August brings us to the one-year anniversary of my ministry with UUCP. I am delighted to start another year of working with you. Last year I came on board with very little knowledge of the congregation. What I knew was that two people who meant a lot to the congregation were gone and you would be figuring out how to move forward in a different way. Rev. Julie had served you as Parish Minister for 12 years. That’s a long time. And your relationship with Rev. Bob Eddy, as retired Minister Emeritus, went back even longer. Regardless of the nature of the relationship each of you shared with these two people, the congregation as a whole was rocked by leaving and by loss. Because it is natural for people and organizations to desire stability, or automatically strive for homeostasis, significant change can bring discomfort. It’s amazing to me how long people hold on to memories of the past. It is not uncommon to hear people suggest that we go back to the way things were 15, 20, or even more years ago. There are days when I long for the earlier times in my life, when my husband and I were building a future together and dreaming of things turning out much differently than they have. Thank goodness for the good planning in anticipation of those dreams; they have made things much easier as I navigate the changes.

UUCP has done some great planning and has a solid foundation for a new future. When significant change occurs, it is necessary to evaluate the current situation and determine how to move forward. Again, this can bring some discomfort, even disagreement. Not everyone will agree on what is best, or even how best to achieve a desired outcome. I am always reminded that in leadership it is best not to be committed to a particular outcome. A congregation works together to envision the future it wants, and then works together to move in the desired direction. Sometimes there are delightful surprises along the way. A covenant with one another about how to negotiate differences and move in harmony can make the journey much more enjoyable.

In the last decade or two, a lot has changed in our world. The role of the faith community has dramatically changed. Congregations of all types have been struggling to meet the different needs and expectations of the communities they serve. While this may seem daunting, it can also be a time of excitement and creativity as we envision new ways to energize ourselves and our church community.

I am delighted to be with you as together we consider this new stage of life for UUCP, and how it will serve its members and the larger community.

In Love and Hope,
Rev. Alice