From Rev. Susan Frances & the Committee on Shared Ministry: January 28, 2022

Dear Friends,  

Some of you have already been collaborating with the Committee on Shared Ministry. For others, you may not even know that we have a Committee on Shared Ministry or know they exist, but not know their mission and purpose. In the spirit of shared ministry, we (Carla Williams, the chair of this Committee, and Rev. Susan Frances) have prepared this deeply meaningful (a/k/a highly contrived, yet immensely informative) note for you.  

Carla: Are you ready for examples? 

Susan: Maybe a definition first. 

Carla: Okay. Shared Ministry refers to shared endeavor. Living the mission of this church is a shared endeavor, a shared ministry. That means, each of us, whether ordained minister, staff, or lay leader, newcomer or long-term member, has a part to play and important contributions to make.  

It means creating a welcoming environment that supports participation in our ministry, ensuring there’s a clear way of offering feedback and communicating with ministers and each other, and clarifying expectations for how we participate in the endeavor to support our mission. Are you ready for examples now?     

Susan: Yes, I’m ready. 

Carla: Examples of shared ministry are when members help plan and assist with worship and provide pastoral care for the congregation or work with the religious education program as teachers or serve as social justice advocates within the church and the larger community.  

What each of us does for UCE “is” the ministry we each share with one another; be it serving on the Board or a committee, singing in the choir, being a worship associate, devoting time to an aspect of Lifespan Faith Formation, participating on social justice teams, composting or caring for the natural habitats around us — the list goes on. In the midst of all our efforts it is important to remember that shared ministry has a sacred quality to it that strengthens the congregation, strengthens us, while also serving our mission. 

Susan: Shared ministry is such a wonderful community model. What is the purpose of the Committee on Shared Ministry? 

Carla: Well, glad you asked. The Committee on Shared Ministry (COSM) was formed to grow greater transparency, accountability and communication into our shared ministry. This means conveying to the congregation that each person has something to contribute to the shared ministry of the congregation, which is our mission: nurturing the human spirit for a world made whole. How ever you participate in that mission is shared ministry. 

For example, do you remember just last spring when Rev. Eileen, Rev. Karen Gustafson, and Jessica Meis worked on creating an annual review process for all the groups and teams? 

Susan: Yes, I do. In fact, Rev. Eileen, Jessica, and I just finished updating the online annual review form based on feedback from last year. We’re about to send it out to leaders to complete by April 20th for this year’s congregational annual meeting. 

Carla: Well, the COSM is now involved in the annual review process and is available to work with teams to help them complete their annual review process and form. 

Susan: That’s a lot of teams for the COSM to work with each spring. Do you meet with teams at other times? 

Carla: Yes. Some teams complete their annual review process and realize they need to reflect more on one aspect or another from that review and we can assist with that. For example, members of the COSM met with the Green Team in early December and facilitated a conversation about communication practices and the structure of their working groups. It is great to work with our various teams. There’s a lot to be learned about all that we are doing!  

Susan: Knock. Knock. 

Carla: Who’s there? 

Susan: Orange. 

Carla: Orange who? 

Susan: Orange you glad you said yes to joining the Committee on Shared Ministry! 

Carla: That’s a terrible joke. But, in fact, I am glad to have joined the COSM. I have found the more I learn about shared ministry, the more I see the deep benefits to our community in living out our principles, especially our 8th Principle to accountably “build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community”. COSM members continue to seek ways of creating synergy with the various groups, teams, and councils.  

One key aspect of Unitarian Universalism is our belief that ministry of the congregation does not belong exclusively to ordained clergy, but to everyone. In Our Professional Ministry: Structure, Support and Renewal, the UUA Commission’s 1992 study, Neil Shadle stated, “Ministry is the vocation of every person of faith, [and] Unitarian Universalism, as a democratic faith, affirms the ‘priesthood of all believers’; we are all lay ministers, whether or not we choose to be professional religious leaders.” This belief in the “priesthood of all believers” is central to who we are as a religious movement. 

Despite the challenges of the past two years we have accomplished much. We have a newly settled Senior Minister with the skills, talents and passion we require, professional staff committed to our success, a congregation of members generous in their time, talents, and treasure, and a collective commitment to revisit what’s important and evolve and change in ways necessary to achieve our mission. 

Volunteers are teaming with staff to reimagine religious education as Faith Formation Hour. Councils, committees, and teams are looking inward at their work and outward to their relationship with the whole to confirm alignment with the mission and seek synergy when possible. The New Member Team is looking across groups to find common opportunities to radically welcome and engage potential and new members in the work. Guidance by our professional staff supports intentionality and top of mind thinking about the things we say are important, like the 8th Principle. Everywhere you look there are groups of people engaging in conversation, looking for opportunities, doing things to make a difference. The work is all around us. The work is us, together, in shared ministry. 

Susan: This is a such a great way to explain that shared ministry involves all of us and is all of us.  

Carla: Let’s turn this conversation into an action of shared ministry! If you are reading this and are part of a group, team, council, committee, or working group, you are invited to reach out to me about how the Committee on Shared Ministry might make a presentation to elaborate on what we’ve shared here or assist you with this year’s annual review process!  

Susan: Another way to engage is to look for examples of where you see shared ministry in action and acknowledge that good work. Then, share those stories with me, Rev. Eileen, Carla or someone else on the COSM, Susan Carlton, Ben Kornfeld, Ann McCallister, Jim Strickler, or Jenny Walsh. We’re looking forward to continuing this shared ministry journey with you! 

Yours in building a diverse multicultural Beloved Community, 

Rev. Susan & Carla