Report of the Interim Pastor – November 2019
Covering November 2019 for the Council meeting on December 11, 2019
Opening Prayer
Loving God: be with us and guide us during this time of transition and discernment. Fill our leaders with your wisdom. Keep us mindful of the work you would have us do. Lead us and guide us, O God, to be about the work of establishing your reign here on earth as the search for a new pastor continues. Bless all who have taken on extra responsibilities and fill them with a sense of your love and presence. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thank You
Thank you for your faithful service throughout 2019, with special appreciation for those who are completing their terms of service on the Church Council this month. You have addressed many important issues over the past year and have admirably prepared the congregation to begin another phase of ministry and congregational life in this place. Special thanks to those who made the Food Bank Appreciation event successful and
memorable, those who step up at the last minute, and those who participated in Thanksgiving Eve worship.
Worship Attendance / Statistics / Official Acts
Sundays in November: 3 rd – 51, 10 th – 35, 17 th – 34, 24 th – 34 Thanksgiving Eve – 11
Pastoral Calls / Visits: 14
Meetings / Events: 11
Including: Days for Girls event at Stanford, Conference pastors gathering,
Conference Fall Gathering, Interfaith Council Thanksgiving Breakfast, Baptism: Annabelle Jane Beam, daughter of Michael Beam and Emily Reuter on November 3, 2019
One Year Anniversary of Pastor Sabin’s Resignation
On Sunday, November 17 we paused to mark the one-year anniversary of Pastor Sabin’s resignation and departure, which was also the beginning of this interim time. This led me to have several conversations with people about their feelings, thoughts, observations and insights from that time to the present. Some of my thoughts:
- There is still sadness, hurt and pain, although less than one year ago.
- People miss not having the opportunity to say farewell, thank-you, etc.
- We ought to keep Pastor Steve and Travis in our daily prayers.
- It’s OK to drop a note to one or both, and to stay connected with them.
- Although Pastor Steve may have had his faults and weaknesses (as we all
do), it’s important to honor and uphold his ministry here. - Remember to separate issues (his faults were not related to the charges,
no more than his strengths). - Most are eagerly and anxiously waiting for a trial and for closure.
- Some are quick to convict and condemn. We should take care not to do
so. - Some blame the previous call committee for all that has happened. This
is not about them or their work as a call committee. - Most are eager to move forward with the call process, even without
closure. - Most see this time as an opportunity for Christ Church to heal, change
and grow. - Not everyone is in the same place.
- Take care of each other during this time.
I’d love to hear more from you if you also have thoughts to share either in a Council meeting or privately.
Transition Team / Call Committee Update
Our final congregation-wide event was held Sunday, November 10 and there are no more “homework assignments” scheduled for the future. The Transition Team met on Monday, December 9 to complete the first draft of our Ministry Site Profile (MSP). The Rev. Katy Grindberg, Assistant to our Bishop, will be at Christ Church, Lutheran on Sunday, January 19, 2020 to meet jointly with the Transition Team and Call Committee.
Insurance
Fritz Hahn, founder and managing member of Ministry Pacific Financial Insurance Services, who was helpful to us in finding our new contractor, will be with us tonight to discuss Builder’s Risk Exposure, and how we might secure coverage for our construction downstairs. He might also be a valuable resource for Christ Church moving forward after construction.
My Contract
My one-year contract to serve as your Interim Pastor will end mid-January. We should have a conversation about timeline and details possibly leading to another contract. In addition, I would love for you to reflect with me a bit on what has worked well this past year, what has not worked well, and what has yet to be completed.
Pastor Tom’s 45 th Anniversary of Ordination
Pastor Tom will observe the 45 th anniversary of his ordination on January 11, 2020. Since so much of the past year has been focused on grieving Pr. Steve’s leaving and the interim process, perhaps a celebration is in order to honor and thank Pr. Tom for his faithful service to you and his ministry to the whole Church.
My Schedule for January and February
I want to remind you that I will be gone from January 17 through February 8. While I’m away Pastor Kathleen will preach and preside.
Miscellaneous
What should we include in our Annual Report Documents? I’ll have a report. I’ll also have a devotion to end, words from Bishop Eaton, etc. We should have minutes from last year and financial / budget information. What else would be helpful? I’m willing to make copies and collate everything for December 15.
Question: What happens when a non-member donates to Christ Church, Lutheran? Is a letter of acknowledgement sent?
St. Mark’s Lutheran Church will hold their event on Friday, December 13.
BetterHousingPolicies.org will hold another Earthquake Preparedness Workshop in Cantonese in the Parish Hall on Saturday, December 14. They are also buying us additional chairs to help accommodate their large numbers.
For On-Going Consideration
Heat in the Sanctuary (Jane has talked with our folks several times, and met with them earlier today.)
Outside security cameras – do we have a sense of what we would like to do, and a plan to pay for and maintain them?
What’s Ahead
December 15 – Annual Meeting
December 18 – Holden Evening Prayer, 6:00 pm
December 24 – Christmas Eve Worship, 6:15 pm music, 6:30 worship, followed by reception
December 25 – Christmas Day Worship, 10:00 am
January 7 – Next Church Council meeting
January 19 – RIC Sunday, Pr. Grindberg meets with Transition Team & Call Committee
Respectfully submitted,
Lyle J Beckman