Pastor Kathi McShane

Last week I attended, with a whole group of folks from this church, a dinner to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Family Promise, the non-profit organization that offers shelter, education and other services to families committed to transitioning out of short-term homelessness. 

There were 500 people at that dinner—most of them from churches that, like ours, have committed their money, their buildings, and their time to welcoming Family Promise participants to be come and stay with them for a week every few months.  I was so proud to be part of a congregation that is a partner in this life-changing work. 

It is not pastors who make that kind of work happen; it’s lay people. People who step up and say, “I can do that,” or “I can be part of this team,” or maybe even, “I can lead that group.”  These kinds of leaders—people who feel confident enough of their own gifts and—maybe more importantly—the need for their gifts—that make the difference between a church that is passive and a church that is active and alive. 

We are graced to have a number of those leaders among us.  It’s why you see people busy and happy on Sunday mornings, why you see new people who want to be a part of this community, why we are able to make a difference in this community.  But there are more people among us with gifts just waiting to be needed.  And there are more needs just waiting for someone to step up and say, “I think God is nudging me to work on that.”

The church should be organized in a way that helps every person make the connection between those needs and their own gifts.  It should be a community where you can find other people who are feeling that same nudge from God that you are.  It should be a place where you are encouraged and supported to do the learning, the growing, the leading that God calls every one of us to do. 

A group of leaders in this church has been working with me for a few months to think about whether the way we make decisions and work in committees is meeting the current needs of the congregation.  We have talked about the need to do some things differently—particularly

• how to equip, support and encourage more people into leadership;
• how to be sure that every administrative decision we make is aligned with our mission of making and growing disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world;
• how to do our administrative work in a way that leaves plenty of time for people to do the things we want every person to be involved in around the church:  worship, growth in their own faith, community, and service. 

We have a proposal for some reorganization of our committee structure, which we believe will allow us to do all of our work more effectively.  In June, we will need to vote as a congregation on whether to adopt it, or something like it.  And we’d like your input in the meantime.  Whether you are a member or not, you are invited to a special Church Council meeting on Tuesday, May 11, at 7:00 p.m., to discuss the proposed changes. 

If you cannot attend that meeting, but would like to see the proposal and/or comment on it, please talk with Pastor Kathi (916-446-5025 or Kathi@firstumcsac.org) , or Amy Price (Lay Leader), Bob Peck (Church Council Chair), or Diane Smith (Staff Parish Relations Committee Chair), or leave a note in the church office for any of these people.  Please know that your thoughts are welcome and will be heard.

Every good organization needs to look from time to time at the way it works, and to think about whether some changes are needed.  It doesn’t mean that things are broken; it just means that we’re paying attention to what is needed now.  That’s the spirit in which I hope you will join us in thinking about our future together. 

 At this time, in this place, let us be the hands and heart of Jesus Christ for the world.

    Glad to be alongside of you in ministry—Kathi