November will soon be upon us, and with it will come that annual habit we have in most churches to focus on giftedness and gratitude. Even though we are gifted every single day of the year, we seem to focus on November as a particular time to express our gratitude for such gifts (whether we chalk that up to centuries-old patterns of harvesting and ingathering or the American celebration of giving thanks on the fourth Thursday in November, I’m not certain). However, here we are, encouraged to take stock of our giftedness and how we respond to that awareness of giftedness in our lives, in our congregation, and in the wider world. Do our lives reflect gratitude for all that God has given to us?
Included in the body of this newsletter will be information about the Commitment/Festival weekend of November 10-11; an additional mailing will also be sent out concerning that weekend, as well. As always, we encourage people to give prayerful consideration to those decisions. There is no “right” answer for these questions, and what is right is ultimately up to us to decide.
In keeping with the subject of giftedness, I also want to tell you of some proposed changes to the workings of what has been known as the “Memorial Committee.” That committee has been entrusted with linking special gifts (given in honor or memory of loved ones) to the ministries and programs of Salem. However, the direction and structure of that committee has not always been clear and easy to follow, which has helped neither the committee nor the congregation. In order to provide direction on the structure, acceptance and use of these special gifts, some changes have been proposed to Salem’s by-laws. Included in the list of proposed changes, we would be making membership on the committee an elected position (like the Salem Green board, and the Zoar-Salem Cemetery board), establishing guidelines for the management, acceptance, disbursement, and acknowledgement of gifts, developing a prioritized list of current and future needs with the help of other Salem committees, instituting a regular pattern of communication with Salem’s Consistory, and creating a new name for the committee (reflective of the proposed changes)—the Special Gifts Committee.
In order to make these changes to the by-laws we will need to call a special congregational meeting, following the 8:30 a.m. worship service on December 2nd. More details will follow in the weeks ahead.
And one more “giftedness” related announcement: Salem will be hosting the Thanksgiving Eve worship service that we share with First Congregational UCC on Wednesday, November 21st at 7:00 p.m. Combined choirs from the two churches will provide special music and pie and coffee will follow our worship time. I hope that many of you will be able to attend this special service of worship.
Have a mindful, blessed November.
Your servant in Christ,
Rev. Jim Hoppert
