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Dear Westminster,

It was so good to be with you for the congregational meeting this past Sunday and hear Doug Alexander, Westminster’s President, offer some words of encouragement and inspiration. We are in a time of reassessment – many are reassessing priorities and clarifying how to spend our precious time and energy.

As Doug noted, the “great resignation” is happening everywhere, and we are not immune to it. The Religious Education committee which is being run by just a few, it’s been hard to find new people to lead teams and committees, it’s been hard to find a new president elect. So many are tired, overwhelmed, too busy or wanting to step back or think about what you want to create in your lives. All of which is healthy — humans are made for change.

Last Sunday I shared a sermon on creating space, on “doing nothing” and how this church can be a place to help create that kind of spaciousness in our lives.

Not in order to “just” do nothing, but in order that the “somethings” that we do create time for have greater meaning and purpose. Here in this church we create space, find space, make space so that we can do what is truly important.

I want to thank those of you who are, at least for a short while, doing that “something” that helps ensure Westminster’s spaciousness can continue: organizing for the budget drive, supporting religious education, being a “Caring Hand,” offering lay pastoral care, running Connection Groups, participating in social justice efforts, helping with Sharing Locker, walking to end hunger, meeting in small groups, supporting the church in a dozen other ways, or simply staying connected, so that this place that means so much to so many people can continue to help us all create some space.  Please support those efforts, where you can.

And the reality is, for now, we may not be able do everything – we may not be able to do every program and run every special event that Westminster has in the past. But just because we can’t do it all doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate and get great satisfaction from those things we can do. And look toward the new inspirations, new ideas, and new insights that may be right around the corner.

I’d love to hear from any of you what feels most important to you, right now, at Westminster.

In the meantime, please do take care, take time, as you can, to refresh, renew and reconnect with what has the most meaning to you. Please give yourself time to connect… with yourself, with family, and with each other.

With warmth and appreciation for you all as we navigate the unknown together,

Be well,

Rev. Ellen