entire congregation

• The Steering Committee is a sub-committee of the larger Membership Committee, and is primarily responsible for initially organizing the Care Ring, monitoring its activities, and recruiting individual church members to serve in the other capacities listed below.

• “Neighbors Indeed” are essentially case coordinators, who are responsible for monitoring the needs of their client(s) and matching those needs to services offered by the congregation. They are also compassionate friends who have the time to form a relationship with their client, and to be present as an “active listener” in order to help them remain connected to the larger community.

• The “Helping Hands” list consists of the names and contact information of church members who have volunteered to provide specific services to those who need them. These services might include: transportation (to church, shopping, medical appointments, etc); the preparation and delivery of simple meals; emergency child or pet care; or even just writing cards or making calls to church members who are ill or shut-in.

IV - Faith in Action

this is our “public” ministry to the larger community, where we demonstrate our values by volunteer service to those in need, and the advocacy of policies which would help address those needs in a more comprehensive and systematic manner.

• The Steering Committee is responsible for organizing and managing the entire program, monitoring its activities, and recruiting new volunteers and coordinators.

• Project Coordinators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who have taken on the responsibility for specific Faith in Action projects.

• Volunteers are individual church members who have indicated interest in becoming involved in this area, and who can be called upon by the Coordinators to participate in specific activities or events.

V - The Pathway to Leadership

too many churches see their job as finished when somebody “signs the book” and officially becomes a member of the congregation. Here at First Parish, we feel like our job is just beginning....

• part of our mission at First Parish is to help each of our members find a “job” or vocational call within the congregation that is right for them, and will help them grow both spiritually and in devotion to the values and principles which give their faith meaning and purpose.

• it is also our hope that these volunteer ministries will grow in scope over time, as our faith itself grows and deepens, and we become more authentically “spiritual” in our lifestyles, with the ultimate goal of finding that place where (in the words of Frederick Bueckner “the heart’s deep gladness meets the world’s deep hunger.”

• some ideas for getting more deeply involved can be found at Volunteer Ministry Opportunities at First Parish. Or you may have another idea which inspires you deeply, in which case it is the job of the church to help you find a way to bring your vision to life. In either case, our entire community is enriched by the participation of each of our members, just as we hope that the lives of each of our members are enriched by their participation in this community.

NEXT STEPS

The Executive Committee is the “hands on” lay leadership group most responsible for driving and steering this entire process. Working in close cooperation with the ministers and other support staff, the Executive Committee anticipates current and future needs, and develops specific action plans for addressing those needs.

The Governing Board is responsible for reviewing, discussing, modifying and approving the proposals of the Executive Committee, and in addition is responsible for communicating and implementing those decisions back through the various councils and working committees

The Personnel Committee and Leadership Development Team (formerly known as the “Nominating Committee”) are responsible for analyzing our staffing needs based on current staff skills, and the skills of our lay leadership team.

The mission of the Finance Council is to “manage scarce dollars with common sense,” while at the same time cultivating an attitude of abundance and generosity, and developing the additional resources which will allow us to fulfill our larger mission as a faith community.

The Committee on Ministry is charged with maintaining a view of “the big picture,” and of using the “Assessing Our Leadership” evaluation tool in order to make certain that we are still on track.

The Board of Trustees are responsible for managing our endowment funds, and for supporting the programatic mission of the church by maintaining the facilities and through whatever other means seem appropriate and are allowed by the terms of the trust.

The Worship Council, Membership Council, Life Long Learning Council, Faith in Action Council, and their various committees and sub-committees all have specific areas of responsibility as defined by the plans approved by the Governing Board, some of which have already been described earlier. Each of these councils has in essence been asked to redefine itself as a “task force” around a few specific objectives, and to take responsibility for their successful implementation.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Janus is a two-faced God.”

2009-01-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

Statue of Janus at the Vatican

Say what you like, I am a natural born April Fool. It just seems so much more sensible to begin a new year in the beginning of spring, when life is resurgent and new opportunities in the air, than to stay up until midnight on one of the longest and darkest nights of the year in order to ring a bell, blow a horn, and drink a little champagne. The dead of winter is just that: Dead. A New Year = New Life = Spring.

But those old Roman calendar makers disagreed. And there is one advantage to starting the new year in the dead of winter. Winter is a season that looks both forward and backward -- ahead to the opportunities which await us in the coming year, but also back on the achievements and regrets of the previous, and what we might learn from them. This is why the Roman god Janus was always depicted with two faces -- one face looking forward, and the other retrospectively back to the past...not just in nostalgia either, but with an honest and critical appraisal of what has gone before.

In 2008 I went through so many changes in my life I hardly know where to begin. My cancer diagnosis, months in the Hospital and Rehab, giving up my apartment for two rooms in the assisted living center, not being able to walk, not being able to drive, and, of course, the death of my beloved dog Parker in October, after 13 years of near-constant companionship. These are just the more noticeable things; they do not exhaust the list by any means. Perhaps most significantly, here were also my inner struggle over the issues raised by applying for disability insurance, in effect acknowledging that I could no longer do this job I love without help, and creating the opportunity to get that help and still do as much of my job as I am able.

But the real miracle of 2008 has been the way that this community has rallied around me in my illness, and inspired me to do everything in my power to fight this disease, and to stay focused on the big dreams we have shared together about the future of First Parish and our role within the larger Portland community. So even as we gaze retrospectively upon our past, let us also look with vision and imagination toward the future, as we work together to become both the kinds of people, and the “community of memory and hope” that our heritage and our destiny summon us to be.

WORSHIP COMMITTEE MINUTES

2008-12-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Present: Charlie Grindle, Kitsy Winthrop, Alex landry, Janet Puistonen, Jackie Olivari, Linda Blue

Issues Addressed:

Sermon in an envelope............Janet agrees to look through Tim's packet of sermons that he provided when candidating and consult with Tim.

Ushers for January 2009..........Committee members will take turns every week as head usher w/ Linda acting as head usher the first Sunday in Jan.

Usher Responsibilities.............in particular the head usher, to be discussed at the next meeting.

Ushers for the Solstice service............the "Suits" will usher; childen will greet and perhaps pass out orders of service. They wil not participate in the offering.

Eventide Update: this service will become weekly (Weds) in the New Year.

Burning Ritual for New Year: all set, Will in the pulpit.

Need for new members for Worship Committee....it is agreed to ask Celine McFarquar to join us. She was delighted to be asked and has accepted our invitation. She will join us at our next meeting.

Snow Cancellations: please check your e-mail before leaving home.

Next Worship Committee Meeting scheduled for 1/8/2009 @ 5:30 pm in the Parish House.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Who ARE all these Preachers, anyway? (and what are they doing here?)

2008-12-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

I know it’s been written about many times before, but now that we have our entire team in place, it bears repeating.

Last summer, when it became obvious that I would not be able to resume my ministry full-time in September, I applied for the Long Term Disability insurance benefits provided for me under the terms of my compensation agreement. Once those benefits had been approved, money that had originally been budgeted to pay my salary again became available to the congregation, allowing First Parish to hire additional staff to assist me in the performance of my duties here.

We call these ministers “the Ministerial Support Team,” and as a team we hope to create a much more exciting and dynamic ministry here at First Parish than any one of us might have hoped to create alone.

The Rev. Elizabeth “Kitsy” Winthop was ordained in 1982 , and has been a resident of Maine for more than a decade. In that time has served numerous congregations up and down the Maine Coast and in Canada, including one in New Brunswick (where she continues to visit once a month). Kitsy’s main responsibilities are for Pastoral “Care Ring” and to the Life Long Learning Council, although as a resident of Portland she is also often available to respond in an emergency if none of the other team members are available.

The Rev. Dr. William Saunders was ordained in 1972 (when I was still a sophomore in High School!), and began his ministry up in Brunswick in 1976, while still completing his PhD in American History at Columbia (does any of this sound familiar?). Will recently retired and was designated Minister Emeritus by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Portsmouth, New Hampshire (South Church), although he continues to serve the UUA actively in other ways, most prominently as the Trustee from the old NH/V District (which has now been consolidated with our district here in Maine). Will’s primary responsibility has been to work with me, the rest of the staff, and our deeply devoted lay leadership group in order to develop a set of working “Standard Operating Procedures” that will allow us to grow from our current size of approximately 100+ households into a 550+ member “Program-sized” church like the one he just left in Portsmouth. His experience and expertise in this area make him a valuable “coach” to our entire congregation, but it should also be said that Will is here to serve as my “back-up” in the event that my own health should suddenly take a serious turn for the worse, like it did last spring.

Also serving on the team is our newly-ordained (and much revered) Charlie Grindle, who has been designated now as “Minister of Music” in recognition of the completion of his course of study at the One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York City. As part of his expanded role here at First Parish, Charlie is responsible for coordinating our new Wednesday evening “Eventide” service, which is already beginning to develop its own dedicated (and growing) following.

Despite the many limitations imposed upon me by my cancer, I plan to continue to fulfill my principal responsibilities as the called, settled and installed Minister of this Parish by preaching approximately every other Sunday, and by being in church to lead the worship service even in those weeks when I’m not preaching. I will also, of course, continue to write this monthly newsletter column, and to keep up with my semi-consistent internet “blog,” (which I know many of you have grown to appreciate ALMOST as much as my Preaching).

As my health allows, I likewise hope to continue to attend the monthly Executive Committee and Governing Board meetings, as well as meetings of the Trustees, the Worship Committee, and the Membership Committee, and our weekly Tuesday afternoon Staff meeting. And I remain committed to being available by phone, e-mail, or in person (if necessary), to any church member who really feels that I’m the only one who will do. Just please be aware that this will not be nearly as easy for me to do as it has been in the past, and that we have many other fine people for you to talk with, who will probably do just as well as me.

Throughout my illness, I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the generosity and support of the members of this congregation, as you have cared for me and shared with me in my battle against this disease. And just as you have ministered to me, I invite you now to share with me and Kitsy and Will and Charlie and Sally and Sue and so many others (should I try to name them here?) as we work together to create and re-create “A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City.” This is our mission, and our ministry both to one another and the larger Portland community.

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Celebrate the Holidays at First Parish:

2008-10-31T17:54:00.000-07:00

The holiday season can often be a frantic time for families. Each year they seem to begin earlier and earlier, bringing with them ever-expanding lists of things to do, places to go, and people to see. Tough economic times only seem to compound these difficulties, making the burden feel all that heavier. But here at First Parish, we like to think that we’ve scheduled a few activities that can help people REDUCE the burden of the holidays, beginning with our new Wednesday evening Eventide services, to be held at 5:50 pm on November 5th, November 19th, December 5th and December 17th. These half-hour services of readings, music and meditation are intended to provide a peaceful midweek interlude in our otherwise hectic lives, and will be lead by our newly-designated Minister of Music, Charlie Grindle.

On Sunday November 23rd we will celebrate our annual, intergenerational Cider and Cornbread Communion, as well as dedicating any children whose parents wish to have them formally recognized and acknowledged as members of our faith community. Which reminds me, if you have a child you would like to have dedicated this year, please contact the church office right away in order to make those arrangements.

Sunday December 14th is the date of the “Pageant of the Nativity,” a unique living tableau which has been First Parish’s annual holiday gift to the greater Portland community for over eighty years. Seating is always crowded at this popular holiday event, so if you would like to attend this year plan on arriving early.

This year, not only does the Solstice fall on a Sunday (December 21st); that date also marks the beginning of Hanukkah, and provides the occasion for another intergenerational family service recognizing the many other faith traditions who celebrate “holy days” this time of year. One of the things people often say they appreciate most about Unitarian Universalism is our willingness to be enlightened by wisdom from ALL the world’s great religious faiths, based on our own belief that “the Truth” is true no matter where you find it, and will still be true no matter how you label it.

And, of course, for those who still enjoy a traditional Christmas touchstone, on Wednesday, December 24th we will celebrate our annual Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.

Finally, on Sunday January 4th we will observe the last of our intergenerational holiday services, by conducting our annual Burning Ritual. Many faith traditions, as well as our society in general, encourage individuals to make Resolutions for the New Year. But in many Unitarian Universalist churches, we also encourage people to let go of their regrets from the year just gone by, by writing them down on small slips of paper and burning them as part of the Worship Service. You may be surprised by how liberating this may feel, even if you don’t feel like you have that much to regret.

C.K. Chesterson once observed that “Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.” This year, why not invite your whole family, and invite all your friend, to gather once more around the Heart(h)fire, and join us for the holidays at First Parish.

HOW TO BE A GOLD CUP GREETER

2008-10-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday, as I welcome first time visitors to our service, and invite them to join us at the coffee hour, I also encourage them to speak with one of our "Gold Cup Greeters" -- church members who are willing to act as "hosts" to our visitors, and answer whatever questions they may have about First Parish or Unitarian Universalism in general.

Yet I've never really talked about how one BECOMES a Gold Cup Greeter, or what is expected of someone who makes this particular commitment.

The first part is easy. One becomes a Gold Cup Greeter by picking up a Gold Cup. It's really as much a matter of attitude and willingness as any special training or expertise. A prospective Gold Cup Greeter should feel comfortable about embracing the "Ministry of Hospitality" -- or in other words, be someone who ALREADY thinks of First Parish as their Spiritual Home, and who delights in welcoming guests into our parlor, and helping them feel at home as well.

The next part requires a little effort. As tempting as it is just to stand around and wait for someone to approach you, Gold Cup greeters need to be PROACTIVE in their hospitality. Look around the room for people you don't recognize, and when you see one approach them and simply say "Hi! My name is ______. I don't think we've met." That way you don't have to worry about whether they are a first-time visitor or their family has been attending First Parish for three generations. They'll tell you what you need to know.

It may well be that your visitor doesn't have any questions. But you can still continue the conversation by asking a few questions of your own. You might ask them whether this is their first time in a UU church, or what inspired them to visit today? You can ask whether they have family with them, or how long they've lived in Portland? -- basically, it's just a matter of taking a genuine interest is another person, and trying to learn a little more about them. Above all, try to learn (and remember) the visitor's name, and (if they haven't already) get them to fill out a visitors card. Those two things are the most important factors in our early efforts to establish healthy, long-lasting relationships with newcomers to our congregation.

Likewise, they may have questions that you just don't have the answers to. Rather than making something up on the spot, take advantage of that opportunity to introduce your visitor to someone ELSE in the congregation who just might have the answer you're looking for: one of the ministers, or Membership/Hospitality Coordinator Val Blais, a church officer, other long-time church members, or simply somebody passing by. The whole point is to help our visitors connect with real people, rather than simply standing alone in a corner waiting for something to happen.

As you do converse, try to keep the conversation focused on the needs and interests of the newcomer and what First Parish has done for you and might do for them, rather that starting off by talking about all of the expectations and responsibilities of Formal Membership. Nobody in their right mind joins a church because they want to give away their money and attend committee meetings. Furthermore, if we CAN'T meet their expectations as a Faith Community, we have no business asking them to do those other things in the first place. So once again -- keep it focused on the needs and interests of the newcomer, and what we might do for them rather than what they might do for us.

Finally, make a point to Remember the Name of the person you greeted, so that when you see them again in two or three weeks, or on the street or in the check-out line at Hannafords, you can greet them by name and thus let them know that someone cared enough about them to remember.

And that's all it really takes to become a Gold Cup Greeter: the willingness to welcome someone new into our Spiritual Home, and to care enough about them to remember their name.

Minister’s Report October 14, 2008

2008-10-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

We are a month now into our new Program Year, and slowly settling into what (I hope) will be a sustainable routine that will allow us to make noticeable progress toward our goals, relieve much of the stress on our hard-working (and short-handed) leadership team, and still leave plenty of room for having fun.

Much of our ability to do this successfully depends upon the attitude with which we approach the task. So let us all try to remember to be gentle with ourselves and one another, and to reman confident that we have within us and among us the knowledge, wisdom, experience, expertise and resources to overcome whatever unforeseen challenges we may encounter upon our way.

Let us all be “slow to anger and quick to forgive,” eager to take responsibility and reluctant to place blame, devoted to those high purposes and values which give our lives (and life itself) its greatest meaning, and committed to the challenge of our mutual promise of “Walking Together.”

Thus endeth the sermon.... [Amen & Blessed Be]

****

I thought that our Leadership Retreat last month marked an important step forward on our journey as well, and want to make certain that we keep on track with the same momentum we began to develop there. Naming our fears about the long-term condition of my health was important, but I hope we all can keep in mind that “I ain’t dead yet” and I don’t plan to be for a long, long time. Likewise, the “Ministerial Support Team” we have now put in place is a very talented and experience group, and as we move forward and learn how to work most effectively together, I believe we will be able to accomplish a great many things here that I would never have been able to achieve alone, even in the best of health.

Our Goal of Consistent, High Quality Worship likewise seems to be coalescing very nicely. As we work toward becoming what some have described as “a seven-day-a-week, ‘full service’ Program Church,” a solid three hour Sunday Morning Program of Worship, Fellowship, and Education (for both children and adults), plus our new bi-weekly Wednesday Evening Evensong service, represent a very nice start.

I’ve also made a recommendation through the Worship Committee to the Trustees for better Lighting & Sound in the Meetinghouse. The latter is actually pretty good at the moment, but the former has always been problematic; the recommendation I have made should solve a good percentage of the problem at a nominal cost (under $750)

The Search for a new Director of Religious Education seems to have pretty much taken on a life of it’s own: a committee has already been formed, and I believe are already meeting to draft a new job description and to advertise the opening in all the usual places. I can’t predict and won’t attempt to try how long this will take, but my assumption is that as with the last search the committee will generate a “short list” of acceptable candidates, and I will select one of those based on my own sense of who will fit best with our team. Personally, I am much more concerned about finding the right person than I am “filling” the position, but I also recognize the perceived sense of urgency, and the desire to have someone in the position right away.

Kitsy and I also spoke with our District Program Consultant, Benette Sherman, at the UUMA Chapter Retreat last week, and she offered to be of help to us in any way we could use her in this process. Meanwhile, Barbara Ann McHugh has officially resigned as Chair of the Committee. I am uncertain at this moment about what steps are being taken to replace her.

Our final goal, Improved Communications, seemed to me in a little danger of being lost after the retreat; personally, I would hate to see that happen, especially since it also seems to me very closely tied to our Pathway to Leadership initiative, and my own desire to help every member of the congregation discern their own vocation or “ministry” here at First Parish.

Thus, in addition to finding the right people to do those essential “jobs” around here (both staff and volunteer), it also seems important that we define those jobs more accurately and precisely, and also that we develop the kind of consistent and reliable Administrative “Standard Operating Procedures” which will allow both staff and volunteers to concentrate on DOING those jobs, rather than trying to navigate the system where the jobs are to be done.

This in turn requires consistent and effective methods of training, Training, TRAINING so that everyone KNOWS what those procedures are, and can follow them reliably and successfully.

Finally, we need to be more effective about communicating among ourselves, both up and down the system from Staff and Committees to the Governing Board, and also laterally between Committees and even the Staff members themselves. Part of this challenge has to do with how effectively we use our meeting time, and another part has to do with effective communication between meetings, and especially the use of e-mail and the web.

We should keep in mind that the three core purposes of meetings are to 1) share information, 2) solve problems, and 3) Make Decisions. The more closely we can organize our meetings around those purposes, the more effective they will be.

Likewise, in terms of reporting, I want to continue to push the idea of “Quick Minutes.” At the end of EVERY meeting, just before the check-out, each Committee should take five or ten minutes to recount what was actually discussed and (especially) decided there, and then draft a brief report which can be e-mailed within 24 hours to all committee members, plus the office and anyone else who is a potential stakeholder. It should also be posted to THIS SITE (which is easily done, once you’ve been signed up as an “author” or -- in a pinch -- Barbara or I might be willing to do for you).

These Quick Minutes should include the following information in this order:

Name of the Committee

Time, Date and and those present at the meeting

Decisions Made: for each decision, this should begin with a brief description of the problem and the desired outcome, what actions are to be taken, what resources are available/authorized, who is the responsible contact person, and the deadline by which the decision is expected to be implemented.

FYI items - especially those which potentially impact our master calendar or require space use in the building.

The date, time and location of the next meeting.

The more quickly we can consistently use these Quick Minutes, the more consistently we will be able to share information among committees quickly and accurately.

The last little bit of business I wish to report on this month has little to do with the retreat itself, but rather involves what I see as a critical need to revitalize our Pastoral "Care Ring” into a more effective network of ministers and volunteers capable of reaching out to those members of our community who are in need of face-to-face ministry from First Parish. This is one aspect of my job which my own disability had made it nearly impossible for me to do effectively, yet also made critically clear in my mind is essential for us to thrive as a faith community capable of effectively transitioning from a “graying” church to a Growing one.

Or to put it a slightly different way, the outpouring of support for me as I have faced my illness has been simply overwhelming. I have been so amazed and gratified at people’s generosity and good will, and by the innumerable offers of assistance in ways both great and small. Yet the one thing I would appreciate most of all is that same style of assistance being made available to those to whom I would normally minister to myself if I were in good health, but who are now essentially without a pastor because of my illness.

Kitsy and Sally and Charlie have all stepped up to take on some of that responsibility, but there still needs to be more. We need to recruit, train and assign a whole new “Care Ring” of Coordinators, Pastoral Visitors, and Caring Volunteers who can provide occasional meals and transportation, or perhaps just a little congenial afternoon company and conversation, to those members of our community who are unable to get out and do these things for themselves. Think about it in terms of Matthew 25:40 -- “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” It’s an important and potentially very personally fulfilling ministry.

Now that we are close to the completion of our new Congregational directory, the next step should be to take a “census” by comparing those names to the names of those who have been “missing” from church so far this year, and to ask ourselves “why are they missing?” “Who are their friends?” “what can (and should) we do about getting in contact with them again?” One nice thing about moving our annual financial canvass to the Spring it that it allows us to reach out to our “lost lambs” without necessarily having our hand out looking for a donation at the same time!

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “It’s only the ceiling, not the sky....”

2008-10-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

One of the most interesting personal insights that came out of our recent leadership retreat in September was just how much anxiety people are feeling about my health, and how my own apparent LACK of anxiety about those same issues tends to make people feel even MORE anxious than they might feel otherwise!

I really don’t know how to respond to all this. My health is what it is, and some days I worry about it more than others. But every morning (at least so far) I’ve woken up knowing that my cancer’s not going to kill me today, and it’s probably not going to kill me tomorrow either. In fact, if anything, I’m actually getting a little healthier. And that’s generally enough to get me through the next 24 hours.

I DO worry about how some of my other related health issues, such as my lack of mobility, my chronic fatigue, and especially the “fuzziness” I experience from the medications I take to control my pain, have limited my ability to do my job they way I want to. My decision to file a disability claim this past summer was one of the most emotionally difficult things I have ever done in my life, and I still feel uncomfortable about it, even though it has made it possible to bring in colleagues like Kitsy and Will to assist me, and thus transform a challenge into an opportunity.

But still, I don’t really feel like a “disabled” minister. I feel like a human being attempting to minister to others despite my present disability, and often frustrated by my inability to perform at the same level I’m accustomed to performing. Yet even though I can’t do everything I’m accustomed to doing as well as I’m accustomed to doing it, I also know I still have an important contribution to make. Figuring out the parameters of that role, and learning how to fulfill it, is the real challenge facing me now. And it’s really no different than the challenge every one of us faces when we enter the doors at First Parish -- whether for the first time, or after countless times spanning decades and generations.

I’m also quite sensitive to the sentiments raised at the retreat that it would be nice “to catch a break” every now and then. Misfortune around here seems to run the gamut from my cancer diagnosis to the ceiling in the Meetinghouse, and all sorts of other setbacks in between. And yet I am also discovering that we are a congregation of survivors: strong, resilient, resourceful, creative...we encounter a crisis, face it squarely, work the problem and resolve it.

My own optimism is grounded in experience. It has nothing to do with blind hope or wishful thinking; if anything, it is rooted in a profound sense of cynicism which simply accepts that if something can go wrong it probably will go wrong (and at the worst possible moment), but that nevertheless we have the expertise and the resources to patch things up and move forward on our journey. And at the end of the day, that’s really all any of us can ask. Until it’s time to wake up again, and embrace another 24 hours of authentic living...................twj

PUBLIC OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR FIRST PARISH (2008-09)

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• Continue to define and establish a recognizable public identity (our "brand") through the CONSISTENT use of the slogans and images we have chosen to identify ourselves with: the image of our historic Meeting House, "A Warm & Welcoming Place in the Heart of the City," and "Portland's Original Faith Community (gathered in 1674)"

• Continue to create a top-notch Sunday Morning Worship, Education and Fellowship experience.

• Develop and maintain a relatively simple, straight-forward, content-rich and easy-to-navigate website. "Easy to Navigate" means it should be as intuitive to read as a daily newspaper. "Content Rich" means it should invite readers to lose track of time as they follow interesting link after link exploring our virtual community in depth.

• Use various other inexpensive, “guerilla marketing” techniques to increase our familiarity, and to entice potential visitors to the web. As we do currently, we should continue to promote BOTH our main Sunday AM worship services, as well as concerts and other community events, and the public use of the Meetinghouse for weddings, funerals, and rites of passage.

• Our Public Outreach emphasis this year is two-fold. The general theme is to “Celebrate the Season at First Parish Church” (also “Join us round the Heart(h)fire at First Parish Church” and “Join Us for the Holidays at First Parish Church”), a season which begins with the Cider and Cornbread communion on the Sunday before Thanksgiving and concludes with the Burning Ritual on the Sunday after New Year. But we also want to promote our alternative EvenTide services (“twice the music, half the talk, same great message”) and help them establish a strong identity as well.

• Finally, we need to remember that everything we say in Church, everything we post to the web, everything we publish in the newsletter and bulletin or even say publicly to one another in the coffee hour is also potentially being heard and interpreted by someone brand new to our church, who has very little context for interpreting those remarks, is naturally a little inclined to be skeptical and suspicious of organized religion, and is trying to make up their mind about whether they really fit in here. So in all our communication with one another and the wider world, lets remember ALWAYS to focus on what the church can do for Newcomers, rather than what we expect Newcomers to do for us. Let’s remember to stay away from jargon, acronyms, and inside jokes; and let’s especially try to avoid those “cringe-worthy moments” which make the minister want to curl up in his wheelchair and shrink away to invisibility.

Tentative First Parish Worship Topic Schedule 2008-09

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[for planning purposes only. Speakers and Themes subject to change without notice. THIS PAGE WILL PERIODICALLY UPDATE! Please click on the highlighted title above "Tentative First Parish Worship Topic schedule, 2008-09" and bookmark THAT URL in your browser in order to access this page directly, rather than merely returning to the most recent post to this blog.]

September 7th - Ingathering Water Ceremony [INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special] - "From the Banks of the River Jordan to the Sheep Pool at Bethesda, God's Gonna Trouble the Water" - Tim Jensen, preaching.

September 14th “Progress, not Perfection” - Tim Jenen, preaching

September 21st “Rest Assured” - Will Saunders, preaching

September 28th "Salvation by...Bibliography?" - Tim Jensen preaching (Banned Books Week)

October 5th “Acorns of Faith” - Kitsy Preaching

October 12th "To Cross the Wide, Wild Ocean."- Tim Jensen, preaching

October 19th "Here There Be Dragons" -- Tim Jensen, preaching

October 26th "World Peace: a Wealthy Western Idea? - Charlie Grindle, preaching

November 2nd (Day of the Dead) [Kitsy Preaching & Tim]
[INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special]

November 9th "Tragic World, Comic, Vision" - Will Saunders, preaching

November 16th "A Living Faith" - Tim Preaching]

November 23rd (Cider and Cornbread/Child Dedications) [INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special] "Thank You. You're Welcome" - Will Saunders, preaching

November 30th (Advent) "By one elastic thread to thin tiwigs" - Karen Foley preaching

December 7th (Advent) "Naughty or Nice?” [Tim preaching] [Will available]

December 14th "No Gift Like Your Presence" - Kitsy Preaching. (Pageant in evening, Kitsy & Tim

EIGHTY-SECOND ANNUAL FIRST PARISH CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
4:45 pm in the Meetinghouse.

December 21st "It Will Come Back" Charlie Grindle, preaching [(Solstice - INTERGENERATIONAL] [shared/special - Worship Committee]

Weds Dec 24th Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
[Tim and Worship Committee. Kitsy?] [no Will]
Carols @ 5:30; Service @ 6:00 pm in the Meetinghouse

[CHRISTMAS DAY THURSDAY DECEMBER 25TH]

December 28th "Epiphanies Large and Small" - Kitsy Winthrop, preaching.

January 4th "An Adventurous Spirit" - Will Saunders, preaching. Burning Ritual [INTERGENERATIONAL]

January 11th "A Promiscuous Assembly of Believers and Seekers" - Tim Jensen preaching

January 18th (MLK Sunday) "There Comes a Time" - Kitsy Winthrop, preaching

January 25th "A Great, Good Place"

February 1 "Afflictive Dispensations of Divine Providence" - Tim Jensen preaching

February 8 "Mystics, Skeptics, and Dyspeptics" [Tim preaching] [Kitsy available}

February 15 "Love" [Kitsy preaching]

February 22 [Charlie Preaching] ( (no Tim)

March 1 "Mr Jefferson's Prophecy" - (1st Sunday in Lent) [Tim Preaching]

March 8 "The Man With Two First Names" - Wiill Saunders preaching

March 15 "Mr Jefferson's Legacy" - Tim Preaching

March 22 "Sisters in Spirit" [Kitsy preaching]

March 29 [Stewardship Campaign kick-off Sunday - "In Our Hands" -- Charlie, Tim, Kitsy and Will Preaching

April 5 - PALM SUNDAY "...the things that are God's" [Tim Preaching]

April 12 - EASTER [INTERGENERATIONAL] [Will Preaching]

April 19 - (Earth Day) Charlie Preaching

April 26 Will Preaching

May 3 Kitsy Preaching

May 10 "Wir Alles sind Gotts Kinder" - Tim Preaching. (Mother’s Day/Child Dedication) [INTERGENERATIONAL]

May 17 Will Preaching

May 24 "Cleric-2 Actual. Out" - Tim preaching [Memorial Day Weekend]

May 31 Charlie Preaching [Annual Meeting to follow]

June 7 Religious Education Sunday

June 14 Flower Communion

June 21 Father's Day (?)

June 28 Pride Sunday (?)

July 5th [No Service]?

July 12 Summer Services begin

July 19

July 26

Aug 2

Aug 19

Aug 16

Aug 23

Aug 30

Sept 6 [No Service - Labor Day weekend]

THE ECLECTIC CLERIC - “Rest Assured”

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***

Amidst all my idle summer daydreams of sailboats and red convertibles, the anticipated return of my One True Passion is looming just over the horizon. It's hard to believe it, but Labor Day weekend is nigh upon us, and that on Sunday September 7th our regular Church Program Year begins again at First Parish with the celebration of our Annual Ingathering Water Ceremony. My travels this summer have been less geographical and more of the metaphorical/inspirational variety, but I have a great title for my homily that first Sunday which reflects my inner journey: "From the Banks of the River Jordan to the Sheep Pool at Bethesda, God's Gonna Trouble the Water." (for those of you who feel the need to be forewarned, my texts will be Genesis 32:22-32 and John 5: 2-9.)

And then the following Sunday, September 14th, I'll be preaching on a topic I suspect may very well prove the theme of this entire year: "Progress, not Perfection." This was a motto one of my Oncology Nurses wrote on the white board in my room at the Gibson during my month-long hospitalization there last Spring, and it has certainly inspired me many times in the many months since. The progress that I've made since those days is considerable, yet "perfection" is likewise still a far sight down the road. But don’t expect me to preach that entire sermon now! You'll be hearing it in church (or maybe reading it on the web) soon enough.

Another thing that happened over the summer was that I filed a Long Term Disability claim under the terms of my UUA group insurance, which I recently learned has been approved. This basically means that I am now free to work as much or as little as I am able, while at the same time freeing up some payroll money that would have otherwise gone to compensate me, thus allowing us to bring in other ministers and additional outside help to assist me with the overall ministry of the church.

Again, I won't try to go into all the details here, but we are now in the final stages of assembling a fantastic team of clergy, program and support staff, and volunteer lay leaders who will not only allow us to continue "business as usual," but also represent a real opportunity for us to "take it to the next level." For my own part, for years I've boasted that I have one of those “perfect jobs” -- a job I love so much I can hardly believe I get paid to do it, and which I would gladly do for free if I could afford to. Now I actually get a chance to prove it in front of God and all of you. And with your help, I'm confident we can make it happen.

Last Spring, when I was suddenly and unexpectedly hospitalized after Easter, the amazing amount of affection and support I received from this congregation was truly overwhelming. I was especially proud of those of you who stepped up and came forward to help fulfill a few of my many ministerial duties: the members of the Worship Committee, our Office Staff, Church Officers and Governing Board Members, members of various Committees, the Greeters, the Ushers, and so many others who went the extra mile to make certain that when both Neighbors & Strangers arrived at our doors on Sunday mornings, they received the same quality experience of First Parish that they might have had I been here to greet them and lead them in worship myself.

And I also know (and appreciate) just how challenging this was, and how hard you all worked to complete that task successfully. You all did good, and you deserve both ample praise and a chance to put up your feet and take a rest. So consider this the first installment on the former; as for the latter, I hope that you all will rest assured that a little hard-earned rest is indeed assured. But let’s not plan on resting too long. There’s still plenty more work for us to do. And now that I’m feeling better rested myself, I can hardly wait to get back on the job again......twj