A WORD FROM THE PASTOR….. “…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. “(Ephesians 4:1b-6 New International Version)
Dear Friends in Christ,
I hope that you are each well and are enjoying the continued unfolding of the season. We have had cold days, cloudy days, hot days, downpours and drizzle, even reports of snow in the northeast within the past week as spring continues to “spring” surprises on us! Still, it’s wonderful to watch the earth wake up and stretch after winter and to see the hills come to life with a million shades of green leaves, flowers blossom, birds care for eggs and babies in the nest, as we prepare for the coming summer. What a wonderful reminder that God created everything within a system and a structure where each piece knows its part and creates and recreates within that great design. It would never work if the system broke down. Imagine if the daffodils opened last and the birds laid eggs and hatched their young before the plants blossomed and insects arrived! Nothing would work out well without the system in place that allows one thing to lead to the next and then the next….
I was thinking of this as I reflect on my arrival at the United Ministry of Delhi in the fall of 2019. My purpose when I arrived was to help to work with you through a time of brokenness and hurt that followed the departure of my predecessor. I don’t want to revisit all of that with you now because I believe we have come a long way since that time – even with the complications brought on by COVID and social distancing. In fact, for me as a pastor, it was actually a bit helpful to have things nearly come to a full stop in terms of meetings and worshipping at the church. Why? Because it was easier for me to discover the strengths and the weaknesses of the church and the congregation while focusing with you on administration and ministries. One thing I learned was that though the congregation isn’t large, there had been a breakdown of communication and shared information. This is normal in most churches, especially those congregations where things have been pretty much the same for a long period of time. People can operate in “silos” as they do what they do without telling others the why, the how, and the what. This can be equally true with staff and with those in volunteer positions. The climate, though, can easily become negative because while things are getting done, systems and structures aren’t in place. Then, when something goes wrong – a miscommunication, hurt feelings, a misunderstanding of some kind – conflict usually follows.
Let me share this illustration. My brother and his wife have been members of their church in Evansville, Indiana for many years. They started attending while they were in college and once they settled in Evansville, where they raised their family, they continued to attend that church. It has been nearly 60 years since they first began to worship there; my brother has chaired the trustees for at least 30 of those years and my sister-in-law started the Parish Nurse Ministry that still exists to this day. About 15 years ago my sister-in-law was the designated chair for a large social event that involved all or nearly all of the congregation. I think it might have been part of their stewardship/giving program that year. She made all the plans, had her committee lined up, and went to the church on the day they were to begin working, only to find that she was locked out of the kitchen – and no one knew where to find a key! There was a huge kerfuffle over this as the work was delayed and the plans began to unravel. People were angry. Feelings were hurt. And as things settled down, new decisions were made, as keys were made available to all the leaders in the church – and – eventually, the kitchen was simply left open for ongoing use. The problem? Lack of communication and operating in silos (there was a key in a “special place” but the information sharing didn’t happen). Systems and structures allow the safety needed for ministry to take place openly and in healthy ways. This is just one example of how complicated things can be when there are silos operating in the church and not everyone is included or this is a lack of transparency.
During my time with you, we have been working hard to keep updates and information current and transparent. The Weekly Update, timely announcements, openness on the boards and committees, inclusion at Church Council from Ministry Leaders and the Playschool chairperson and director, have all been ways we have increased the level of communication in order to keep good operating systems in place. Yes, we have had to change some things and it certainly has meant a lot of adapting during the past year, due to Covid, but I believe communication is improving and the silos where staff and laity were operating have been removed – or at least reduced. Since openness is essential to the vibrant health of this church and every church, I hope that you will continue to use systems and structures that allow things to blossom and bloom in their season, as guided by the Holy Spirit AND that you will be watchful in maintaining good communication, transparency and dismantling any silos you discover in the days and years ahead.
Paul wrote to the Ephesians, a community of believers in the early church, reminding them of the necessity of being open, inclusive and transparent with one another. He said, that peace would prevail when things operate with an open and loving spirit, under the direction of Christ. When everyone feels that they are respected and included as part of what’s going on – the Spirit can guide and lead – and wonderful things happen!
As we focus on what the church will be as we continue to come out of the pandemic and as you prepare to welcome your new pastor in July, I invite you to join together in daily prayer at 8 am and/or 8 pm as we seek to deepen our relationship with God through systems that lead to Fruitfulness and Excellence in Ministry AND be sure to join with me in reading the book, Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, by Robert Schnase (available online – or through the church office where we have pre-ordered a few copies). Fruitfulness and Excellence is one of the chapters in the book. A group discussion will be offered from 7-8:30 pm on June 14th and June 23rd. Be sure to register online or by calling the church office. I’m looking forward to wonderful blessings for us all!
In the meantime, stay in love with God through prayer and remember, you are in my prayers…. I love you and I need you to survive!
Peace,
Pastor Betsy
