Remembering, Our Identity, and Staff Refresh Phase 2
Hello Church -
It was such a joy to see many of you last Sunday for worship and to celebrate Pastor Pam’s retirement after service. I loved the spaces we shared of passionate worship, a Word from the prophets about justice, sharing affirmations and hugs in Leslie Hall, and kids and families gathering over tables and stories. Thank you to all who hosted, attended, shared memories of Pastor Pam, and took part in church together! One of the themes we explored Sunday was how central remembering is throughout Scripture; we’ll be doing some powerful remembering this fall together as part of my Installation Service, during All Saints’ Sunday, and as we keep walking into what God is calling LaSalle toward in this new season. So this week, I want to make some space to look back and revisit the first two priorities shaping this summer and fall focus (of the four priorities that Moderator Kari shared last month from the consultant and Elder Board: identity, staff, worship, and elder board structure).
1. Our Identity
Our church’s legacy and identity are so rich and broad; it’s been a joy to get to know many of you this fall, hear stories (and even a few foibles!) from our collective past, explore old photos and binders of ministry events, and get a sense of the unique intersectionality of this place called LaSalle. I am more convinced than ever that God is moving in this place and through this Body to be a congregation continuing to make room for more people to belong, to believe, to become, and to bring all of who they are to church. Our new worship rhythms are also one way to let the Holy Spirit make room in us, and for us, as we remember that church is a Banquet and a place to Belong, and that worship includes Serving and Sabbath. I am so encouraged to hear from those of you who have experienced God working in the worship shifts, sermons, spaces to sabbath and gather others in your homes, and the powerful day of serving together in our community on Sunday morning. We’ll keep talking about identity this whole year, but our first step has been to gather in these news ways and to name our identity again. LaSalle is a place of Expansive Faith. Generous Community. Invested in God’s Justice. And I want to remind us all again of two invitations for this fall: to be praying and asking how to receive the goodness and delight that God is speaking over you in this season; and to be praying around who God might be nudging you to invite to join us some Sunday.
2. Staff Updates
I want to start with reminders of our recent staff shifts starting in October 2023 for clarity, and to connect the dots between some ministry growth that is already accompanying each position. In October we hired Rev. Alicia Vela Anderson to be our Associate Pastor of Formation - to oversee and develop our kids/youth/family ministries, create formation and discipleship for all ages, and support our Sunday morning worship and adult formation. She and her husband Jed are in the midst of relocating from Minneapolis to Chicago to live in the Ravenswood neighborhood, and I want us to be sure to welcome and get to know them both as they settle in at LaSalle! It’s already been such fun to see the creativity and possibility growing from Rev. Alicia – there’s new rooms and programming for kids and youth being developed, new tools provided online and in worship, and a section of this weekly email newsletter devoted to this ministry area to keep us all informed. There will also be invitations for our kids and youth to hang out and meet Rev Alicia ongoing this fall, so keep a watch out for updates or feel free to reach out to her at alicia@lasallestreetchurch.org.
In October we also shifted Pastor Julie over to being our Director of Outreach and Advocacy, which reflects the work she’s already been doing to manage Breaking Bread, Senior Market, and other community outreach going on within Cornerstone every week. She’s also now bringing her passion and people skills to managing our hourly Cornerstone employees, being a liaison to both our catering and CCLC ministries, and making more connections in the community with other partners, non-profits, and civic leaders. While 75% of this role is community/Cornerstone based, 25% of her role remains doing “church side” work, including overseeing our prayer ministry, supporting our seniors, helping with Serve and Sabbath Sundays, and general pastoral duties. I am so grateful for her flexibility and many gifts benefitting this position – check out the updates on this ministry area each week in the weekly email newsletter as well or reach out to hear more from her at jwellborn@lasallestreetchurch.org.
I also want to share Phase 2 of our Staff Refresh this week which impacts a few more positions. The biggest news here is that after twenty-eight years of working with LaSalle and Cornerstone, Ms. Sharon Williams has shared that she is ready to retire. We will celebrate her **well** and help remember and affirm her decades of serving this Body in January 2024, and she will conclude her position at the end of 2023. Instead of rehiring this role (in addition to Ms. Sharon simply being irreplaceable!!), we will be absorbing this position primarily into Lucas’s role, with a few aspects being moved to other staff. So Lucas’s role is shifting slightly to be Director of Communication & Administration. He will continue to oversee our digital and print needs like the website/social media/email newsletter, AV/Tech, as well as cover room scheduling, the database and phone, and in-office admin and supply needs. I am so grateful for his flexibility in these shifts, and the ways that he supports our whole church with these systems and hospitality skills.
The other update to name in this phase is a shift in title and focus for Pastor Brent, who will now be our Associate Pastor of Connection. His areas of oversight include fostering community and connection for various groups and ages in the church, starting gatherings and small groups, forming connection for college/grad students and young adults, and creating community online and for newcomers. He’ll also still provide support to our Children’s Church ministry, preach and provide general pastoral care, and lend his contemplative gifts to our Sabbath Sundays as well. I’ve loved seeing Pastor Brent’s care and thoughtfulness impact all ages that he works with, and his willingness to explore and develop new places of connection for our Body.
Please be praying for and supporting our whole team in this season, and feel free to let me know of any questions on who to contact for what or additional ways we can keep communication high and clear throughout transitions. I’ve already been so inspired by and grateful for our whole staff – their passion, unity, purpose-driven ministry, and care for each other and our Body moves me. I remain excited to see how each member of our team grows even more into their areas of expertise, joy, and giftings in this season, while also meeting the needs of our congregation, community, and budget 😊.
Thank you again church for who you are – a place that when we remember together, and when we look out ahead together, is a More Than Enough congregation! With deep thanks, and all glory and honor to the One who does exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine – Rev. Doc. Liz