Change and new life seem to be everywhere this time of year, as we celebrate Easter and as the long Colorado winter finally gives way to spring. Plymouth is also entering a period of transformation! Some of these changes involve our physical infrastructure. In the coming weeks, you’ll see crews at work installing a new sloped roof above the Fellowship Hall and Fireside Room. Leaks and standing water on our current flat roof have been a problem for decades, so I’m thrilled that we’re finally able to address this critical need. Your Leadership Council anticipates funding this project by drawing on our reserves, with no need to take out a loan. Over the coming weeks, a small team of members will also be working to identify other areas where our facility could better support our community—and embody our values—with the goal of launching a capital campaign later this year to fund priority improvements and replenish our reserves. Stay tuned! Accompanying these physical changes, ministry at Plymouth is also entering a period of transition, as Hal prepares to retire after 21 years as Plymouth’s senior minister. Like many others, I find myself experiencing a range of emotions, including sadness at the loss Hal’s departure will be for Plymouth, as well as hope for new beginnings in the years to come. Leadership Council’s first step in navigating this process will be to meet with acting Rocky Mountain Conference minister Erin Gilmore to learn about what other congregations in our region have been doing and what resources are available to us. I don’t yet know what this process will look like beyond that, but I do know that we are committed to being transparent and intentional, so expect to hear lots more as we move forward. I’m excited to see how Plymouth grows and changes in the months and years ahead! Adam Adam Redavid is not only our moderator, he’s also one of the coordinators for Plymouth Social Club, our Gen X/Millennial social group. A Colorado State University alum and staff member, Adam lives in Wellington with his husband Nic. Pronouns: he/him.
One of the truest blessings of my mornings recently has been the sunrises. For anyone who hasn’t witnessed the incredible light show each day, it is actually difficult to put into words how amazing sunrises have been. Pinks, purples, reds, yellows, blues - it is almost like God is painting with the brightest oils available. Even this morning, it took my breath away as I drove to my office in Old Town. After what felt like an eternity of freezing cold weather (which was actually only a few days), the sunrises have ushered in a renewed sense of hope for me; an assurance that winter won’t last forever and spring will certainly come.
That hope has also been with me during the last few months of being Moderator. As I've sat through Leadership Council meetings, attended the Congregational Conversation, and been a fly on the wall during other budget conversations, the news for our Church has generally been full of hope and joy. This coming weekend is our annual church meeting, where we will preview a little of what the year has in store, celebrate the volunteers who dedicated so much time and talent in 2023, and welcome those who are jumping in for 2024. We will also discuss the budget, which is probably not everyone’s favorite topic. For many, discussing money is fraught with stress and anxiety. It isn’t always comfortable to talk finances, but what I have taken away from the seemingly endless conversations that have been had, is that we are so BLESSED. We are blessed to have a congregation that is involved and cares; a congregation that asks questions and makes suggestions; a congregation that values each other. And what I ask as we approach the annual meeting is that we keep our blessings in mind. May we continue to value those who dedicate so much to our Church, and those involved in important decisions that impact Plymouth, and those who strive to understand. Because we are in this together and 2024 is going to be an amazing year! Also, who doesn’t love a church potluck? Thank you for being part of Plymouth and part of our amazing community. I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday! Heather Heather Siegel, Plymouth's 2023 Moderator It’s Halloween! As a parent of young children, it’s hard to ignore the fun and excitement that comes with this holiday. My kids, in particular, spend most of every day being imaginative, creating their own magical worlds, dressing up in whatever random capes and wings they can find in our costume box, and for this one, incredible day, everyone else also participates. For Halloween this year, for the first time ever, Eric and I were roped into a family costume. Honestly, I’ve loved it! Who wouldn’t want to be the Queen of Hearts?! But no matter how good my kids costumes are it's always relatively easy to see through it and know who is underneath. Transparency is a word I’ve heard a lot in the last few weeks (shout out to Marta’s sermon a few weeks ago!) Transparency is really the opposite of costumes and dress up. It’s having an open book, with accessible information; it's about seeing who we really are, underneath the extra layers. As moderator, in my speeches, conversations, and reflections, I haven’t hidden the fact that times are changing in the church world. As a church, we’ve had a lot of conversations about stewardship and budgeting and all the difficulties we may (or hopefully may not) have to confront with our upcoming budget. In the face of all of these things, I remain very hopeful. The stewardship campaign has been astoundingly successful – but a friendly reminder to anyone who hasn’t pledged, please do so! With the increased early participation in pledging, the Budget and Finance Committee has a much clearer picture going into the budgeting process. Their job will be more transparent, if you will. Boards and Committees are working to submit requests, meetings are being held to crunch numbers, and we will all be gearing up for the annual meeting after the New Year. During that meeting, as a congregation, we will discuss the financial situation of Plymouth for the year to come, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you have not spent time on our website, you may not realize that there is an entire area dedicated to budget information (plymouthucc.org/budget). The Church financial picture is available to review at your leisure. We have wonderful volunteers and staff who have dedicated countless hours to putting this information together and making it easily accessible and transparent. Do you have more questions? As I tell my children, you can never ask too many questions! So, if you do have questions or want more information, please ask! If you want to discuss the budget or the budgeting process, we’re available. Most people abhor discussing finances and being asked for money, but as a thriving church community, it is imperative that we have these conversations. Transparency is a two-way street. It is also important we remember that we are in this together. The people volunteering their time to work on the budget, the church administrator (Phil Braudaway-Bauman) responding to emails on his nights and weekends, those serving as board chairs and on committees - these people all care enormously about this Church. We all care and together we can continue to be a shining light in our community. So when you have questions, I’m always happy to answer them or connect you with someone who can. I’ll be the person in the heart crown, so it won’t be hard to find me. Heather Heather Siegel, Moderator |
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