Transition for Committee on Ministry

By Terry Rosenmeier

The Committee on Ministry is composed of three members, plus Reverend Bruce. Each member serves a three year term, with one member changing each year. The staggered terms are designed to give the Committee continuity. The current members are Terry Rosenmeier, Patti Eckels, and Katharine Fisher Britton.

In broadest terms, the Committee is charged with supporting and promoting the practice of ministry within the congregation. Ministry is a rather vague term, difficult to define concretely because it covers so many things and because the concept has changed over time.

Traditionally, ministry was thought to be “what the minister does,” so that the function of the Committee on Ministry was primarily that of assisting the minister and acting as a sounding board for him or her. To that end, we assist Bruce in setting his goals for the year and evaluating his success in meeting those goals.

In recent years, the concept of ministry has been broadened to include most of the activities that we as a congregation pursue to achieve our mission. This includes not just the activities of the minister, but also the activities of each of us as active congregants. Under this definition, the Committee on Ministry monitors and promotes our shared ministry, while continuing to assist the minister.

The Committee on Ministry is currently beginning the transition between these two concepts of ministry and their associated committee functions.