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The Potter's House <admin@pottershouseucc.org>

Weekly Reader for February 18, 2009

February 18, 2009 2:10:41 PM ESTwr@turnerlong.comadmin@pottershouseucc.org

The Potter's House

Weekly Reade

Wednesday ~ February 18, 2008

Weekly WorshipSundays 5:00 PM

341 Washington Street(Grace Episcopal Church)Traverse City, Michigan

...you should come,it's not that bad...

What's Inside :: Ways to Connect :: Upcoming Events

Corey's RetirementLetter from Leadership Co-opTheology PubFebruary is Pledge-Not-To-Consume MonthLenten Series on Forgiveness

Corey's Retirement

Dear Friends,On Sunday night I shared with the gathered congregation a difficultdecision I have made. Sometime during the next few months, I will be'retiring' as pastor of The Potter's House. I say 'retiring,' not merelybecause 'resigning' sounds harsh and institutional, but because 'retiring'captures the timely spirit of this decision. This has not, of course, beenan easy decision to make, but it is, I believe, what needs to happen inthe best interest of our larger faith community.'To everything there is a season,' writes the author of Ecclesiastes.There's a time to plant and a time to pluck, a time to weep and a time tolaugh, and a time to mourn and a time to dance. And so, after muchprayer and discernment, I've discerned that this is the season for me tostep aside to let someone else lead our community to the next level.I'm sure my decision will probably surprise, shock and even scare you.Andthose are all natural feelings to have. Yet I know this is the rightthing both for me and for all of you.The Potter's House has been a regularly worshipping community for almost four years now. And most new churches, you should know,never get off the ground at all. If they do, they usually last an averageof one year. So meeting regularly for four-plus years is an

enormous

accomplishment. In other words, all the most difficult hurdles are wellbehind us. We've beaten the odds. But what is most needed right nowis for the church to take the next step forward into the future. And thatis the one that I just can't help with.My job as a new church start pastor has been very specific and task-oriented; start a faith community from scratch, set all the things in place,grow it to a healthy size, and then step aside to let someone take it fromthere. Most new church pastors who found a congregation only staythree years. I have been working on this church for five now.So now is the time to bring someone else in to lead our church to the

next level in terms of care and growth and size. I have done all I can dowith my ministry gifts and skill-set. It has truly been an amazing journeyso far and I know God has much more in store for our church in thefuture. And I want you to know that I have made my decision with theawareness that you are fully able to go on into the future with someoneelse at the helm.Now of course, my fingerprints are all over this church. That's just how itgoes when you're the founding pastor. But all the things you love aboutour church community are simply things that I have set in place; theyare not me. I don't own the value of inclusivity. I'm not the only personwho believes that

all

people should be welcome in God's House. I alsodon't hold a patent on the idea that peace and justice are more than justnice things but actually what God requires of people of faith to work for.And providing a safe place for people to question and explore their faithwithout pressure? That's not my creation either. They are things that themake the ministry of our church special and important, but they arevalues that we all share. And they are all things that we all embody andall things that we believe in.The Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ will be workingwith us during this time of transition. All we need to do is keep doingwhat we are doing and step it up even more. All the same things thathelped get us to this place are what we need to keep doing; showing upevery Sunday, giving generously, participating in the events/programsand inviting your friends. It's a simple formula, but one that works. Our church is proof of that!I truly love you all and consider you my friends and family and partnerson this very special journey of faith. We've laughed and cried; we'veprayed and studied; we've broken bread together and fed the hungry inthe world. And we've done it all with humor and sensitivity, compassionand generosity, laughter and humility. That's what makes our churchspecial and that is what makes us so needed in the Traverse City area.Grace and Peace,CoreyP.S. I'm not leaving anytime soon, and things will be continuing on justas they are, but as we are making this transition together, you areinvited and encouraged to talk with the leadership co-op or me aboutany and all concerns, ideas or thoughts you may have.

A Letter From Our Leadership Co-op

Dear fellow Potter's House Friends and Members,Corey started this great church of ours and put his own unique style andpersonality into all things Potter's House. He has devoted countlesshours in growing our church in order to give us a uniquely cool andprogressive; lovingly open and charitable; cornily bluegrass and quirky,yet genuine church. And for that we are very grateful. Thank you,Corey! We all wish you our very best and God's blessings in the nextphase of your journey.That being said, a church is not made up of one person alone. Althoughmost of us consider Corey the 'face' of the church, he is not ThePotter's House. We

all

make up The Potter's House. Whether it iscoming to worship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, servingcommunion, reading, greeting, playing wonderful music, giving your hard

earned money, contributing a pot-luck dish, serving the less fortunate,or just being someone open and honest enough to give The Potter'sHouse a try, we are all part of this great church, with no one playing amore or less important role; we are

all

The Potter's House.The Potter's House leadership co-op has met with the United Church of Christ regional office for their assistance. They are very supportive asThe Potter's House is the only UCC church in the area. We want toexpress our passionate commitment to the long term survival andcontinued growth of The Potter's House. This church is our home of worship and we make up our spiritual community. The Potter's House isa beautifully unique place for worship and spiritual growth not availableelsewhere in Traverse City, and we intend to keep it here and goingstrong. It's time for us to draw together and listen to what God wouldhave us do.We are here for all of you through this process and we invite all of youto come to the next two worship services to share your interests andconcerns to help guide the direction our church will move in the longterm. The leadership co-op will be here to guide the process, but all of you will be the ones who will decide what The Potter's House willultimately look like. These meetings will be conducted on Sunday after church (about 6pm) on February 22nd and March 1st. If you cannotattend, then please contact one of us in the leadership group by phone,email, or on The Potter's House Facebook group; we very much want tohear from you and welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns.Again, we want to extend our deep love and thanks to Corey for guidingus these past several years in our personal and collective journey withGod. We also want to invite and encourage you to join in and shareyour concerns, ideas, gifts and talents as we in the Potter's House moveforward together toward our fruitful future and continue to praise Godand do God's work both locally and globally. Please, join in and help uscontinue to help others."And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it ALL IN the nameof the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him"(Colossians 3:17).Yours in Christ Jesus, our Loving Savior,Jeff Tibbitstibby@mtneer.net231-922-0446Christine Ngau Tibbitscnt91@bc.edu231-922-0446Kirk Reedykwrllr@gmail.com231-421-3219Jim Burke jamesburke2@gmail.com231-935-3507Jacque Burkesoulkiss919@gmail.com231-935-3507