March 2015

Dear colleagues,

Many thanks to the Committees on Ministry of the midwestern region (from Minnesota to South Central, Ohio to Missouri Mid-South) for supporting thirty of your Members in Discernment this past week in their attendance at the Midwestern Regional Gathering for MIDs here in the UCC National Offices. What a delight it was for the MESA Ministry Team to meet your MIDs and to encourage their discernment journeys!

“Discernment” is a word that we use most commonly with the Member in Discernment process, but as Committees on Ministry and as the United Church of Christ, we are all continually in processes of discernment … and in discernment about our processes! The Committee on Ministry Toolkit, developed following the Ministry Issues Pronouncement at General Synod 25, is an excellent orienting resource for COMs to reflect on your processes of work and to discern your best ministry as a committee.

As busy as your COM agendas can be, consider spending fifteen minutes at your next meeting discussing a question or two from the Committee on Ministry Toolkit (for example, the warm-up reflection question about the ministry of COMs) or on the monthly topics of COMma. Practice discernment as a committee by praying with and for one another, praying over the agenda, and praying for a spirit of openness among you as you consider both new and familiar processes for your work together.

Many blessings to you,
Rachel Hackenberg

The Rev. Rachel G. Hackenberg
Minister for Committee on Ministry Resources & Conference Support
Ministerial Excellence, Support & Authorization (MESA) Team
Local Church Ministries, United Church of Christ
ucc.org/ministers