Time for a New Outlook
We’ve all heard the saying, “New Year, New You.” That tends to refer to a push toward greater nutrition, more exercise, and a fresh perspective on all the things we wanted to try or get done the previous year, but for various reasons, maybe didn’t.
Our faith community here at High Street UMC is at the point where we’re going to need a new outlook, a fresh perspective, on many of the things we were used to and many things we’ll need to change. Change can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. We just need to remember that God is with us through it all.
When our stewardship committee reported that everyone responded well to our stewardship campaign, they were right: you all did. Most everyone who pledged last year also pledged this year, and most pledges were the same or higher than last year. But we also lost some people this year to the Church Triumphant. And our expenses continue to rise – as most of us know from our personal lives: utility costs are up, service costs are up, and the general costs of maintaining our beautiful building never go down.
We’ve had to consolidate some positions on staff. For example, Diana now covers the job responsibilities of what was once two previous full-time positions. We don’t have any full-time custodial support (both Denby and Joel are part-time). And Pastor Mackenzie, who is three-quarter time, is likely to move on to her next appointment at mid-year since she will be graduating from seminary.* We made the painful, but necessary decision with the input of the finance and SPRC committees that there will likely be changes to the associate pastor position IF and WHEN Pastor Mackenzie is reappointed. Other positions have also been eliminated after much prayerful discernment.
PLEASE NOTE: we will share more information on all of this as we know more. Please do not start rumors.
The most important take-away from all of this is that we – as a congregation – must move to a more volunteer-oriented (and less staff-focused) model of doing things. We already have a great start on this. We have amazing leadership capability within our congregation, and so many outstanding members who have taken charge of our missions, ministries, and committees. Now we need to remember that when tasks and items need to be done (labels, minutes, copies, forms, binders, and so forth), that we no longer have the staff to do that without plenty of notice. We want to help you, but our very few staff members are juggling a lot of balls now, and need your help in making things happen.
High Street doesn’t belong to the staff; it belongs to everyone who attends it. We all love it. We’d love to see everyone get involved in keeping it vital. Let’s all join in.
* As always, clergy appointments are determined by the Bishop and his appointive Cabinet.