April 2007
The Emerson Ballou chapter of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Association recently (March 19-20-21) held its annual Spring Retreat at the Crawford Lodge at Crawford Notch. We met with our colleagues from the Northeast District anticipating that the NH/VT and Northeast Districts will merge into a new District this spring. If this happens, as I am optimistic it will, this will not be one District absorbing the other but the creation of a new entity, akin to the merger in 1961 of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. After merger, both parent denominations ceased to exist and a new denomination was born. If, (when) our two Districts merge, the same thing must happen. We are presented with a wonderful opportunity to grow our chosen faith as we share vision on a broader horizon.
I’m always heartened when I attend ministers retreats. Ministry is a calling really understood only by colleagues. Whenever I gather with colleagues, I discover that most of the issues with which I struggle in my ministry are shared by my respected colleagues. And I discover yet again how blessed I am to be the minister of this church.
Ours is not a neighborhood church. Most of us drive some distance to be here. It is easy then to see why so many of our committees choose to meet on Sundays, when we’re here anyway. This raises two different concerns for me. First, I try hard to be as connected as I can be to the work of the various committees which comprise the heart of our church life and I want to attend as many committee meetings as I can. But I have yet to discover how to be in more than one place at once. If four, five or more committees are meeting simultaneously, I cannot be in attendance and participating at all of them. So, Sunday committee meetings are a problem for me. Further, we announce to guests, visitors and new-comers on Sunday mornings, “please join us in Fellowship Hall for coffee, refreshments and conversation following the morning worship service. We want to get to know you.” I’m wondering if we should amend that and add the phrase “but please forgive us for not being there; we are busy conducting the business of our church.” Would we invite guests to our homes and then excuse ourselves and remove ourselves elsewhere to do whatever?
I do not have a facile solution to this dilemma but I urge you all to be aware of this when scheduling a committee meeting.
Amities and love,
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