SEPTEMBER 2024 – BOARD MESSAGE
In what seems to be like the proverbial blink of an eye, we are now about to embark on a new phase of our journey together at MDUUC at the start of a new church year. Your Board of Trustees hopes that you have had many occasions for rest, relaxation, and recharging during the summer. Welcome back to all!
Here are some known aspects of what will be “new” for our community in 2024-2025:
The Board of Trustees will have two on-boarding members: Sharon Sobotta (new) and Linda Russell (returning)
■ The role of Board president will be shared by Mark David Watanabe (who served in this position solo last year) and Linda Russell (who was previously the Board president in 2022-2023); this is a new model of lay leadership for MDUUC that will be defined and refined as the church year progresses
■ Our historic role as a Teaching Congregation will be resumed as we say hello to our new Ministerial Intern, Rose Riedel
■ New Board goals for 2024-2025 will be presented to the congregation once they are established after the Board meets in retreat
■ Rev. Dr. Rodney Lemery will begin his first full year as our called Associate Minister
Each of these are exciting in their potential to generate new energy and ideas that move us forward along a path beyond the limitations of pandemic times. No doubt there will be additional items of novelty ahead —stay tuned!
Please take the time to periodically review the many announcements brought forward (in this issue and future ones of the UU Beacon, the weekly e-mails, the Sunday services, the website, and elsewhere) to identify opportunities in which you can engage more fully with congregational life in ways that nourish your own spirit. This is foundational to living out our collective mission which we recite every week You are invited to think about how can we best covenant to “transform ourselves and our world” in respectful partnership with each other!
In faith and service,
Mark David Watanabe (he/him/his)
President, MDUUC Board of Trustees