Worship - Religious Education - Pastoral - Denominational - Administrative, by Rev Zakir Henson

Report to the Board Rev. Zakir Lawrence Henson September 8, 2011

Worship:

This is the second board report after the board election in May. It is the first to report several worship services. I planned and officiated services on August 14 and 28 and on September 4. The emphasis of each service was covenant and mission with a trajectory from covenant to mission. We used both recorded audio and video for the service on the 28th an All Ages Service Rev. Wendy Jones and I co-created. I am planning on using as much multi media as possible in the coming year. It is still my desire to video and to audio record the services. I have two priorities in this request. One, to evaluate the service and two, to put-up good portions on Youtube. I am hoping for more collegial interaction with worship leaders in the creation of worship services this year. The worship team has not met this year due to Ed Haenlin’s recovery, but I anticipate an active year. I am putting out the word for participation in the Water Ceremony/Ingathering.

Religious Education:

I connected with Bill Conrod about his teaching a New to UU class. The class would not only reach new people interested in the congregation, but is useful to long-time attendees. The curriculum was created by Jonnalu Johnston from 1st Unitarian in Oklahoma City at the request of the UUA. Jonnalu says the curriculum can be adjusted from 8 to 4 sessions or it can be broken-up into two sessions. Bill is suggesting that he could lead a class from late October until late November or early December. I am also working on a class on poetry as a sacred path. Those thoughts are fairly new and I haven’t completely formed how that would look. I am open to input though.

Pastoral:

There were a few pastoral issues this past month. I’ve been more active in care concerns than in the past. Increasing my time offers far more opportunities to more ministerial functioning than in years past.

Denominational, Congregational, and Development:

The Mountain Desert Annual meeting is coming in early October; October 7, 8, & 9. in Colorado Springs at the Marriott.

Administrative:

We are now having regular staff meetings each week. The meetings typically last about 15 minutes unless there are issues that need further discussion. Thus far, the primary concerns have been stocking the office with needed supplies and the loss of several pieces of equipment over the past month. The equipment is minor but the three hole punch is missing and every time we buy tape it is missing within a week. The problem is odd and small losses. We have also discussed the condition of the building. It is noticeably more chaotic and dirty than at the end of the church year. We met with Bill Theimer and decided to have a clean-up day the day before the ingathering.