As you have probably already heard if you read Rev. Carol’s July blog article or were in the service last Sunday, my role at Westside has changed. In addition to managing the RE Program, I will be coordinating Membership Services at Westside. This is a much-needed aspect here and one that I feel will bring a lot of energy to our congregation as a whole.
So, what does this really mean for the RE Program and Membership? Well, first, I will work less hours: 15 hours per week instead of 20. And while I’ll mostly split my time between the two roles, during certain times of the year, I’ll give more hours to one role or the other based on the activities of the church. So, as the RE year starts on Sept. 2 with Water Communion, I’ll spend more time getting everything ready for RE Classes: Kids’ Club and Youth Group. As we prepare for Camp Lackadogma, I’ll spend more of my time investing Membership Coordinator hours towards getting everything ready for that.
One of the first things I’ll do, though, is to create brochures with helpful information organized for our visitors and newer members. It will be so helpful to have all the various ways new members can become involved at Westside in a few handy documents. Things like the book club and Adult RE classes, the committee chair names and contact information, and the congregational calendar which highlights special events throughout the year.
I’ll be reaching out to the committees over the next few weeks to be sure I have all of the information correct and up to date. I also want to check in about what kinds of needs each committee has—whether that be for volunteer support or coordinating activities with other committees or some other need or ideas for making things easier for the committee.
I will also be coordinating an Opportunity Fair on Sept. 23. The fair will give each committee and event group (like the book club) the opportunity to let everyone at Westside know what’s going on this year. This will be a great opportunity to learn about special events or projects that are planned and how you can participate and get to know the community of Westside a little better.
I look forward to my expanded role and serving Westside in a new way. Please let me know if you have any interest or ideas about membership and if you’d like to be involved in welcoming visitors and helping new members build relationships here at Westside. I’m eager to continue to grow with our congregation as we continue to find new ways to express who we are as a faith formation community.