The State of the Fellowship and business meeting to pass the revised by-laws meeting was filled with cookies and snacks, some lovely beverages, and a buzz of community. And that was before we did anything other than arrive.

The evening unfolded thoughtfully thanks to the guidance of our President, Sarah Walker with the support and back-up work of the Board. And the energy in the room was good. Thanks to all of you who made a point of showing up to ensure we had a quorum in order to take care of business. I know some of you came only for that portion, and it ensured that we were able to put into place – in particular – our new voting process that will allow us to elect our new Board folks and Nominating Committee members so that they have time to be oriented to their work before they are on the job as it were. Be sure to read the coming Monday Board Report, and watch the video to get a fuller picture of how it went.

I was grateful to have a chance to give a mid-year review of how I see things going as we settle into this time of Developmental Ministry. It won’t surprise you to know that it takes some time for ministers of any sort to settle in and get a more nuanced lay of the land when they arrive in a new congregation. Congregations, too, take a little time to size up the new minister and get a sense of who they are, what they bring, and how things come together with the new leadership.

As I said on that night, I see a lot of health, energy, and connection present in the congregation. There are also people who feel hurt by the conflict and troubles of the past few years, and some people who are not sure what all that’s about and feel confusion about it. As I said on the night, finding our way to what’s next will require all of us to reflect on what has broken trust or relationship, being willing to speak directly to the each other, and to express what reconciliation looks like. In addition, each of us need to be able to accept responsibility for our participation in the break.

Most important, though, is for us to continue to look to what we can create and be together. Congregations – never perfect, always becoming – grow best when their vision is about what can be done to bring more love, light, and possibility into the world. I’m glad to be here among you all. I look forward to what comes next.

But for a short while, Peter and I are going to get away for a bit of a break. Our usual summer getaway was lost to packing and moving, and our fall was full of medical complications, so we’re heading to the ocean for some days of renewal and relaxation. We’ll be back on February 17.