Hello SCNC Folk!

Some of you have kindly let us know that you are glad for these "Quick News" items and I'm glad.  I also need you to know that they won't always be quite as exciting as in recent weeks with the UCC in the news.  (Depending on political outcomes, we may have several other 'opportunities' to deal with the media about who we are as the UCC!)  Nevertheless, there are other ministry thoughts, concerns, news items to share from time to time.  Today there are two 'quick' ones:

• June Boutwell and I had a very helpful first meeting last week with the Conference Transition Team, made up of our officers and two other board members who were the Interim Search Committee.  We have wonderful board leadership,friends!   They are really working with us to discern the best possible paths through this transition time and into the next installed season of Conference Ministry leadership here.  We know some of you are wondering when some things are going to happen so here are a few short term plans: 
  • The board hopes to appoint a Search Committee for the next installed Conference Minister(s) at their May meeting and, if agreed upon, they will be introduced at Annual Gathering
  • At Annual Gathering all present will help to lift up pieces of the 'history' of the Conference as part of the transition process
  •  In August, key Conference leadership will retreat to evaluate the status of the Strategic Plan and consider a process for next steps into the future

• As a sort of 'professional church visitor' I have developed some 'tips' from a church visitor which (last I knew) can be found on the ucc.org website.  But now I have a new one to add!  Milt and I,being new in the Conference, wanted to find a church with a  Good Friday service.  We checked several websites and called several numbers to check possible info on answering machine messages.  Nothing!   I'm not 'picking on' the churches we happened to check with because I suspect they are indicative of most if not all!  Folks, do your very best to keep your websites and answering machines up to date (I know it's a hassle but do it!).  And ESPECIALLY when a 'high' holy season comes around .  Studies and experience tell us that folks who have been thinking about returning to or beginning to go to church often choose such seasons (Holy Week, Christmas) to do so. And not only on Easter!  It isn't hard to imagine a person in grief or guilt seeking a Good Friday worship experience.   So this is just a tip for the coming Advent and next Lent seasons:  put your special events and regular services on your websites, answering machines and keep them updated.  Oh, and your signs, too: we once drove by a church, checked the time and planned to worship there  on the next Sunday which I happened to have free.  Imagine our shrinking feeling when we arrived 30 minutes into the service!  They had changed the time but not the sign!  The bottom line is, folks, that our churches all say they want to be welcoming and want to grow but many behave as if only the 'regulars' might ever come!   So  think like a visitor and get the word out! 
   

Let's make it real:  No matter who you are or where you are in life's journey (including trying to find our church!), YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Blessings, dear friends in Christ!

jane