• Home
  • rainbow flagA Welcoming Congregation
  • Safe Congregation SealKeeping Safe
  • Capital Campaign
    • Contact: Capital Campaign
  • DONATE/REALM
  • TUCWomen
    • About TUCWomen
    • Join Us
    • Events
    • Contact
  • Contact
  • Instagram

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport

10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - Ph: (203)227-7205 Sunday Services: 10:00 AM

Unitarian Universalist Association
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • ZOOM Instructions
    • Tips For Making Videos
    • Event & Space Reservations
    • TUUCWSocial Email List Ground Rules
  • Welcome Visitors
    • UU Orientation
    • Directions & Services
    • Special Ceremonies & Dedications
    • Our Congregational History
    • Our Faith
    • What is a Unitarian Universalist?
    • We are Unitarian Universalists
    • How did you become a Unitarian Universalist?
    • History of the Flaming Chalice
    • UU History in 8 Minutes
  • About Us
    • Our Mission Statement
    • Our Vision Statement
    • About Our Ministers
    • Our Staff
    • Getting Involved
    • Board of Trustees
    • Governance
    • Healing and Resilience Task Force
    • Congregant Celebration
    • Pastoral Care Chaplains
    • Our Welcoming Congregation
    • Photo & Video Galleries
    • Links – Beyond Our Walls
    • SOUNDINGS
    • Communications Guidelines
    • Events & Space Reservations
    • Pledging
  • FAITH FORMATION
    • Faith Formation for Children and Youth 2022-23
    • Welcome to Family Faith Formation
    • This Week in Family Faith Formation
    • Faith Formation Age Groupings 2022-23
    • What to Expect on Sunday Mornings
    • OWL Information at a Glance
    • Youth Ministry
    • Adult Faith Formation
    • Soul Matters
    • Keeping Safe
    • Faith Formation Registration
  • Social Justice
    • Welcome to Social Justice
    • Advocates for Prevention of Gun Violence
    • Beardsley School Committee
    • Immigration and Refugee Committee
    • KIVA Microfinance Committee
    • Racial Justice Committee
    • Westbridge Coalition
  • Music Program
    • Music Choir Schedules
    • Evensong
    • Our Minister of Music
    • The Music Committee
    • The Bell Choir
    • The Choir (Women and Men)
    • Special Projects Choir
    • Once & Again Singers
    • Children’s Choir
    • Teen Choir
    • The Chamber Choir
    • Sight-singing Classes
    • Cabaret
    • Voice Classes
    • Love Is the Spirit
    • Tune My Heart To Sing
    • Support Our Music Program
  • Sermons & Poetry
    • Minister’s Messages
    • Sermons – Audio
    • Sermons – Video
    • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
    • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
    • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
    • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
    • Intern Minister’s sermons
    • Guest Minister’s sermons
    • Poetry & Readings
    • Communications from Your Ministers
  • Live Stream

From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace – August 31, 2016

September 1, 2016 by Rev. Dr. John T. Morehouse - Senior Minister

Its been a busy summer for many of us including your senior minister. After attending a powerful General Assembly in Columbus, OH in June (more about that this fall), Francis and I spent several weeks in Maine where I wrote and recharged. I was back in early August with a few other shorter trips between then and now. Meanwhile your church has been busier than usual for the summer. Many of you had the chance to enjoy our fabulous summer worship program. Congratulations to the Worship Associates on a job very well done. Our Tag Sale was a huge hit, once again bringing in over $10,000 and building community spirit even if everyone was melting. Linda Hudson and her team deserve our thanks. The staff has been at work planning and preparing for our next year of ministry together.

Last June we ratified changes to our constitution which allow us to better organize our staff and governance so that we can respond to the call of our mission. Some of you will recall that the congregation voted to make your interim senior minister Rev. Roberta Finklestein chief of staff. Since then and through my first year we have been trying different ways to align the work of our staff – paid and volunteer- to best serve our mission. We voted in June to make the senior minister not only chief of staff but also Chief Executive Officer in keeping with the principles of a more efficient and accountable policy based governance.

After studying our staff needs over the past year, I am pleased to announce that David Vita has been restored to full time status as our Director of Social Justice and Membership. We have also added several new Faith Development assistants to work under Mary Collins in order to better serve the needs of our young families. I have also promoted Dorothy Adams from Director of Operations to Executive Director of the church. This move, common to those larger churches following policy governance, will give her the latitude to run the business of the church. As Executive Director she will provide professional leadership in running the more secular aspects of the church, including financial, facilities-related and organizational resource management. I will remain the CEO responsible for the over sight of the entire church.

The board is fully engaged in the good work of policy based governance about which you will hear more in this issue and in the future. We remain committed to our mission to inspire, connect and act for those who come through our doors and those in the communities we are a part of.

There is much to be concerned about these days; from political fears to the ever widening gap between the rich and the poor to the very real consequences of climate change. But this I know: Hope is found most often when we gather together, affirm what is good and answer the call to heal the world. Now more than ever we need one another. Now more than ever we need the strength of our congregation. I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming weeks as we gather the spirit and harvest our power.

Yours always, Rev. John

Filed Under: From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace Tagged With: Rev. John. T. Morehouse

  • Minister’s Messages
  • Sermons – Audio
  • Sermons – Video
  • Rev. John T. Morehouse’s sermons
  • From Your Senior Minister: Facing Grace
  • Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
  • Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
  • Intern Minister’s sermons
  • Guest Minister’s sermons
  • Readings & Poetry
  • Communications from Your Ministers

     The Unitarian Universalist
     Congregation in Westport
     is a member congregation of the
     Unitarian Universalist Association

      CLICK HERE if you have any questions      about The Unitarian Universalist
    Congregation in Westport

Congregational Hours: Tuesday - Friday
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

Summer Hours:
July & August until after Labor Day:
Tuesday - Friday 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM

CLICK HERE to contact the web master

CLICK HERE to opt in to receive
the Weekly Congregational Email Blast

Copyright © 2023 · Visit us at The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport - 10 Lyons Plains Rd., Westport, CT 06880 - All rights reserved.