Session Notes

Your Session sat, by Zoom, for its regular monthly meeting this week.

The meeting opened, as usual, with a devotional, which this week returned to Sunday’s lectionary scripture about growing up together and speaking truth in love. These themes would resonate in our discussions all evening.

We celebrated our first hybrid worship service last Sunday, opening the sanctuary to worshippers for the first time in 16 months. About one-fourth of the attendance was in person, the remainder participating online. It was a welcome start.

We then turned to financial matters. Our return to a more normal routine permits us to act on the budget disciplines we’ve discussed (and shared with you) the past many months. Next year, we will strive to pay for any new initiatives with increased giving. We’ve begun the task of reexamining our ministry priorities, and we’ll seek your involvement in the process after Labor Day. Programmatically, we can’t do everything, and how much we can do will depend on the results of our stewardship campaign.

Our Antiracism and Intercultural Church initiative is picking up speed. We finalized and approved a letter that you’ll receive shortly that invites nominations (including yourself) to serve on our Intercultural and Antiracism Change Team. This group will play a central role in Western becoming an intentionally antiracist and multicultural institution. Please watch for this email and give it your prompt and prayerful consideration.

That’s all for this month. Thanks for reading.