Hello Holy Trinity. I am writing to you because the Council thought it might be helpful for us to provide a short update following the announcement that Pastor Tim has accepted a position with Lutheran World Relief.
I’m sure some of us may be feeling many emotions today. Others of us may not be feeling any emotion at all because we are still processing the news. Whatever you may be feeling, Holy Trinity is in the loving hands of God and as some young people say, “It’s all good.”
Whatever you are feeling, the Council and I want you to remember that Holy Trinity is a Church that has gone through transitions before and we will be successful going through this one. We will be successful because we know how to come together and work together. We know how to serve and complete what needs to be done. We know how to support this work by our participation. We also know how to listen to one another, share our thoughts, and come to a decision that will serve the work God calls us to do.
We will be here together in person or virtually when supply pastors and others provide us with sermons that feed our soul with God’s words. We will be together when we begin the “Transition Phase” that asks us to reflect and participate in various events. This work will then lead us to the “Call Process Phase.”
I believe the Church Council is capable in carrying out the oversight that is necessary for this rather lengthy process. After our regular Council meeting last Thursday we met with Steve Wilco. Steve is the Associate to the Bishop, serving western MA, part of Connecticut and NY, Vermont, and NH. He will lead us through the process and will be here on December 19th as a supply pastor.
The Council will be meeting on November 1st to start forming the Transition Team. This group of 6-8 people will be involved in the initial phase of our pastoral transition (approximately 6-9 months). This team needs members who have a positive outlook, creative strategic thinking, strong communication, and organizational skills. Please prayerfully consider if serving on the Transition Team is something you would consider. Contact Mark in the office or me if you have questions or are interested.
At our meeting on the 1st, the Council will begin the “rollout” of the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT). This is a survey that takes the “pulse” of the congregation. It will ask you about your experiences, perceptions, and aspirations of Holy Trinity. It can be completed online or on paper.
Finally, the Council will discuss the plans for Pastor’s Godspeed and Farewell event. His last service will be on Sunday, November 14th.
Peace, Cristina Dolcino