Pastoral Transition
Our Shared Path Forward
Moderator's Letter to Professional Staff
29 May 2010
Fellow Westmorelanders,
I am writing to give you a copy (below) of a message I sent to our professional staff this afternoon thanking them for their continuing dedication and advising them of recent decisions of leadership about our church's summer interim operations. Additional details about the wonderful summer program that staff has developed will be presented during our June 14 Sunday service. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or suggestions as we all continue to work together for the future of our congregation.
David Batson, WCUCC Moderator
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Dear Bob, Jessica, Alejandro, Janet, and Sanelma,
On behalf of the Westmoreland Congregation as a whole, let me thank you for your continued dedication to and support of Westmoreland as we go through this time of transition. Already, in these last few weeks, you have shown your continuing high level of commitment to our life together and we deeply appreciate it. Allow me to take this opportunity to clarify the understanding of the Executive Committee on our common path forward.
Although various committees are still working on recommendations for how to handle our transition over the next year or so, I and the Executive Committee, are in full support of your plans to conduct church operations over the summer, through September 10, Back-To-School Sunday. We have full confidence in Bob's leadership and in all of you continuing do your jobs as you do now. This means that Jessica and Alejandro will continue to participate in Sunday worship, and work under Bob's guidance to carry out all other church activities. Janet will continue her outreach and membership development activities and Sanelma will continue to manage the office. Bob will coordinate your efforts to ensure that all of Rich's tasks, including pastoral counseling and care, will be covered by our existing staff or with the help of outside assistance. The Executive Committee and I commit to support you with outside assistance as necessary to maintain our church's ministry throughout the summer.
After Rich's last day on June 6, Bob will assume supervisory responsibility for all church staff members and day-to-day church operations. For other staff members, though it is not anticipated that the time you commit to the church will change, it is possible that some shifting of your role and responsibilities, under Bob's direction, may be required to fully meet the needs of our congregation over the summer. As Moderator, I will stay in regular contact with Bob through phone, email and meetings. Staff members should continue to report to the Executive Committee at its regular meetings and coordinate with church leaders as you do now.
Looking to the future, I apologize for the delay in establishing procedures for the conduct of church operations following the summer. I know the uncertainty is difficult. Given the importance of this decision, church leaders are appropriately taking the time to research and consider all options to determine what is best for Westmoreland. I assure you that I will keep you informed of our progress on decisions about interim church operations after September 10th. If any future decision contemplates changes in your roles and responsibilities, appropriate church leaders and I commit to meet with you in a timely manner to discuss the changes and how they can best be implemented to meet both yours' and the church's needs.
I am grateful for your patience with us and with this process and hope it will be only a matter of a few weeks before we have greater clarity on how to organize our work together for the fall and beyond. Each of you should please feel free to contact me at any time with any of your cares, concerns, or questions.
Sincerely,
David Batson, Moderator
Last updated Saturday, December 04, 2010.
1 Westmoreland Circle
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7766
Email the church office: churchinfo@westmorelanducc.org
www.westmorelanducc.org
An Open and Affirming Congregation
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