Congratulations on your new settled minister
Rev. Lissa Gundlach will become your minister on August 1
I will continue as your Interim Ministry through June 30

Work of the next month
Close the books on this fiscal year.
Prepare a budget for fiscal year that begins June 1
Re-start the paused Stewardship Campaign
Congregational Meeting on May 31.
Elect new Trustees for the Board, etc.
Vote on a couple of amendments to the Bylaws

In worship we have a lot of “ending the church year” business
Coming of Age culmination (May 31)
Our Music Sunday (June 7)
Our RE Sunday (June 14)
My last preaching day (June 21)

Calendar items
Budget Hearing, Saturday, May 9, 11am
Memorial for Jack Graham, Sunday, May 10 1pm

Saying Goodbye

Ministers are three people in one
A kind of trinity
I am the person Rick Hoyt-McDaniels
I am the minister in the sense of the job description
Teacher
Preacher
And Pastor
And in some instances I am the embodiment of the church

When I walk into a hospital room
Or I pay a pastoral call to a church member in their home
I’m aware that it is not just me visiting.
Through me, “the church” is paying a visit.
I come as a person, and the minister
But I also come bringing “the church” with me.
The same is true when the minister speaks at a city Council hearing
Or speaks at a neighborhood meeting.

So in terms of saying goodbye
It’s important to remember that there are three people in any minister
And only one of them is leaving.
Lissa will continue the job description of minister
And Lissa will take up the role of embodying the church in certain circumstances
The only change is in the person of Lissa, or Rick.

So we need to say personal goodbyes
A I leave you at the end of June
But mixed into our goodbyes should also be acknowledgment
And celebration of what continues
The ministry, that passes from my hand to Lissa
And the church that continues
Even as individual ministers
And individual members
Come and go.

2)  Message

I had a bad day yesterday
Mostly I was just exhausted
A two and a half-hour Zoom call with Finance on Monday evening
And then another 12 hours on the computer yesterday
Mostly writing
I’m writing the end of interim evaluation required by the UUA
And then another 2 and a half hour Zoom meeting with the worship Team

And I realized yesterday
That although I wasn’t feeling depressed.
I was acting like a depressed person

A lot of us are acting depressed these days
Sleeping much more than usual
sleep schedule not as regular as before
Eating more than usual
Maybe drinking more than usual
Avoiding going outside
Avoiding contact with people
Not paying so much attention to how we dress
Maybe not being as conscientious about our grooming
If you described that behavior to your therapist they might diagnose depression
And we know that our behavior can affect our emotions

Fake it until you make it
Usually that’s a positive admonition
But it can work in the opposite way as well
Act like you’re depressed and you can start to feel depressed.

So avoid depressive behaviors
Sleep when you need to
We need more now than usual
But get up when your rested
Try to stay on a schedule
Watch what you eat
Are you eating because you’re hungry or because your stressed?
Go outside
Take a walk
Make safe contact with people
If not in person
Then make a phone call
Send a card

I’ll see you tomorrow 1pm