A Word from Laura: Realignment

Dear Friends,

“Realignment” remains a buzzword these days, in employment as much as politics. While I’m not sure exactly what it means for Western, our session and personnel ministry team understand that we need a process to respond to church shifts over the last two and a half years. As these groups have met, we have committed to a process that emphasizes equity and transparency. We also want a staffing structure that is financially sustainable.

A little more about contextual factors shaping our process

• Shifts in modes of participation. Organizations in downtown DC have all seen a decrease in people showing up in-person – offices, the arts, restaurants and retail. Western has experienced similar changes, affecting our sense of community and how we connect to each other, and our staff needed to respond

• Change happens fast, and plans often change. All of what we do as a culture requires both increased technical knowledge and the ability to be flexible. A positive test result or supply chain issue or laptop failure can mean quick changes and exponentially more work. How do we make sure our staff are filling realistic positions?

• Deeper understanding of equity and justice within our organization. The Personnel Ministry Team has worked with Dr. Marcia Riggs, ethics professor at Columbia Seminary, to learn about the antiracist work of building organizational trust and developing practices leading to organizational justice.

We don’t know exactly where these processes will end up, but the Personnel Ministry Team and Session anticipate challenging decisions ahead. Organizational justice in decision-making means ensuring that everyone receives the information they need when they need it. It means providing appropriate opportunities for input for those about whom decisions are being made. It means maintaining relationships and avenues of communication that are fair to all those involved. Organizational justice means that all of us on staff, including me as head of staff, will go through similar processes.

Through the end of August, we’ll be assessing position descriptions from 2019 against current realities. The staff will be doing time studies. In September the Personnel Team will be considering both the changes and addressing the most pressing aspects of our new reality that weren’t issues before the pandemic, bringing a first round of recommendations to the Session. I hope you will join us on August 14 for conversation about the process up to that point.

In October, the process will widen, as Western’s leadership clarifies and prioritizes larger ministry areas in the midst of our new reality. Significant growth in our community will require significant new investment in staff, and we’ll have opportunities for wider input and conversation.

Through all of this, the Personnel Ministry Team wants to remain connected to you and your thoughts about our church’s context and process. The team is currently made up of Mimi Scotchmer (chair), Kathy Hawk (session member) and Duncan Smith; if you have suggestions of other persons for this group, please contact me or Mimi. I’ll also add that while we can discuss the details of our church’s situation and process, performance evaluations of individual staff members are not matters of public discussion.

In this process, we hope that as a member of the Western community of faith you will:

• Stay connected! Join us on-line or in-person after worship on August 14 to hear more, share thoughts, and ask questions.

• Continue your generous support of Western, our staff and our leadership – through your personal encouragement, your financial gifts and your prayers for all involved.

• Stay tuned for opportunities this fall for input and feedback regarding longer term planning and priorities

Through all of the changes and challenges these last two and a half years, I give thanks for our committed and gifted church staff. They have been resilient and faithful in the face of huge technology shifts, health issues, ongoing needs for rescheduling – and in a smaller number than 2019. I encourage you to express your support for our core staff - Irene, Nancy, Patrick, Shenella and Sterling – as well as folks like Alec and Grace – all of whom bless us as they serve with faithfulness and commitment.

Giving thanks for them, for you, and for the faith we share,
Laura