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Julie's Jottings, Jewels and Jubilations
May 2008
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Alleluia, Amen, and Blessed Be
Congratulations to the members and friends of Cedars Unitarian Universalist
Church. Congratulations to your new ministers, Reverend Jaco ten Hove and
Rev. Dr. Barbara Wells ten Hove. You have found each other and are ready to
move into the future together. What could be finer? My prayer is that you
continue to grow and delight in each other.
As we move
into May and the cold finally snaps, the brave flowers and blossoms that
came out early no longer seem foolish, or even brave, but seem instead,
natural. Like them, we blow in the wind, we shiver, we shine. We turn from
blossom into fruit. We turn from dirt and root, to sap and song, and then
we drop to seed. Our world is miraculous.
And so is
the place we call Cedars. Nothing remains the same so even if we don’t like
it, we accept change on some level. But isn’t it nice, isn’t it pleasing,
thrilling actually, when things change for the better. To say that I am
pleased with what we have done in the past two years would be an
understatement. Together we have come from a place of confusion and moved
to a place of trust, from a wandering in the desert to the understanding of
what it means to be a community of faith in it for the long haul. Together
we have shifted our prayers from lamentations to prayers of joy and
gratitude. I rejoice with and for you and for this faith of ours that we
share. Alleluia, Amen, and Blessed Be. |
Rev. Julie Forest |
Rev. Julie Forest, Interim Minister
Announcements from the Minister
June Farewell
My last day in the pulpit will be June 16th. There will also be a going
away party and mutual blessing at a date, time and place to
be announced later.
If you cannot make it to one of these, I hope to see you at the other.
Committee On Ministry
The
position of Interim Minister presents itself as a unique one. It is a temporary
stay, one designed to be a needed transition between an outgoing minister and a
future “called” minister. It is one in which the person must embrace a church
to which he or she will be bidding farewell in short time, but whose heart and
soul are wholly needed. In the case of Cedars, there are many expectations,
hesitations and unanswered questions awaiting our Interim Minister, Rev. Julie
Forest.
The
Committee on Ministry is designed, in part, to address these unique
circumstances and help Julie and our congregation navigate this territory as
smoothly and aware as possible. In our second meeting, committee members
Warren Read, Jeanette Schanilec, and Jill Bamburg brainstormed and
decided upon the following parameters for the group:
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Support Julie in her service to the congregation and in her ministerial
development |
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Give
clear feedback to Julie; the committee is a place to talk openly and frankly
about Julie’s relationship and ministry to congregants |
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A
place to seek perspective and “the big picture” as it pertains to Cedars under
the leadership of the Interim Minister |
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A
“sounding board” for Julie’s ministry |
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Fulfill the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee’s request for two reviews of
Julie’s work |
You
may find Warren, Jeanette or Jill asking you questions relating to Julie’s
ministry; this would be to serve the committee’s wish for transparency and
well-informed discussion. Our work with be specifically focused around
Julie’s personal growth and mission, not around the nature and operations of
Cedars, its board or its congregants. Questions? Feel free to
approach any one of us!
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