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Open Doors is Taking New Steps This Year
We hope you will be involved.The Open Doors Working Group shared a presentation at the annual meeting in May, summarizing its work of the year. The ODWG had spent much time gathering ideas and opinions from the congregation and from key constituents and then sifting them to see where the Spirit of God might be leading us. As reported in the all-church email in late May … One of the significant proposals that the Open Doors group offers is that we consider dividing our building into two parts – the worship part, and a mission part. The exact scope and shape this will take is one of the things that will need thoughtful, prayerful consideration in the upcoming year. We imagine that the worship part of the building will include the sanctuary and will house all the activities that we engage in as part of our congregational life. We have received many ideas about opportunities for the mission part – of course, mission is a part of our worship! – which include such things as affordable housing, hospice care, immigrant support, and youth center, along with many other ideas. We have only just begun to dream of what opportunities this building will provide in coming years.
Now we turn to exploring where this leads. The Open Doors Working Group is seeking to expand to two connected committees. One will take on the task of working out how the building could be divided and starting the process of revitalization of the sanctuary, with an emphasis on welcome, sustainability, historic preservation and function. The other committee will focus on seeing what the mission or vision for the remainder of the building is. Both committees will spend much time on active engagement with the congregation. We are determined that this process will be a congregation-wide process in which these committees provide structure for our work together as a community, listen carefully for God’s voice in our midst and help us move forward with enthusiasm and wisdom.
Are you interested in being a part of one of these committees? Are you excited to unearth the Spirit-inspired vision for mission that can be resourced in our beloved building? Perhaps you have particular expertise that could be useful. Or are you passionate about making the sanctuary and surrounding areas a more welcoming, sustainable and functional space? Please feel free to talk to any of those who are currently part of the Open Doors Working Group and see if it sounds as if you want to join us on this exciting (and slightly daunting!) journey.
Open Doors Working Group: Ben Keeler (LT representative and chair), Jonathan Goodell, Andrew Sansom and Penny Sparrow
