A Word from Laura: This Could Be Our Future

Thanks to all of you who have reached out both to Allan Laiño and to me during the last week, as we prepare for his departure. I continue to be sad – and a little unnerved by not yet knowing the folks with whom I’ll be planning worship. Yet this is a significant opportunity for us to consider our future worship, from an in-person/on-line perspective, as well as next steps to become more intentionally intercultural. 

We’re looking for people whose gifts will help us live into our future.  

Session members are working to put together an intercultural-antiracism change team for Western. We are also looking for two staff members to fill Allan’s position: an interim, part-time music director (10-15 hrs/week) and a digital ministry director (5-10 hrs/week). I hope you’ll check out the info about the change team in our weekly email, and spread the word about our two staff positions as widely as possible. We know that word of mouth remains the best way to connect! Please let me know if you know of someone. 

Additionally, when a member of the pastoral staff leaves a congregation, it’s the tradition for our general presbyter to preach the following Sunday. While Allan was not a pastor, his influence and gifts over the last three months have had the same level of influence! During our September 19 worship, John Molina-Moore will be with us virtually to share some of his thoughts, encouraging us to consider how God might be saying, “Western, this could be your future.” 

As we consider how God is calling us in this time when our world seems so fragile, when floods and fire seem overwhelming, when we as a community must figure out how to welcome new Afghan neighbors, we do so trusting that God’s plans for all of us are for something good. I give thanks that we are on this journey together and hope to see you Sunday, either in-person or on-line. 

Grace and peace be with you, dear friends,
Laura