Dear MWPC Family,

 

One of the marks of a healthy congregation is transparency. It is the ability to do its work and carry out its ministry in a way that leaves every member with a sense of ownership in decision-making.

 

Transparency relies upon good communication.  When all is said and done, if conversations and decisions are not communicated in an effective manner it can leave people feeling out-of-the-loop and can plant a seed of distrust.

 

One of the challenges in any organization is to design successful tools of communication-and, even at that, it is sometimes frustrating to realize that people have missed the message.  What's a leader to do?  After posting information on bulletin boards, designing catchy slides, including announcements in the Weekly Beacon and the weekly bulletin, and making a verbal pitch we hear folks say, "Why didn't anyone tell me about that?"

 

The Transitional Leadership Committee (TLC) is eager for the congregation to know about its work.  We desire to be transparent as we communicate with the congregation.  I know that a few people have felt that we could have done a better job.

 

We have been meeting since February-with 15 meetings, 2 congregational gatherings, and 20 community interviews under our belts.  We have read articles and books and learned to appreciate the quiet holy-listening time built into all our meetings.  It is fair to say that the spiritual discipline of discernment has grown on us and we have grown from it.

 

But, almost immediately people began to ask, "What have you decided?"

 

The truth is, we have been in the discovery stage.  Often, because we were feeling the pulse of the congregation, we had to remind ourselves not to jump ahead-not to decide anything until we had listened and had something from it to discern.

 

Last Monday (5/16) we entered the deciding and reporting stage.  While I am in Germany, the committee will meet without me. which I believe is perfect timing.  We are beginning to put pen to paper as we describe who we are and who we want to be.  Both will be important for the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) and for the next pastor.

 

Soon we will be communicating with the session and the congregation as we offer a path forward for the PNC in its deliberations. 

 

What has been our most striking discovery thus far?  While the most vocal opinion we heard in the beginning was that we should just get on with things, that we knew who we were and didn't need to spend this unnecessary time of navel-gazing, we realized that we didn't necessarily know who we were at our core.  We often confused being (who we are) with doing (what we do.)  That can be a disturbing, but also liberating, discovery.  We received it as liberating.

 

And so, our work has entered its final stage.  How can you help?  Please join us in this work by being very transparent about your prayers for the team and your prayers for this congregation as we build a good foundation for the next season of our life.

 

Grace and peace,