Interim Thoughts

Success! Accomplishment! A New Beginning! Excitement! Anticipation! It was, I’m sure, a rewarding weekend for the entire congregation as the church met, shared with, listened, worshipped together, and voted to call our new Pastor, The Rev. Nancy Peebles. Congratulations to all involved in this process of discernment that has led to a new partnership. We are all making a list and checking it twice! … to make sure we do everything to prepare for welcoming and participating in this new partnership in ministry.

Everything from washing parsonage windows, checking behind the stove to 100 percent participation in our stewardship campaign is important during this advent season … yes the season of anticipation begins for us a full month ahead of the traditional season of Advent. We need list makers, and we also need list doers!

While you were meeting, greeting, voting, and calling, I spent Sunday worshiping at my home church in Bridgeport, Ct. The Rev. Sara Smith (most recently interim at Webster UCC) was called to pastor at my home church and began in September. United Congregational is similar to Salem – Thursday weekly dinner that serves 300, a free Thanksgiving dinner feeds about 700! United also shares their building with four other churches (each a different language!). In the sermon, Sara spoke about United’s vision for the future … it was exciting to see ethnic diversity in the choir, in the congregation, along with the graying members who I remembered. Sara said the thing she has learned in her two months as pastor … the people really love their church. I could sense the excitement as well. My home church celebrated their 314th anniversary in June and called their first female pastor in September!!! It was an exciting weekend for me!

In anticipation of a successful weekend; on October 18th, I quoted George Thompson from a book entitled, “How to Get Along With Your Pastor”. I received comments about that sermon … whether critical or positive … I was glad conversation happened!

I conclude this ‘next to last interim thoughts’ with a couple of quotes from the same book.

“The ultimate purpose for pastor and congregation getting along is to strengthen your church’s gospel witness.”

“Leading requires vision … Vision consists of a picture of the future, an appealing sketch of something better that has not yet come into being. For a community of faith to follow vision, it must discern God’s call in its particular setting and circumstances. As mission, goals, strategies, and details become implemented, vision comes closer to being fulfilled. Vision remains the reference point for all the church’s activities.” Expect A Miracle!!!


 Frank