Mineral Point United Church of Christ
300 Maiden Street, Mineral Point, WI 53565
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April 2021
Notes From Our Pastor
Beloved Church Family:
First a huge thank you to all of our church leaders who have helped in this time of transition and ongoing change for us all. Even in this short time I have listened to and been very moved by the ways you continue to care deeply for one another - and for the community around the congregation. God’s love is strong here!
As we embark on the work of our interim time together - please read on in the newsletter to find information and instructions about forming a Transition Team. The people we will suggest and select have distinct gifts, character, and spiritual strength. I hope you will take the time to explore the purpose of this team – pray for guidance and clarity – and suggest your own and other’s names you feel may be called to the team.
We are also embarking on a new chapter as we regather in person, and stay virtually connected for our church services. Thank you to the amazing members and leaders who have organized all the technology and COVID-19 protocols so we can each decide how we want to worship.
It seems as though change is one of our constants these days. We find ourselves in so many in-betweens as individuals, a church, and on a global scale. I think that’s one reason the time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday feel so meaningful to me this year. It is a true practice of the liminal space… of what has already happened being held in tension with the unknown of what is to unfold in the future.
As one church organizational leader describes it,
“…in a liminal season a person or group is in between something that has ended and something else that is not yet ready to begin. It’s a time, like the Lenten/Easter Season, when we find ourselves reflecting on the path that we are taking in life: our values, our gifts, our passions, our purpose; the very “Way” that we are living and leading. It’s a time when we are drawn to go deeper in our relationship with God, letting go of what’s holding us back, and seeking to become the people – the leaders -- that Jesus is calling us to be, reframing our challenges to unleash fresh energy, creativity, and hope (Beaumont pg. viii).”
I look forward to continuing to learn about the values, gifts, passions, and purpose of this wonderful church. I look forward to hearing how you want to draw closer to God, honor the past, reach for the future, and be refreshed as a family of faith together.
Please be in touch with me if you would like to set up one on one time so I can hear more about your story and journey with this church. Normally I’d invite myself over for a meal, or invite you in to the office for some coffee together. In the time of COVID – we’ll carefully plan a way to connect over the phone, socially distanced in person, or even a Zoom chat if your internet connection can weather it! May this season of Easter bless you with new life and hope through the love of our Savior Jesus.
In it all we can pray:
(The Prayer of Saint Francis)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
+ Pastor Sonny (he/him)
Call/Text (608) 535-9251
pastorsonnygraves@gmail.com
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Please join us for Easter Sunday worship in the church. We will be observing the CDC guidelines on social distances and wearing of face masks. Our church is large so we can gather and worship together on this glourious day!! Hope to see you there.
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April:
Readers
4th Karen Tennessen
11th Patti Johnston
18th Larry McNeil
25th Lynne Buckingham
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May:
Readers
2nd Trudy Tibbets
9th Julia Marr
16th Bill Buckingham
23rd Chuck Tennessen
30th Deb Ivey
June:
Readers
6th Jessie Potterton
13th Betty Hogan
22nd Trudy Tibbits
29th Juli Schult
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 Joyce Buckingham
Family of Phyllis Hanson
Mildred Stephenson
Kevin and Carol Wasley
Evalena Anderson
Griffiths Family
Carrie and Cory Ferguson
Barb and Duane Fitzsimmons and family
All families who are experiencing illness and loss
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Women’s Fellowship will meet on Wednesday, April 7 at 9 am in the Church Fellowship Hall
We will discuss Pasty Sale Plans, Rummage sale planning, Flower’s and Planters in the front of the church, the White wedding in July, and the Fabulous 50s Pasty Luncheon. Other topics will be addressed as needed. Hope to see many of you there!
Remember to start saving treasures for the Rummage Sale! Contact Diann Wenger or Kandy Keuler about storing items at church.
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 Mission Committee Notes:
April Community Meal:
--will be served on Wednesday the 28th, from 5 to 6 pm
--A ‘dine-in’ option will be available (with a limited number of tables), by reservation
--Curbside/or meal delivery option, by reservation
--Please place your order by Monday, April 26th, by calling Mary Dunn, 987 2478, or Pat Johnston, 987-2259 for a reservation.
THANK YOU:
- all volunteers, to Dick and Betty Ivey for meal delivery, our MPHS National Honor Society student volunteers.
- Our Donors of goods and money, including a generous Thrivent gift.
- St.Marys/St.Pauls Catholic congregation who has partnered with us to provide desserts for our March and April Meals.
Please contact Dick Josh, 574 8090, with comments, questions about upcoming meals. Thank you.
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Events
April 2 021
2—Good Friday
4—Easter Worship: 10:15
7 —Women's Fellowship: 9am
11—Worship & Sunday School: 10:15
13—Church council meeting at 7pm
18—Worship & Sunday School: 10:15
25—Worship & Sunday School: 10:15
28—Community meal
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What is a Transition Team?
A Transition Team helps to reduce anxiety, build trust, communicate with the minister and members, and ensure that the congregation participates as much as possible in the interim tasks.
They will participate in identifying and advising the congregation when it is ready to form a search committee to search for a new settled pastor.
The tasks will include meeting with me for a one time longer meeting for introductions and orientation to the process, once a month for coaching and activity planning with communication in between meetings as needed. The transition team and myself will lead a special worship service every fourth Sunday of the month, followed by an activity that the congregation will participate in as a part of the interim tasks.
The team would anticipate working together for (at most) seven months from May – November. If the tasks shift or move along quickly, that time may be shorter. These are the tasks we would set out to complete in that time:
- Collecting data, stories, and history about who and what the church has been up to the present moment.
- Using appreciative inquiry to identify core values of the church, current gifts/skills, of the congregation, and dream into the future.
- Identify unhealed wounds and conflict of the church community.
- Teach communication and conflict skills to use as a community.
- Asset map the members and building/grounds of the church and current ministries.
- Build on the current mission of the church and talk about where God is calling us to be.
- Identify readiness to form a search committee and put clear information into a church profile to begin the search process of a new settled pastor.
- Pray (and laugh)… a lot!
The process of identifying 4-5 people to form the Transition team will begin on Easter Sunday.
The whole congregation is invited to help identify people in the church who:
- Represent both long term, and newer church attendees.
- Are trusted, and spiritually wise.
- Are not attached to their individual desire of what will come in the future of the church or in the next pastor, but can listen to the desire of the collective church for these things.
- Are not a staff member, or spouse/family of a staff member.
- Have an openness and willingness to listen to many different perspectives and not judge them.
- Have an openness to new tools and ideas, and a willingness to help engage the congregation in using them.
From the time of April 4th – April 12th all people participating in the life of this church will be invited to take home information about the process, a prayer for the process, and a card to write suggestions of names for the Transition Team.
You will review this information, pray about it, and put 4-5 names on the card that you think could fit this team well. You can submit these names anonymously or identify yourself on the card.
You can return the card to the church by dropping it off, mailing it back, or asking me to come pick it up. If you are worried about getting a card back to the church, you can call Pastor Sonny with the names you want to suggest instead.
The due date for the names is April 12th. Pastor Sonny will bring the cards, and the top people suggested, to the April 13th Council meeting for the church leaders to discuss and select who they would like to invite to form the Transition Team.
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Annual Meeting of the SW Wisconsin Association United Church of Christ:
Theme is: CHURCH IN THE AFTERSCAPE; finding hope in hospitality and holy conversation.
Saturday May 8, 2021 9am-12p (via zoom)
- Worship & Song with Bryan Sirchio
- Keynote: Dr. Christopher James
- Breakout Sessions
- Joining God in Dane County led by Dr. Christopher James
- Leadership in the Afterscape led by Pastor Zayna Thomley
- Mission in the Afterscape led by Pastor Leslie Schenk
- Annual Business Meeting
Lay Delegates, Ministers, and visitors are all encouraged to attend!
Register online: wcucc.org, "Associations" tab
Registration deadline: April 24
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