A Letter from the Visioning Team

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” - Isaiah 43:19

Friends,

Somehow as the visioning team’s conversation develops, I am reminded of several years ago when I adopted my dog. I named her Joy because of her lens on life and the way her authentic nature opened my eyes to the startling gifts of rediscovering a part of my self – the one that loves the wind and growing things – and sounding out my identity in different ways anew.

In a similar way, we’ve been talking about finding the church’s authentic identity. That is, pursuing an honest definition of ourselves as a congregation – who we are now and who we have been in the past – so we can see and respond appropriately to God’s creative presence in our lives and the opportunities before us as a church family.

To join in on the conversation, the visioning team has created several “suggestion boxes” for you to use. You will find them located in the fellowship hall and by the main doors or entries to the church.

We also want to inform you of our new email address, visioning@salemfirstpres.org, and to encourage you to visit the church website (www.salemfirstpres.org) to post your thoughts and share your prayers for the church on our new message board or to read what others are thinking about.

In addition, we’ve also prepared a brief questionnaire for you to consider:

• What is most important to me about our church?


• What areas of concern do I think the congregation needs to address in the months ahead?


• If I could change one thing about our congregation at the drop of a hat, what would it be?

Questionnaires are also available on the church’s web site or can be picked up at the church office or from the church pew racks. Completed questionnaires can be dropped into any “suggestion box,” turned in to the church office, or submitted online.

Finally, we invite you to keep a look out for regular updates from the visioning team here in the newsletter. Thank you for your continuing support & faithfulness.

In Christ,

Heidi Wold
visioning@salemfirstpres.org

The Visioning Team is: Heidi Wold and Jarrod Judge, co-chairs, Cynthia Currin, Noble Deckard, Jennifer Hylton, Heidi Keller, Jane Lamb, Bill Mainwaring, and John Mistkawi.