There are exciting things happening at UNMC. The leadership retreat was well attended with long-time members and friends, as well as newcomers who are already taking leadership roles in the church. There were twenty-four people who participated throughout the day.
The intrinsic benefit of the retreat was the significant amount of sharing—personal stories, hopes for the church, and thoughtful, creative communication. One of the small groups that formed out of our “challenges” was a group that looked at enhancing the spirituality of our congregation. One of their suggestions was to increase adult religious education.
There is one covenant group forming as this is published. It is a group that will explore “Spiritual Practices and Prayer.” Lisa Harris will be facilitating this group.
Someone has volunteered to present “Universalist History,” and another person has offered to facilitate a Christian, Universalist perspective on “A Course in Miracles.” Both will be announced in March and if enough people sign up, they’ll begin in April. I am working on a curriculum for “Prosperity and Abundance.”
If you have ideas or would like to offer some kind of adult religious education at 9:30 on Sunday mornings or at night, please let me know.
Other exciting news is we have two new deacons. Lisa Harris and Marti Martinson were officially recognized by the congregation at our congregational meeting last Sunday. They have been acting deacons for almost a year; and now it is official! We will have a ceremony at a Sunday Service to install them as Deacons, soon.
Another exciting aspect for me is the collaborative ministry we have. The leaders of the committees and the board are eager to work with me to ensure a strong, dynamic, and joy-filled ministry here. We all have our vision for the growth of the church and that is powerful. Working together, guided by UNMC’s congregational covenant makes the work spiritually and religiously powerful.
So, as I live my second winter in DC and am glad for the kind of winter we have here, I thank God each and every day for the ministry and mission we are living out here on the corner of S and 16th NW. I am hopeful that God will call us to a special needs ministry. I do not know what that would look like, but I’m encouraging all of us to be open to God’s call.
See you in Church,
Pastor Lillie