Last month we started our Intentional Interim Process with a congregational conversation looking at our history with clarity and honesty; celebrating the good events and accepting that the less good events did happen. The Intentional Interim Team has worked to bring a summary of that meeting to you in the format of a pamphlet which is available from the ushers on Sunday mornings.

The next step is to deal with the issues raised in the telling of our history. We will meet again on Sunday, March 8th, following the fellowship time after worship to begin the process of appropriately ventilating feelings, grieving, accepting, and moving on. Suzie Taylor-Meadows will bring her faith-filled expertise to the meeting as she gives us tools with which to productively discuss the difficult issues that we must look at in order to move into a future with health and strength.

I know that it is not an easy or pleasant task to look at some difficult times in our past, but we cannot move forward without so doing. The events and relationships that have shaped the personality of the church body have a real presence which shapes the present spiritual and emotional environment as well as giving direction to the future. When we take the time to be responsible for our past by uncovering and discussion these dynamics we gain the ability to respond to the present life of our church and to productively shape a healthy future. Skeletons in the closet and dirt under the rug when ignored only fester and come out with a vengeance destroying the health and life of the congregation in surprising and unsuspected ways.

I am very pleased that we have in our congregation a person who can help us move with grace and power through these discussions. I trust Suzie Taylor-Meadows to be able to facilitate very fine, loving and productive conversations. Please give your time and you trust into this vital process as we build a strong future of Pilgrim.

After we have had these important conversations we will move on to the next task: Deciding what is important and worthwhile to carry into the future.

Again, this is an intentional process that will lead us towards being a vital and faithful congregation which knows who it is and what its mission is in Redding and in the world. This vital, faithful congregation will be in a position to call a vital, faithful, settled minister who will serve and lead Pilgrim into a bright future.

Ann