Dear First Parish Friends:
We are writing with some updates about our work and what lies ahead for us as a congregation. As we mentioned in our November newsletter, during this period of Interim Ministry, the task of the Transition Team (TT) is to facilitate dialogue within the congregation about how we are doing as an institution so that we can identify elements to address, improve, repair, or maintain in an intentional way. This process will help guide us as we make important decisions about our next settled minister.
The TT has been busy eliciting feedback and communicating with the congregation in several ways – through several online and in-person listening sessions; one-on-one conversations with many of you; or by hearing your written feedback to us. We have also developed liaison relationships with FP committees and have been reaching out to invite dialogue in various formats.
Much of the early feedback we received included a range of comments about aspects of worship service:
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Many people felt that it was important to hear joys and concerns spoken by the individual, not summarized by someone from the ministry team (for those attending in person). However, there was also an expressed desire for the spoken words to be brief and personal, and a recognition that the Lay Ministers are often trying hard to remind congregants to do so. There was widespread appreciation for the new practice of sharing the voices of those attending online.
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Experiments with the greeting time have elicited differing opinions–some value the greeting as an important way that we build community, while others stated they have never liked this particular practice, noting that it can feel awkward or like a social disruption during time for worship.
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There were also differing views about the elimination of the practice of greeting newcomers with applause; while all shared a desire to create a welcoming environment, some felt this practice could be unintentionally off-putting.
A number of people shared their views on the use of honorific titles by our three ministers; some have found this to be distancing or an unwelcome break from the tradition at First Parish, while others have felt more neutral or positive about it. Some shared that the perspectives from the ministers during the December sessions offered helpful context for this decision.
All of the four listening sessions began by setting a tone of gratitude and tenderness with a “ritual of remembrance,” naming our ongoing heartfelt appreciation for Marta Flanagan. We are thankful for these offerings from our affiliate ministers (Revs. Marc Fredette, Ruben Hopwood, and Wendy Page).
What’s ahead?
In the coming weeks, we will be shifting attention toward the search for a new minister, who will begin in fall 2027. There are a number of questions for us to consider as we begin this process. These include considerations about what kind of ministerial model we collectively want. It is not a given that we will keep our current structure and staffing pattern. The TT is in the process of gathering information about different models among congregations that are about our size (400+ members) in order to expand our understanding of how different configurations function. As a congregation, we will be considering our needs, priorities and capacities (financial and otherwise) for sustaining and nourishing our community. We will also be examining areas of strength, pressure points and growing edges. The Parish Committee will be forming a Ministerial Search Committee in May.
In collaboration with the Parish Committee, we are planning a variety of channels through which to share information, invite input, and engage the congregation in dialogue about these ideas and decisions. These will include information sessions, a meeting with UUA representatives, small group conversations, and written material. Please stay tuned for more news about these opportunities.
Meanwhile, we welcome your thoughts, questions or comments. Find us at the Transition Team table most Sundays, reach out to any of us for a one-on-one conversation, or write to us at transitionteam@firstparish.info.
In community,
- Marilyn Downs
- Lois Fine
- Julie Garry
- Marc Jacobsen
- Lida Junghans
- Kay Snowden
- Rev. Dr. Jonipher Kwong
