Seeking Inspiration
– Reflections from the President
It’s been a long couple of weeks — it’s 10:30 pm and the newsletter deadline is tomorrow! My hope for writing a thoughtful message earlier today evaporated with meetings and other appointments and now I am once again staring at a computer screen.
I’ve been thinking about our Annual Meeting and the tremendous amount of preparation on the part of so many people to not only prepare for the meeting itself but to carry out all the activities that are documented in our 2021 Annual Reports.
The Annual Meeting is the time we conduct our official business — particularly elections and adoption of a budget for the year ahead. However, to arrive at a realistic and thoughtful budget our Treasurer, together with the Finance Committee, spent countless hours pouring over numbers, both income and expense. Pledges are the core income source and the Stewardship Team spent the past six months on our campaign, planning winter Zoom parties prior to kicking off the official Stewardship Campaign with the theme of “Staying Connected.” And so many of you — our members and friends — appreciate our connection to one another and have made your gifts and promised your pledges to sustain All Souls Church.
We have elected leaders on the Board, a new member for the Nominating Committee and our Auditors. Our Nominating Committee has been assessing our needs and reached out to people to serve in these elected positions. We are truly delighted when the response is “Yes!” to serving the church community.
The vibrancy of All Souls Church is demonstrated by the fullness and richness of the activity chronicled in our reports. From Archive and Arts…to Women’s Group and Worship – and everything in between — it is clear that we are abundant in energy, enthusiasm and ideas. Every person serving on a committee or a team, sharing in a small group or joining a connect group, participating in a service or helping with a special event nurtures the vitality of our community. I hope and imagine that this involvement nurtures each one in return. One of our challenges during the coming year will be to consider the process of revitalization and renewal for our various committees so that new persons are invited in and those who wish to step down or try on new roles can do so gracefully.
As I thought about this newsletter article the quote from Rev. Edward Everett Hale, a 19th century Unitarian minister, struck me as apropos to everyone who contributes to the life of All Souls. None of us has to do everything but we can each do something — and we do! I was originally seeking inspiration from quotations but realize I am inspired by all of you.
Blessings, Leslie