Rev. Carol Bodeau, Minister revcarol@westsideuuc.org
As the first signs of spring are awakening in East Tennessee, we are thinking about new growth and new possibilities at Westside. We have the opportunity to reflect about what seeds we would like to plant for this year, what sorts of intentions for ourselves and our community we would like to cultivate and harvest in the coming seasons.
Recently, on Feb. 7th, we talked about some of the choices facing us as we consider what our priorities will be as a church community. And in last month’s article, I shared a little bit about what I do as your minister, helping to guide and steward this community as we move forward. But I don’t do this work alone—we all do it together. Some of the most important folks working with me this year are your Board of Trustees and the Committee on Ministry. Most of you know that we have Board, and even know who some of those folks are: President Anne Harvey, President Elect Len Walker, Past President Beth Sandidge, Treasurer Craig Brandt, Finance Chair Terry Tyler, Clerk Barry Shumpert, and Trustees Carol Coffey, Geoff Mazeroff and Shirley McGuire. The job of the Board is to care for the institutional health of Westside; they oversee the finances, the operations, the policies and the procedural aspects of our community.
Many of us are less familiar with the Committee on Ministry. The role of this group is less material, and more subtle in many ways than the work of the Board. The role of the Committee on Ministry is to attend to the ministries of Westside—the ways we meet the emotional, relational, and spiritual needs of those attending Westside, and also the larger community. This year’s Committee on Ministry includes: Lorie Allion, Barry Shumpert, Linda Chavez, Sue Draper, Jerry Thornton, Linda Tyler, and Len Walker. These folks spend time reflecting on and assessing the best ways to meet the ministry needs of the community, through the many ways we minister to one another.
On March 20th, we’ll have another chance to talk together about hopes, dreams and plans for Westside. First, we will have a short congregational meeting to elect new Board officers. Then, the Board and the Committee on Ministry will be teaming up to facilitate conversations during potluck, hoping to hear what you value most about Westside, what needs you feel aren’t being met, and what your hopes are for the future. Please plan to attend. And if you can’t be there, please pick up a form with these questions in the back of the sanctuary, fill out your answers, and drop them into the box you’ll find there to let us know what you’re thinking.
With gratitude for all the gifts we share, Rev. Carol
Rev. Carol