Dear Friends,
Gail Pesyna, our spirited canvass chair, reported very good news on Sunday: our members and friends are stepping up to the financial challenge. Pledges are coming in with significant increases.
She’s confident that those who have not yet filled out a pledge card, but whose history of giving has been consistent, will close the gap and we’ll be able to keep this ship afloat. We owe Gail a tremendous debt of gratitude for her dedicated work on our behalf!
It’s always a relief to have adequate pledges in hand, but this year it feels especially reassuring. We expect to have a new Associate Minister, and we need to hire a business manager, to fill out our staffing needs.
Speaking of a new Associate Minister, our Search Committee introduced the Reverend Margie Allen to the congregation last week. John Hooper held a large photograph of Margie while Frances Sink, chair of the committee, read a brief, powerful bio. By now you should have received the letter from Frances introducing Margie.
The Committee is putting together an exciting calendar of events for you to meet the candidate. She will be introduced, in person, at the services on April 30, which marks the beginning of what we call ‘candidating week.’
At the conclusion of the week, after the services on May 7 – Margie will preach at each – you will be asked to approve the Search Committee’s recommendation. There will be a special congregational meeting at 12:30, providing opportunity for you to decide whether to call Margie as our new Associate Minister.
It’s been a pleasure for me to meet Margie, to learn about her and to learn from her. I’m very confident that she will be an effective, energetic partner in ministry to this dynamic, evolving congregation.
One of the many things I appreciate about Margie is her long-range vision. She was impressed with the work of our 2028 visioning process, and she’s committed to helping us to do the necessary work to make those dreams a reality.
Let me conclude with a note of appreciation for the thoughts of caring concern in response to my daughter Susan’s surgery. Everything went well – no surprises, or problems. One of her early goals was to attend Hannah’s dance recital; she accomplished that on Saturday afternoon last week, so her recovery is on schedule.
Thanks for your expressions of concern and support. Thanks, too, for your generous response to this year’s canvass.
Enjoy this most amazing spring! “When faces called flowers float out of the ground…”
Warmly,
Frank
