Friends, with the announcement of my retirement from the ministry, I have been overwhelmed by your outpouring of love. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

 These remaining three months will be rich and bittersweet for me. It’s been the highest honor of my life to serve as your pastor, and there will be much I will miss and much I will savor in these coming months. Fortunately, our goodbyes are not final, and you are in excellent hands moving forward.

 I was recently going through documents from the transition after the Reimer’s departure, and I found a helpful paper on communication. Here are some critical points we followed during that time: helpful reminders to successfully navigate the months ahead.

 First, times of transition always feel squirrely, which is why we all must remain vigilant and mindful of how we communicate. 

One central learning from our previous transitions is that it is problematic when we engage in recreational complaining that undermines our church programs, fellow members, church leaders, and clergy. If you ever have an issue that needs addressing, please go directly to those people or leaders who oversee our programs, mission, and ministries and share your concerns with them. Doing so avoids triangulation and is the surest way to address your needs and clarify your concerns. Triangulation is when person A has a problem with person B, but instead of talking to person B about it, they speak to person C, which only adds confusion and mistrust to the communication equation. Avoid triangulation! And take your concerns to the people most able to address them.

To avoid triangulation, ask who can best address my concerns. Who has the information I need or can take action if required to answer my questions or solve my dilemma? And don’t immediately assume that every problem or situation needs to be addressed by one of the clergy! Our Moderator, Barb Gibbs, Moderator-Elect, Jeremy Archer, and chair of our Congregation Ministry Review Board, Nan Ryan, are prepared and well-versed in the inner workings of UCG and can help you navigate your concerns in the most direct, practical ways. And members of CMRB and Council Exec are also here to help ease your worries and work with you to solve your issues. If we can all be mindful of healthy communication patterns, we will build trust, establish good practices, and move forward together toward a more beautiful tomorrow. 

I hope you were as inspired as I was by our winter congregational meeting. UCG is an incredibly vibrant, forward-thinking congregation with a wide array of exceptional leadership to steer us onward. Together, you will begin to consider our church’s future over the months ahead. These are exciting times! UCG is an exceptional congregation that stands as a beacon of inclusivity and love in a confusing and polarized world. Now more than ever, we need your help and support to sustain and strengthen our beloved spiritual community. With leaders like you, I know UCG will continue on our path of love, justice, care, and concern for a world in need. May our love for this beloved church be the fuel that guides our future together.