Apr 28, 2023

Dear Grace Commons family,

Two years ago, Carrie and I traveled to Boulder for two days of interviews with the Transitional Pastor Search Committee, Session and staff leadership. God graciously and clearly met us in that time, making it clear that he was calling me to serve as your Transitional Pastor. Since then you have courageously entered into the challenging process of Transition with a capital T! In one of my first emails to you I wrote about the process we would undertake during this transitional season of ministry.  

As I re-read that email from 22 months ago, God clearly gave me a word of encouragement. I want to give you a word of encouragement too. You have come a long way towards healing and clarifying a comprehensive vision for the future by the grace of God. Be encouraged!

I know in my mind and heart that you are ready to embrace your new Pastor (Head of Staff) soon. Therefore I am writing to tell you that my time as your Transitional Pastor is coming to an end this summer. I have communicated with Session and the staff that my last day will be July 31, 2023. It is my hope and prayerful expectation that your new pastor will begin their ministry sometime in late summer or early fall. It is healthy for there to be a short period of separation between the start of your new Pastor (Head of Staff) and the end of my ministry here. If needed, we have an interim leadership plan that includes Rev. Emily Crider serving as acting head of staff during the month of August, and Rev. Carl Hofmann will serve as acting head of staff in September, following his summer sabbatical. You are blessed to have a mature, capable and experienced staff that can be counted on to work with your elected church officers during this final short step of the transition.

I am thrilled to walk with you right up to the eve of an exciting new season of ministry for you. The Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is hard at work with our search consultant, Rob Lauer of Agora Search Group. The PNC has begun evaluating candidates selected from the resumes submitted to Agora Search Group. In the coming weeks they will identify a short list of finalists and conduct in-person visits with the finalists this summer. The PNC is very pleased by the number of quality candidates that have responded to our opportunity profile.

I have the utmost confidence that God is leading you to the right pastor and servant leader for your next season of ministry. Please continue to pray for the PNC as they evaluate candidates and discern who God is calling to serve as your next pastor. We know everyone is anxious to get more details, but it is very important that the PNC maintains strict confidentiality at this stage to protect the integrity of our process. 

As we look forward to this planned transition, we still have a lot to do together to get ready! I will have more to say about that next month, but for now let me update you as follows:

Ministry Highlights

Here are just a few snapshots of how we spent April together:

Boulder Vision Project Roundtable Discussion

This Sunday at 11am you are invited to an informal opportunity to grapple with any remaining nagging questions and concerns you might have regarding the 1603 Walnut Project. We will be meeting at 1603 Walnut (aka the Annex) gathering at round tables in small groups.

Staff News

On June 1, Glenda Dye, our Coordinator of Congregational Care, will retire after 25 years of ministry. We will have a chance to celebrate Glenda and thank her for her incalculable contribution on June 4 in worship and immediately following. Carl Hofmann recently said of Glenda, “Glenda has been a true partner in the ministry of congregational care. Her warm love for—and encyclopedic knowledge of—our congregation have been great gifts to us. We wish her God's best as she steps into this new chapter. Thank you, dear Glenda.”

Carl Hofmann, our Senior Associate Pastor of Engagement & Congregational Care, will be on sabbatical this summer, June 5 to Sept 5. Please pray for Carl and Rupali that God will use this time of stopping, resting, reflecting and preparation in Carl’s life and ministry. Rich Bledsoe, our Parish Associate for Congregational Care, and our other pastors and ministry directors will provide congregational care throughout the summer months. In addition, our Deacons and those trained in Stephen Ministry are also available to offer care. A reminder as always, if you are hospitalized or otherwise need pastoral care please contact the church office at 303.402.6400.

Stewardship Update  

We are grateful for every gift, no matter the size, as it is an investment in our ministry here in Boulder County and beyond. If you have not yet pledged to Ministry Year 24, you may do so online. We hope to hear from every covenant partner and friend of Grace Commons as we make financial decisions, including calling a new pastor. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Stewardship Committee at stewardship@gracecommons.org. 

Deacons’ Closet Update

On your behalf as President of the Grace Commons Corporation and President of the Board of Trustees, Gene Koch has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Trinity Lutheran Church to host the Deacons’ Closet beginning May 11 on an interim basis. Pray for all of our covenant partners and volunteers involved in supporting this ministry as they go through this transition. We can also report that the City of Boulder has found a site on Folsom Street near Canyon Blvd for the new Day Center for the unhoused population of Boulder. Our hope is that we will continue to find new and expanded ways to partner with other churches, nonprofit organizations and the City of Boulder as we come alongside people in our community in dire need. 

Church Building Hours

Last week Session approved the Business Office and staff leadership recommendation to close the Grace Commons Church facilities on Fridays and Saturdays to all ministry programming. In order to be good stewards and provide rest for our staff and facilities, we need to find ways to lessen the demands we make on them. This recommendation was made after numerous conversations with our ministries, including Doorways, Music & Worship, Outreach & Welcome Ministry, the Boulder Symphony and the Boulder International Film Festival. All have agreed to work with us to minimize their impact on our staff and facilities for the coming year. Of course exceptions will be considered as needed. This change will be implemented July 1, 2023, which is the beginning of Ministry Year 2024.

The next three months will be filled with adventure as we look to the future. Let's prayerfully lean in together.

Warmly,

Randy Bare

Transitional Pastor

1820 15^th St, Boulder, CO 80302 | 303.402.6400

Office Hours: M, 8:30–10:30am & noon–3pm; T–Th, 8:30am–3pm

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