From the Senior Minister

Dear Edwards Church Community,

The stoles that ministers wear when preaching or otherwise engaged in leading worship are ancient symbols of our office. We are what the United Church of Christ (UCC) calls “authorized ministers,” individuals who have the required education and training to faithfully fulfill a role that requires people to trust and confide in us. We have been through a process of discernment and vetting conducted by groups of churches called associations, who confirm our sense of call and our fitness for this ministry.

Once admitted to authorized ministry, we agree to abide by the Ministerial Code of Ethics and the covenantal expectations of the ministries for which we are trained. One aspect of those ethics and expectations is maintaining professional boundaries. In a parish setting, this means that when we leave a church, we commit to avoiding contact with people in the church we are leaving until at least a year after the next “permanent” pastor has started at the church. This serves several purposes.

First, members of the congregation will often become attached to the retiring or relocating minister and want to continue their relationship. However, it is also important for the church and its members to form the same sort of relationship with a newly arriving minister. Accordingly, when a minister no longer serves in a setting, they remove themselves from it to give space for new relationships to form.

Second, the departing minister is departing for a reason, in my case retirement. I care deeply for this community and its members. I have done my best for you. I also have a family and friends, who I need to spend more time with at this point in my life. They are in Boston and scattered across the country. I will also explore some new forms of service to use my time and talents for God and neighbor.  I have dabbled in them while directing full-time energy to the needs of this church and its people. Now I need the freedom to pursue those other causes.

The apostle Paul wrote to people he loved to clarify the roles he and another pastoral leader played in the life of their church: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the growth.” (1 Cor. 3:6) All of the former and current pastors of Edwards have planted and watered here. We have done so not to draw you closer to us (though that often happens naturally) , but to God and each other, in order to do God’s work in the world. With that focus, God will take care of all of us, as we care for each other and the wider community, wherever we are. And now, another pastor will tend this garden.

In faith, with hope, for love,

Michael

From the Interim Minister

Greetings from your new interim pastor.  First and foremost, I ask God’s blessings upon this congregation – parishioners, staff, and pastor during this time of endings and saying good-bye. May God’s Spirit minister to you as you celebrate and mourn.  May you extend grace to one another as change affects each in unique ways.

You might be wondering, what happens next.  The month of February can be a difficult time for many affected by the season of winter so I suggest we proceed slowly.  For the month of February, we will worship, pray, and familiarize ourselves with each other.  During March, we will worship, pray, and plan.  As spring arrives we will together create the process we hope to utilize as the congregation assesses who and what it is at this  moment, who its neighbors are and what God is calling this congregation to do and be in the future.  Once that plan is in place we will worship, pray, and intentionally engage in the process of calling a new settled pastor while continuing to serve God in this place and time as you are so ably doing now.

Beginning on February 3, you will be able to reach me by using the minister’s email address and phone extension. Michael will be turning those over to me that day. I look forward to companioning you as you move through this time of transition.

Grace,

Rev. Jennifer Geary

To read the full Spire click here.