Faith in Questions: Questions of Faith

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.

-I John 4:11-13

Transitions can be a lot like Festivus from Seinfeld. First there's an airing of grievances and then come the feats of strength. Old scabs can be picked at, old fights re-started, and then there's a force of wills that follows this on who was/is right and who was and still is wrong. 

We haven't had that. 

After two consultants, we still don't have that. It seems we are acting as we are called to through the letter of John. We are trying our best to love one another, understand each other and express that God is within our neighbor just as God is within us. 

That's pretty cool! 

Now comes the hard part. We have to change the way we do things. Well, not yet. First we have to figure out what exactly to change that will get us toward our vision of who we are and who we want to be. And actually, THAT is the hard part. So let's get into the questions:

• We are a moderately sized pastoral church, do we want to be a large programmatic church?
• We are already a welcoming church, do we want to become an Open and Affirming church?
• We need to attract young families, but how do we do that and what exactly are they looking for?
• We are largely a progressive church theologically, how do we affirm that yet keep those who are moderate to traditional in theology feeling like they are still welcomed and part of the community?
• How do we as the clergy, staff, and transition teams keep our laity informed and up-to-date on what's going on?

These are serious questions. These are constantly on my mind as we enter the next phase of this transition. I am grateful for how far we've come and how we've gotten here. It is my prayer that we continue in this fashion. 

We have done so without picking old wounds, without conflict, and all things in love. Our anxiety levels have remained low and manageable, and we walk with one another in faith.

And we have shown our faith in this time through our works, as faith without works is dead. Or to put it another way, a faith that isn't lived out is no faith at all.

More news from the Search Committee

We have a new member of the Search Committee. Please welcome Renee Long who has agreed to join the "team" and kindly sent us the following background information about herself:

Renee Long has been an active Christian as long as she can remember, and has been an active member at Sylvania UCC since 2006. She has lived in the Toledo area all her life, and attended the University of Toledo and BGSU where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Counseling. She has worked exclusively in the field of education for a variety of school districts for the past 22 years. Renee and Steve, her husband of 21 years, have been blessed with 4 children, Jacob (15), Larson (14), Nathaniel (10) and Jacquelyn (8). Renee is very active in her children's lives, volunteering as Cub Scout Den Chief, Brownie Leader, Room Mother, PTA Secretary and Sunday School Teacher, among others. To relax, Renee likes to read, cross-stitch, cook, visit historical and cultural sites, view Toledo Rep and other theatre productions, travel, and take long walks.

-- Jeanne

Our sincere thanks to Renee and all the members of the committee who are volunteering to serve our church in this capacity. Your willingness to give of your time and talents is much appreciated.

News from the Search Committee

The members of the Search Committee have been meeting and Jeanne Brockmyer, chairperson, sent us this update:

The Search Committee met with Reverend Dan Busch on January 23, 2012. We had a great conversation about both broad and nitty-gritty search issues. The Association is definitely there to help us in this critical journey.

Now the Search Committee is hard at work on the Church Profile. It is a difficult task because we need to show potential candidates who we are in both statistical data and in the deepest sense of our convictions. Fortunately, we have the help of the survey from Russell Crabtree and the work of the Vision Team.

We invite your input to any of the Search Committee members. Working together, we will know God's direction for our pastoral leadership.

- Jeanne

A warm welcome to Carolyn

Sylvania UCC welcomes Carolyn Weese, Consultant, of Multi-Staff Ministries, Goodyear AZ, who agreed to leave sunny 75° weather to spend the week with us in 40° Toledo. (But, hey, no snow -- it could be worse!)

Carolyn is apt to see little of the outdoors anyway as her 13-hour days are filled with meetings, meetings ... and more meetings. Approximately 45 to 50 by my count. Added to that will be lunch and dinner meetings, church services and education hour attendance and Sunday School observation.

As we talk with Carolyn, both individually and as members of staff, committees, boards and Cabinet, she'll get to know us and learn a great deal about our church. With this insight and knowledge of our organization Carolyn can:

• Present an objective perspective
• Provide guidance through the preparation for transition and call process
• Recommend needed and necessary changes that will prepare Sylvania UCC to receive a new pastor. *

Thank you, Carolyn, for visiting us this week and sharing with us your experience and expertise in creating viable and healthy attributes for our church.

* from "Request for Proposal" for Sylvania UCC, Multi-Staff Ministries, January 3, 2012.

- Bonnie