Jackie Peck’s message in the Annual Report bears repeating in the Messenger.
The UCC in Kent is experiencing significant transformation! I am humbled and privileged to have served as moderator during this past exciting year. I hold deep gratitude for all those who so graciously have guided, supported, affirmed, and when needed, redirected my efforts.
I believe we are transforming the way we work. Like many Protestant churches, we are a congregation organized by standing committees. We meet in these committees to manage the details of church programs. I believe we are transforming into a congregation that does much more than manage church programs. We affirm and take action on the ministries God is calling each of us to do.
I see evidence of this transformation in the Cabinet meetings of the past year. During our meetings we focused less on management of organizational details. Instead, we invested our time together in discussion of how to best lead and support our congregation and its mission. We prayed together, sang together, deliberated, and listened to each other and to God, who is still speaking! Cabinet members faithfully attended and participated in this work.
I see evidence of this transformation in the convening of the Task Force on Constitution Revision. At Kent UCC we have much energy and passion for ministry among ourselves and with our community. The MLK Celebration last February is a vivid example! I believe it is time to organize our structure in a way that nurtures and sustains this energy. We will need a document that reflects this kind of organization. The Constitution Task Force will continue their work through the coming months and invite broad congregational participation in the process.
I see evidence of our transformation in our special worship service held on February 26. In small groups we shared the various ways God is tugging at us to use our passions in ministry. In March, Cabinet affirmed ten of these ministries that are ready to go. Cabinet also began to inventory the many Kent UCC ministries currently in place. All of these ministries will be included in our newly formatted church directory this fall.
We also faced some serious challenges this past year. Although we approved a deficit budget at our semi-annual financial meeting, we celebrated our successful capital improvement campaign and steadfast outreach commitment. We had productive discussion and took action to invigorate our support of the Kent UCC mission.
In all these things—transformation and challenges—it has been a good year. With Pastor David’s leadership and teaching and ministry, Pastor Heather’s ministry of care, Pastor Jason’s ministry with youth, the staff and volunteers, and each and every one of us, we have abundant resources, abundant passions, and abundant grace!
In Christ,
Jackie Peck, Moderator