FORGED IN LOVE,
CONTINUING IN GRACE

St. Brigit Community in Transition

WITH GRACIOUS APPRECIATION….

There were so many events around the departure of Felicia as our priest at St. Brigit and they were coordinated by the Transition Team of Nancy Trubee, Annie Heney and Laura Lewis. Thank you, thank you for your thoughtfulness, coordination and heartfelt gifts to Felicia in remembrance of her time with  us.

The Children’s Tea Party was a wonderful success. The Transition Team along with many parents, the Florins, McQuaries, Potters, Thoming’s, Flutcher’s, Heney’s, and Nancy Trubee along with Laura Lewis put together a beautiful and fun Tea Party for the children.  The little girls in their pretty dresses and the young boys in their best attire were treated to a variety of tea served in very decorative tea pots. There were tea sandwiches made from sunbutter and jam, cookies, small cupcakes, fruit and small bites of brownies..a veritable feast for both the tummy and the eyes! Everyone was on their best behavior and used real tea cups for their drinks.  Felicia and the children had a great time together as she explained her leaving and gave each child a gift.

A Big thank you to the Bishop’s Committee Community for their participation in the last BCC meeting with snacks, sparking cider, a farewell gift of remembrance to Felicia and a picture session facilitated by Susan Kirmaier.

And last but not least, what a great pot luck that the Transition Team put together with the help of the congregation. Hospitality is one of our core values and it was in full bloom on Felicia’s last day with us. The blanket and the recipe book were thoughtful ways to send Felicia on her way into the life for which God is calling her.

POLICIES/PROCEDURE MANUAL

Eileen Bisgard, Parish Administrator, and myself are compiling the various policies and procedures regarding the Mission of St. Brigit….it is necessary that we have all the various policies in one place particularly when we have an interim priest or a full time priest who will need this information in their orientation to St. Brigit. When this is finished, it will be available for anyone to look at it and let us know if we are missing a policy or procedure.

 

PROFILE TEAM

Such thoughtful and busy thinkers and writers….they are working on the last 3 questions for the Profile and then begins the process of taking all their writing and condensing it into an answer of 1200 characters for each question.  

VITALITY SURVEY

We are still waiting for the results of the vitality survey…hopefully, it will be here soon as it has information useful to the Profile Team.

WE ARE NOT ALONE……

There are several churches in our Diocese that are also in various states of transition.  Marilou Dotson also brought to our attention the process that a church outside of our own denomination uses as they go through transitions. It was interesting how much of it is the same or similar to the one we are using. Thank you, Marilou.

Some similarities:  From Cairn Christian Church

“In the time that a pastor is with a congregation, deep relationships form that are both pastoral and personal. It is often hard to understand that when the minister leaves, the pastoral relationship comes fully to an end, and the nature of the personal relationship changes too.  This is especially true when the minister stays in the same geographical area. Parishioners' feelings can be hurt. And both the pastor leaving, the new pastor or remaining pastor can be put in awkward situations.”

“ It is our job to let the pastor (him or her) go graciously, to not interfere in (his or her) new pastorate or seek (from him or her) pastoral guidance, nor to continue the social/personal relationship that came with the pastorate. It is (his or her) job to set good boundaries and to communicate clearly with us if (he or she) feels better boundaries are needed.”

For me, it was good to realize that We Are Not Alone as we struggle with the cessation of the long term pastoral and personal relationships we have had with Felicia. And, as she has said, running into one another in a small community is bound to happen. As she requests, if conversation includes St. Brigit, it needs to be positive as negative comments will not be welcome or helpful for the transition.

You will have concerns and I encourage you to come to Bookie, Eileen, myself or any of the members of the Bishop’s Committee Community. We are here for each and every one of you….. let us help you and in doing so, you also help each of us.