Rolling Up Our Sleeves: Answering Hard Questions

During this time of transition and interim period before we find a settled pastor we must, as a congregation, consider who we are and what we want to be. We must refine our mission, clarify our vision for this congregation, and then take the necessary steps to “be the change we want to see in the world.” This requires us to roll up our sleeves and put our thinking hats on as we answer some thought-provoking questions. Below you will find a few questions which the church will work hard to answer over the coming weeks. We encourage you to post comments to the questions below or contact Sara Sharpe, First Central’s Office Manager, as soon as possible. Your feedback will help us as we begin our quest for a settled pastor; it will give the search committee the necessary information so they can best select a leader who complements our strengths and weaknesses, pushes us forward, and nurtures this wonderful church family.

1. What do we want in our next minister?
2. What type of leadership and help do we expect from our next minister?
3. What do we want him or her to know about us?
4. Are we the church we want to be?
5. Where do we want our church to head in the future?
6. What should we work on during this interim period? Are there issues or obstacles that need to be addressed now?
7. Are there changes we’d like to make, or new directions we want to go since April 2004, when we completed our strategic plan and identity study?
   

Ode to Winston

The following is an excerpt from a speech Liz Sharpe made at Pastor Winston Baldwin’s going away party. After which there was not a dry eye in the audience…

“When I think of Winston, there are a lot of things that come to mind … I think of confirmation class in seventh grade, when everything was confusing enough at 13 and it seemed like all of us were out of place no matter what. I never said the right things and I was always too loud and I look back and wonder how I even stood myself. I had glasses as big as my face and bangs that covered my eyes and I towered over everyone awkwardly because I didn’t know how to handle my newly acquired height. But on Wednesday nights, when I would come to confirmation class, I belonged. In the fireplace room on the third floor, sitting in the rolly chairs in one big circle, I belonged. Winston let me know that I was wanted, that what I had to say meant something, no matter how loudly it came out of my mouth. He taught us that faith was not, as much I had wanted it to be, black and white. Faith and religion was not some category we could just passively toss ourselves into, but something to be explored. Winston assured us that questioning and even being confused about it meant that we were thinking and beginning to carve a new little place for ourselves in the church family. And at that age, that was all we really wanted- to finally start finding a place somewhere … Thank you for making all of us feel a sense of belonging and community that everyone should experience at some point in their lives, and for being such a wonderful friend and teacher. I love you to the moon, and am so excited to see what other wonderful things you will do for these new churches. Thank you for everything.”