Our Religious Community
Sunday Morning Worship
Life Span Religious Education Ministry
Pastoral Ministry, Communications, Community Building & Membership
Administration
Social Action/Community Outreach Programs
What Are Your Gifts?
Your gifts-whatever you discover them to be-
Can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing,
Waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world
Can take you into solitude
To search for the sources
Of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth,
Its chorus of life
Welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together-that is another possibility,
Waiting.
- The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of the Starr King School for the Ministry
The following document is a snapshot of our congregation right now-how it is organized, the committees that are functioning, the small groups that are meeting, and some of the activities that are in progress. This is not a snapshot of how things should be working within our congregation or how we might like it to be in the future, but how it actually is right now. Our purpose in putting this document together is to help all of us, newcomers and long-time members alike, understand how our congregation is structured, the depth and breadth of our programming, and how all of this interconnects. What you'll see as you peruse this document is a schematic of our structure according to our By-laws followed by a diagram illustrating our understanding that Ministry is at the center of our congregation and that everything happening within the congregation is part of that ministry.
The Shared Ministry
Many of us think of ministry as being the exclusive domain of ordained ministers. However all of us have a variety of gifts that we bring into this beloved religious community of ours. Some of us are nourished by creating worship experiences or sharing our music. Others enjoy working with our children and youth. Some like reaching out to new people or helping to care for those in need. Some are deeply concerned about justice issues and want to find ways to make our world a better place for everyone. Some have a gift for understanding finances and others have the perseverance needed to construct a new meetinghouse. The list goes on and on. It is the coming together of all our individual gifts that makes what happens here a shared ministry.
A Living Document
This is intended to be a living document so that as programs shift and change, so will the pages that follow. We are also intending to have additional layers so that more detailed information can be provided about specific committees, groups, & activities. We want everyone to have the opportunity to understand this congregation as fully as possible, the specifics as well as the wholeness of who we are.
Where You Fit
We do hope that you will take time to peruse the following pages and discover how the things that you are doing within the congregation fit with everything else that is happening. And if you are still fairly new to our congregation, our hope is that this snapshot will enable you to find your way into the places and programs that will be just right for you.
Using Your Gifts
We believe, along with Rebecca Parker, that each of us have gifts and that we must choose how we will use these gifts throughout our lives. Each of us, when we choose to become part of this beloved community, are given an opportunity to take part in a shared ministry. What a blessing this can be for us as individuals, for the congregation, and for the world as well.
The Organization Structure/Shared Ministry Working Group
Jared Clark, Susan Dubinsky, Don Hoellein, Bob Johnson, Caren Lee, Carol Rosine, Joan Toye, & Jeanne Travers