retirement

In less than eight weeks I will be leaving the Washington metro area and moving to the small town of Grandy, North Carolina.   Retirement and a new life have called.  I will have the opportunity to become a member of a small congregation with less than 100 members, currently no minister, and with a strong affinity to earth-centered worship.  For a time I thought, well if this doesn't work out I can always check-out another church.  But I'm realizing how much it matters that I belong to a Unitarian Universalist faith community. 

I am leaving Annapolis, just announced as a breakthrough congregation by the UUA for the year 2006.  Also beginning policy governance.  I have been on the outside looking in as the consulting and reconfiguration has taken place.  The greatest change will be the reallocation of power (however defined).  The church will be run by the staff.  The executive committee consists of the minister, assistant minister, and church administrator.  I have my reservations but in the last few weeks I've come to the conclusion that if/should such an organization take place, our parish minister, Fred Muir, is someone I trust and honor.  For five years I served on the Board, we supported each other; we also took turns being the pusher and pushee, the stalwart and the discouraged,  comforter and comfortee.  He was more patient than I was. I was more self-righteous in the church will growth effort. Together we accomplished some great things.