Dear Friends,
Each June, we call all of our members together to our Annual Meeting. This is a time to welcome new members formally into our congregation, review and approve our proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and vote in new members of the Board of Trustees. We also take this time to reflect collectively on the year that has passed and the year ahead. We have had a tumultuous year, to say the least; but it has also opened new doors for us, too, by showing us the potential of offering hybrid activities, events, and services. Coming together to mark its conclusion this year feels particularly special.
As we look to the end of this year, we’re also looking forward to what next year has in store. Many among us are looking for a change in our role and are thinking about how we might best participate and share our individual gifts with the congregation in new and uplifting ways. Perhaps you have served admirably for years on Building and Grounds, but you are curious about what the Spiritual Development Committee is working on; or you have always been interested in getting more involved in community action projects and would like to give the Social Action Committee a try. Personally, I am planning to hand off the duties of the Clerk so I can focus my energy on planning lots of exciting events and fundraisers. There are many options out there, and now is a great time to consider how you might benefit – spiritually, emotionally, and/or physically – from a change! Of course, if you are fulfilled by whatever role you currently occupy, there is no need to make a change. Stability is just as important. No matter what you decide, First Parish will benefit from all of us devoting our energy in ways that rejuvenate us.
Recently, you should have received your letter in the mail calling you to this year’s Annual Meeting. It will take place at 9:00 am on June 20 via Zoom, just before our final service of the “church year.” We hope every one of you will make time on this morning to participate in the important decisions we will make together about the future of First Parish Stoughton.
In gratitude,
Jess Miner, Clerk
on behalf of the Board of Trustees