Dear Church,
At Lakewood Congregational Church, we continue to be in a season of transition, discernment, and visioning, while remaining grounded and steadfast in our primary purpose– witnessed to in our mission statement– We strive to be a welcoming, worshiping community of faith, helping people discover and deepen their relationship with God, growing as disciples of Christ and reaching out in faith and loving service– and supplemented by our Open and Affirming Statement and the words I say at the beginning of worship every Sunday morning.
We are not unique to be in a time of transition. In truth, every part of our society is in transition to some level. We’re in a rapidly changing time, and we’re all trying to figure out how to Love our Neighbor in the midst of it.
Personally, I’m focused on practicing patience and cultivating time in my week to listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Church (to LCC and to the wider 21st century Church). I have moments of wishing we could fast forward into some of the priorities represented in our All-Church Visioning survey, such as:
- a full, right-sized staff
- a comprehensive model for adult faith formation
- a comprehensive model for congregational care to support pastoral care.
- a long-term building maintenance plan
- clear and consistent collaborations for outreach and social justice ministry
All of these things take intentionality, clarity, and groundedness. They require us to be on the same page with one another, with a common vision.
In my discernment, it’s increasingly clear that what we need is a common roadmap so we can walk together. This Summer, I’m focused on developing something like a roadmap for LCC, perhaps even a Five-Year Plan. I hope to do this with the support of our Exec Team Leadership, Staff, and with the whole congregation, and with the support of Rev. Kelly Brill who has been consulting with us the past few months. I imagine this Five-Year Plan can help us towards the priorities listed above and perhaps others as they emerge.
In the meantime, there are a couple of more urgent matters we need to address while a faithful Five-Year Plan is being developed. Urgent matters include (but are not limited to):
- finalizing our Director of Music Ministries search.
- continuing to develop our agreements related to rentals and space use, now that the renovation is complete.
- establishing an organized Congregational Care Ministry which will allow us to respond to our call to love, support, and care for one another as the Body of Christ in community.
The first and second are both in the works, and I won’t elaborate on them right now (though you’re welcome to ask me). The third is much more complex and I’d like to share more thoughts about it now.
For around 20 years, LCC has not had an established Congregational Care Ministry. (You may be more familiar with terms like “Stephen Ministry Team” or “Called to Care Team”). It’s a culture of equipping members to visit one another and offer spiritual care from the church. It is essential that we coordinate and develop a program like this in order to ensure we’re caring for all the members of our congregation in their times of need, and on a more personal note, to prevent clergy burnout. I would love to be present for every single one of our church members at all times, because I love you all so much, but it is: (A). not a sustainable model for a church of our size and, (B). robbing our congregation of the spiritual gifts that come with giving and receiving interconnected support.
This need cannot be filled by simply adding another staff position or replacing Rev. Catherine’s position. A church like ours requires a robust and diverse Congregational Care team, which equips us to care for one another, develop a mutuality and connectedness, and respond together to a variety of spiritual and emotional needs– from support related to aging, to empty nesting, to mental health, to death and dying, to grief and loss, to life transitions, to joy and celebration, to spiritual crises, and so much more. With a clearly developed Congregational Care Team, members would make phone calls, send cards, do in-person visits, and perhaps develop support groups or spiritual growth partners. Some of this culture can and is happening organically, as we get to know one another, but some of it requires teaching, tools, and most of all clarity about how we can support each other.
This Summer, our church consultant Rev. Kelly Brill will be helping us to choose and establish a congregational care program that fits our needs and establish the steps to getting it off the ground. While we don’t have the specific information right now, we are actively discussing next steps, and you will hear more about it in the coming weeks. I invite you to prayerfully keep your ears and eyes open.
In the meantime, I do ask that you make sure I’m aware if you’re in need of a pastoral visit, a phone call, or an in-person conversation. I really do want to be present for you, but still cannot read minds. If I’ve dropped the ball and haven’t followed up on a visit request, please offer me the grace of a reminder and the respect of direct communication.
Every day is very full at LCC. I could write an entire novel about the last year and a half alone, and a series about the past seven years I’ve been your pastor. It would be filled with the theme of generous people, spirit-filled fun, my scattered mind, incomplete ideas, and ongoing hopes and dreams. There are many more chapters to write, and I’m ready and excited to see what they bring.
With Deep Gratitude and Love,
Pastor Joanna