Message from Interim Pastor, Gary Wilner
Dear Members and Friends of the Salem UCC,
I am honored to have been called to serve God’s will at your church in a
part of the world that I am familiar with and truly love. Thank you all for
making that possible.
How the Visioning Process works:
It involves three meetings with the entire congregation invited to attend and participate.
Sessions last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours (not necessary but usually after worship on
Sundays because folks are already there.) Food or snacks are normally offered to keep
stomachs from grumbling and to get maximum participation which is important.
- The three meetings are one month apart. One month before our meetings, you will be emailed a copy of one chapter from the book Transitional Ministry Today by Norman B.Bendroth (most readings are about 10 pages long.) We will also email a preparation sheet containing several questions to consider before the meetings.
- During each meeting, I will provide a PowerPoint Presentation designed to convey data and to help us think “out-of-the-box.”
- During the first session, Demographic information is provided to help us understand the characteristics of our community today with projections of where they will probably be 5 and 10 years down the road. In addition to the population information will be a so called “Quad” report that identifies religious characteristics and trends in our area.
- Sessions two and three are an assessment of our core values historically and today and determination of what they should be going forward. In other words, answering the question, who is God calling us to be in our church, community and world? We will also generate a list of the resources we have available today (skills, facilities, financial, etc.). Then develop a list of programs and projects to help us reach the goal(s). This all will occur while your Search and Call Committee is hard at work finding and interviewing candidates for your settled pastor. The results of your work in developing the vision can be a helpful tool in helping them to look for skills, education and experience your new pastor might best possess. And, of course, another major output will be a list of actionable items and a planned timeline to reach the vision goal or goals. Again, I am thrilled that God has called me, and has moved you to call me, to serve Salem UCC. I look forward to meeting and getting to know all of you and getting to know our brothers and sisters in the Plymouth community. As we lean on the wisdom and guidance of God, let us move in partnership through what can be an exciting and joy-filled time of transition.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Gary