This is it. The last newsletter of 2020! It feels like it should be more significant than previous last-of-the-year newsletters. But yet, it seems like it was such a struggle to get here that maybe the expectation should be nothing more than the churning out of some tired old thing. Thankfully, I don’t give up hope that easily.

I think this is the perfect time to reflect on the good things–the gifts–of the past year, and to look ahead at what’s next. I did this in my UUCL Board Report for this past Sunday’s meeting. Sometimes, when we’re all tired and things aren’t rollin’ along the way we want them to, it’s hard to see what’s been done well. So, I’m here to tell you in this slightly edited version of my report (the whole thing is in the board minutes which is always publicly available) so that you can feel good about your contributions and this community, too.

It’s exciting, actually, to reflect back on all of our good work and to notice what kind of community culture we are building. For a few years now, I’ve been raising your awareness of the White Supremacy Culture document and the relevance and importance it has to bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice: (https://www.dismantlingracism.org/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf). I find the work of dismantling oppressive culture and rebuilding and cocreating an inclusive culture with shared power to be some of the most important and motivating work I’ve ever engaged in. So, as you are reading the following, think about what we are doing that is in line with the “antidotes” suggested in Okun’s document. And, of course, be sure to ask “what more do we need to do?”. On-going critical analysis and feedback is essential to the process of reaching our vision of justice and being anti-racist.

Looking Back

Worship and Programming

The Worship and Production Teams (lead by Petra Sussman, Brandon Nuckols, and Justin Neal) have handled worship and programming in pandemic life amazingly well. We transitioned suddenly and smoothly and have worked together as a team to learn and improve so that we can offer quality worship and programs to our congregation. Because of the blessing of technology, this programming is also available to out-of-state snowbirds and to prospective members, through Zoom and now Facebook Live. We have also been able to safely provide hybrid in-person/online worship and programming so that all can be connected. Communication between worship and programming team members has been outstanding and continues to improve as we bring guest speakers on board to our production meetings, furthering our reach into the local community and strengthening connections.

Pastoral Care

In the beginning of the pandemic, UUCL carefully established a Pastoral Care Team. Although we did not meet on a regular basis throughout the past 10 months, this initial process of ensuring that every community member was contacted helped to facilitate the sense that no one was being left behind. Additionally, members of the committee were readily available when needed to help care for a community member.

Staying connected to one another has been a lifeline to many during this time of isolation.

Additionally, the Ministerial Discretionary Fund has been of great support to some members as they struggle to sustain themselves.

Social Justice

This has been a significant year in the history of UUCL’s participation in social justice. I strongly believe that the congregation’s clarity of our shared values of Connection, Love, and Transformation has opened us up to saying yes and reaching out to help others, with others. We are part of a coalition that feeds over 200 families a week, we have participated in the local Black Lives Matter movement, and we’ve continued to feed the homeless and have found partners in that endeavor.

Membership and Community

In the absence of a Membership Committee with an official chair, or team lead, we have done well in supporting our current membership and welcoming new people. Our community now extends and includes the ITAV folx and people who have found us on Facebook. We are looking forward to getting to know the folx in the Sacred Nexus Pagan group who have started to use our space and were our guest worship leaders last Sunday.

Administration and Leadership

This has been an incredibly difficult time to lead but I commend all the board members and other leaders in this UUCL community for keeping up the good work. The board has worked together to include all members of the community in a safe and meaningful way, making difficult, on-going decisions about how to gather while remaining flexible. We have found enthusiastic leaders for our Buildings and Grounds (Crystal Norman, Ken Schmidt, Dorothy Lemmey), Social Justice (Veysel Dokur), and Worship (Petra Sussman) committees. Our DRE, Melissa Marshall, continues to stay in touch with families and keep them connected. Our Music Director, Adam Hargrove, continues to provide us with music while also providing an important ministry to choir members. And our Finance Committee (Justin Neal, Jeannette Manning, and Barbara Wallace) has stayed focused, ensuring that we continue to not just survive, but to thrive.

Looking Forward

Worship and Programming

The use of technology has enhanced our ability to reach people who don’t normally come to our church building. I encourage the continued use of this technology even after we can safely gather in person as it will help us in building community. We should consider investing in quality equipment (cameras, microphones, etc.) in order to provide a meaningful experience for everyone, no matter how they choose to join us.

One of the biggest lessons of this pandemic has been in the area of creative thinking and the flexibility needed to adapt to change. I urge us to keep these lessons in the forefront of our minds as we lead the congregation forward in a new future.

Pastoral Care

There are trainings available for lay pastoral care givers. I would encourage more members of the pastoral care team to engage in a training. As I make my way through seminary, I am learning and acquiring skills for pastoral care but am also becoming more aware of how much more learning and skill building I have ahead of me. Having a strong lay pastoral care team is essential to the well being of the UUCL community.

Social Justice

If we continue to let our shared values (and mission statement) guide us, the opportunity for the impact we can have on our local community will grow and become greater. To change the world, we must start with ourselves and our local community, living the way we want the world to be.

My recommendation is that we deeply engage in the UUA’s report “Widening the Circle” as we move forward.

Membership and Community

I look forward to finding a strong leader(s) for our Membership Committee as I feel there is much potential for growth, but it will take an organized plan and concerted effort.

Administration and Leadership

There is no doubt in my mind that this group of inspired leaders will continue to lead us well and make informed decisions about how to move safely forward as the vaccine rolls out. Challenges will continue to come our way but our ability to think outside of the box and to gracefully make changes will serve us well. Please make sure you take time for self care and encourage other leaders to do so, too.

Cheers to us for making it through the struggles of 2020, uncovering our gifts, and moving into a New Year with perseverance, determination, and togetherness! We are ready for 2021!

This is it. The last newsletter of 2020! It feels like it should be more significant than previous last-of-the-year newsletters. But yet, it seems like it was such a struggle to get here that maybe the expectation should be nothing more than the churning out of some tired old thing. Thankfully, I don’t give up hope that easily.

I think this is the perfect time to reflect on the good things–the gifts–of the past year, and to look ahead at what’s next. I did this in my UUCL Board Report for this past Sunday’s meeting. Sometimes, when we’re all tired and things aren’t rollin’ along the way we want them to, it’s hard to see what’s been done well. So, I’m here to tell you in this slightly edited version of my report (the whole thing is in the board minutes which is always publicly available) so that you can feel good about your contributions and this community, too.

It’s exciting, actually, to reflect back on all of our good work and to notice what kind of community culture we are building. For a few years now, I’ve been raising your awareness of the White Supremacy Culture document and the relevance and importance it has to bending the moral arc of the universe towards justice: (https://www.dismantlingracism.org/uploads/4/3/5/7/43579015/okun_-_white_sup_culture.pdf). I find the work of dismantling oppressive culture and rebuilding and cocreating an inclusive culture with shared power to be some of the most important and motivating work I’ve ever engaged in. So, as you are reading the following, think about what we are doing that is in line with the “antidotes” suggested in Okun’s document. And, of course, be sure to ask “what more do we need to do?”. On-going critical analysis and feedback is essential to the process of reaching our vision of justice and being anti-racist.

Looking Back

Worship and Programming

The Worship and Production Teams (lead by Petra Sussman, Brandon Nuckols, and Justin Neal) have handled worship and programming in pandemic life amazingly well. We transitioned suddenly and smoothly and have worked together as a team to learn and improve so that we can offer quality worship and programs to our congregation. Because of the blessing of technology, this programming is also available to out-of-state snowbirds and to prospective members, through Zoom and now Facebook Live. We have also been able to safely provide hybrid in-person/online worship and programming so that all can be connected. Communication between worship and programming team members has been outstanding and continues to improve as we bring guest speakers on board to our production meetings, furthering our reach into the local community and strengthening connections.

Pastoral Care

In the beginning of the pandemic, UUCL carefully established a Pastoral Care Team. Although we did not meet on a regular basis throughout the past 10 months, this initial process of ensuring that every community member was contacted helped to facilitate the sense that no one was being left behind. Additionally, members of the committee were readily available when needed to help care for a community member.

Staying connected to one another has been a lifeline to many during this time of isolation.

Additionally, the Ministerial Discretionary Fund has been of great support to some members as they struggle to sustain themselves.

Social Justice

This has been a significant year in the history of UUCL’s participation in social justice. I strongly believe that the congregation’s clarity of our shared values of Connection, Love, and Transformation has opened us up to saying yes and reaching out to help others, with others. We are part of a coalition that feeds over 200 families a week, we have participated in the local Black Lives Matter movement, and we’ve continued to feed the homeless and have found partners in that endeavor.

Membership and Community

In the absence of a Membership Committee with an official chair, or team lead, we have done well in supporting our current membership and welcoming new people. Our community now extends and includes the ITAV folx and people who have found us on Facebook. We are looking forward to getting to know the folx in the Sacred Nexus Pagan group who have started to use our space and were our guest worship leaders last Sunday.

Administration and Leadership

This has been an incredibly difficult time to lead but I commend all the board members and other leaders in this UUCL community for keeping up the good work. The board has worked together to include all members of the community in a safe and meaningful way, making difficult, on-going decisions about how to gather while remaining flexible. We have found enthusiastic leaders for our Buildings and Grounds (Crystal Norman, Ken Schmidt, Dorothy Lemmey), Social Justice (Veysel Dokur), and Worship (Petra Sussman) committees. Our DRE, Melissa Marshall, continues to stay in touch with families and keep them connected. Our Music Director, Adam Hargrove, continues to provide us with music while also providing an important ministry to choir members. And our Finance Committee (Justin Neal, Jeannette Manning, and Barbara Wallace) has stayed focused, ensuring that we continue to not just survive, but to thrive.

Looking Forward

Worship and Programming

The use of technology has enhanced our ability to reach people who don’t normally come to our church building. I encourage the continued use of this technology even after we can safely gather in person as it will help us in building community. We should consider investing in quality equipment (cameras, microphones, etc.) in order to provide a meaningful experience for everyone, no matter how they choose to join us.

One of the biggest lessons of this pandemic has been in the area of creative thinking and the flexibility needed to adapt to change. I urge us to keep these lessons in the forefront of our minds as we lead the congregation forward in a new future.

Pastoral Care

There are trainings available for lay pastoral care givers. I would encourage more members of the pastoral care team to engage in a training. As I make my way through seminary, I am learning and acquiring skills for pastoral care but am also becoming more aware of how much more learning and skill building I have ahead of me. Having a strong lay pastoral care team is essential to the well being of the UUCL community.

Social Justice

If we continue to let our shared values (and mission statement) guide us, the opportunity for the impact we can have on our local community will grow and become greater. To change the world, we must start with ourselves and our local community, living the way we want the world to be.

My recommendation is that we deeply engage in the UUA’s report “Widening the Circle” as we move forward.

Membership and Community

I look forward to finding a strong leader(s) for our Membership Committee as I feel there is much potential for growth, but it will take an organized plan and concerted effort.

Administration and Leadership

There is no doubt in my mind that this group of inspired leaders will continue to lead us well and make informed decisions about how to move safely forward as the vaccine rolls out. Challenges will continue to come our way but our ability to think outside of the box and to gracefully make changes will serve us well. Please make sure you take time for self care and encourage other leaders to do so, too.

Cheers to us for making it through the struggles of 2020, uncovering our gifts, and moving into a New Year with perseverance, determination, and togetherness! We are ready for 2021!