Minister's Monthly Message

Rev. Dr. Judith Smith-Valley

IN BETWEEN TIME  - February 2010

Valentine Greetings--

Red and pink hearts abound.  The month of February is the month for “love.”  It reminds me of our covenant which begins, “Love is the doctrine of this church.”  I would go further to say that “love” is the mission of the church universal.  As a symbol, we will celebrate “chocolate heart communion” on Valentine’s Day (Sunday February 14).

We have a busy month scheduled.   Please see the service explanations and comments from the Small Group Ministry (SGM) Team elsewhere in this newsletter.   February 7 will be the kick-off with several of the team members participating with me in the service.  The actual experience of a SGM group will be part of the service on February 14.  Please plan for an additional fifteen minutes added to the service so you can get a real feel for the program.

On February 28 we will show the movie “Celebrating What’s Right with the World” and finish with another Appreciative Inquiry session.  Instead of one long workshop, the Transition Team suggests we have both services that day, lengthening the time for each to 95 minutes to accommodate the process.  (We heard those from the 11am service who requested their service not be deleted for the day.)  The Transition Team and I are excited about revisiting your wishes and commitments.  There has been growth and movement on various issues.  We hope you come to share in this valuable time together.

Another task in the works is the Board of Trustees and the Council assessing the new governance model and planning their recommendations for continuing, tweaking and bylaw preparation.  A meeting of both groups, as well as committee representatives will focus on evaluation early in the month.  This is a “work-in-progress.”

Rev. Bill Clark has started his classes called “Blessings of the Heart.”  I haven’t seen his new curriculum but it sounds so timely for those with health and heart issues.  The number of participants requires an afternoon class and an evening class for six weeks.  Rev. Bill will also fill the pulpit again in May.  We are disappointed that because of his health he will not be an applicant for the part-time Pastoral Care Minister we hope to hire soon.

Enough nuts and bolts.  I leave you with the words of Mother Teresa:

Love cannot remain by itself--
            it has no meaning.
Love has to be put into action
            and that action is service.
Whatever form we are,
            able or disable,
            rich or poor,
it is not how much we do,
            but how much love
            we put in the doing,
a lifelong sharing of love with others.

In faith,

Judy