By the time that this newsletter reaches you the first day of summer (as it is reckoned by the occurrence of the solstice) will have come. Whether that happening is reflected by the weather is another guess. However, in any event, people have already moved on to summer schedules and summer activities, which usually includes more time for leisure activities.
At church, this time of the year is not necessarily a time to back off of the throttle but a time to reload and recharge for the upcoming program year—that’s something I’ve lifted up for a number of years, now. That sort of thing is perhaps more true this summer than it’s been in any other summer over the past few years. We are spending a great deal of time looking at the ways that our ministry better reflects the church we are now and the church that would like to become. How we do ministry, how we set up governance and accountability, how we communicate amongst ourselves are all matters up for discussion.
Even something as routine as the Chapel Chimes falls under that heading. Gone, now, will be the days where we sent the whole business out by mass mailing (only to mail 70 copies to ourselves in order to claim a bulk mailing rate). Those who have e-mail addresses will receive them via e-mail. Persons who are homebound or who are in care facilities will have them mailed; all others can pick them up at church. Copies that are picked up at church will have no address labels on them; they will all be identical copies. Since the newsletter process should be less labor intensive, we are adding a separate August issue of the newsletter to be consistent in our communication patterns.
Again, all of that involves change and I know that a good number of us aren’t wild about change. I’m not always wild about change, either, and seldom (if ever) do I go for change just for change’s sake. Sometimes, though, change is necessary if any living thing is to survive and thrive. As William Pollard once said, “Without change there is no innovation, creativity, or incentive for improvement. Those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to manage the change that is inevitable.”
I ask for your participation and your prayers in these weeks ahead. Work and prayer on the part of a committed core of people can accomplish much in this world. It is, in fact, that only way things ever get done in this world.
Your servant in Christ,
Rev. Jim Hoppert
