Raise your hand if, every once in a while, you feel overwhelmed by a commitment you made to our Fellowship.  Keep your hand up if, from time to time, you wonder what you get out of all this Society-related busyness.  Keep it up one more moment if you’ve ever felt dread at the thought of showing up on a Sunday morning because someone would be there who is currently or will soon be expecting something from you or because you’re afraid that if you walk in, someone will want something, anything, and you just don’t have it to give.

OK, hands down.  I’ve been with you for five months and I can see it already.  You’re tired.  So much is happening and you, our members, are the engine.  You’ve got your eyes on the details.  The furnace needs to be bled, a key is missing, someone left a broken TV in the hallway, a renter wants a price break, we need ushers for the 2^nd service…Every day is something else.  And it’s not just these nuts and bolts things.  There are many exciting things happening, but for each one, someone is responsible.  Every Small Group Ministry needs a leader.  Every RE class needs a teacher.  Every party needs a party planner.  Do we love some of our work?  Sure.  Do we love being here together in such a busy, vibrant community?  Absolutely.  Can it feel like too much sometimes?  Oh yeah.

My goal, as your minister, is that you spend your week looking forward to Sunday morning.  In the middle of a difficult Wednesday afternoon, I’d love if you held onto the image of yourself at First Unitarian on Sunday morning drinking fair trade coffee and chatting with people you love, singing your favorite songs, resting in the silence, hearing friends share the important moments from their week and otherwise getting rejuvenated.  (OK, I’d love for you to look forward to being inspired by yet another genius sermon, but I’m setting realistic goals.)  I’d like for all of our members and friends and visitors and guests to be excited about Sunday mornings, as I know many of us are sometimes, but not necessarily at all times.

In order to do this, I’ve proposed a new way to do the business of the Society.  There are things that need to be done, and I’m trying to pick up at least my fair share of that so it doesn’t fall on all of you.  But I can’t do it all, even with the help of our fabulous staff.  So, given that reality, the Council and the Board have approved something new.

Every January, we’re going to spend the month populating our committees.  This means that every committee will be empty as of January 1^st and there will be sign-up sheets until Sunday, January 29^th for everyone to sign up for what they want to do.  This will allow each person to know that if you sign up, it’s only for one year.  Next January, the sign-up sheets will be out again with no names on it.  There are a few advantages to this.

You only commit for one year.  There is an exit strategy.

1. You can try different things.  Jump into Green Sanctuary or Social Action or Worship. Think you might like something?  Try it on!
2. Chairs are no longer committed for more than a year.  Every February, the new group will elect their new chair who will serve for 12 months.
3. But, don’t worry!  If you love what you do, you’re welcome to stay there forever.  If you like being chair, and your committee agrees, you can continue in that work.

Most importantly, this is a chance for everyone to think about what you love.  Who are you and who do you want to be at First Unitarian? What is your ministry?  What inspires you?  Rather than thinking about what you think needs to be done, think about what you want to do.  Will everything get done?  Maybe not.  Will we decrease that feeling of being overwhelmed or like there isn’t enough time or even that feeling of dread?  Yes.  And in the end, that’s what matters.  This is a community of faith, a community seeking ways of love.

Let’s not lose our way.