January 23, 2009

connecting the staff community

Upcoming events this year include three formational retreats—two cohorts will be here Feb 6-8 and one cohort the week-end of Nov 13-15. In addition to planning those retreats, the team is working on conducting ongoing surveys with the pastors and their congregations.

This data gathering is important in the assessment of this pilot program and will inform the recommendations we will be making for future pastor training and formation. We are within a couple of years of completing the initial pilot program, and already thinking ahead to the continued development of current and future pastors. It is exciting to be a part of this endeavor!

The Customer Membership Services Team takes the term "Servant Ministry" seriously as it covers all aspects of our jobs, and gives us the focal point for our work.  As the electronic front door of the church, we see ourselves as the ones to turn the knob to let in all those who seek ministry of the Community of Christ. 

The Customer and Member Services team, with Kent Parker as team lead, covers many responsibilities. These include Temple School, Member Services (those areas covered by Recorders), and customer sales and service to folks wishing to buy items from Herald House and Independence Press. Faye Cooper and Linda Bates coordinate the recording of marriages, baptisms, ordinations, statistics, and all the numbered items that make up the day-to-day clerical part of church life. Candy Brayton and Carolyn Bailey provide ministry to those seeking to buy publications for use by Community of Christ members and congregations, as well as those buying addiction treatment resources. 

Gretchen Booz is in charge of product development and all marketing roles for the CENAPS (addictions) product line. Julie Meisinger provides the reassuring voice at the switchboard, ready to direct your calls. Norma Cross volunteers with Temple School using her gentle nature with skill and perseverance to meet these needs and Dorothy Ganson helps Member Records with data entry.  Each one of us counts it a blessing to be here and to do the work we do.  Come visit some time!  We’re located in the Auditorium, northeast corner, third floor.

Team members: Carolyn Bailey, Linda Bates, Gretchen Booz, Candy Brayton, Faye Cooper, Norma Cross, Dorothy Ganson, Julie Meisinger, Kent Parker.

Creating a successful working environment at IHQ is an ongoing process that involves us all. All employees and volunteers are encouraged to attend the Creating Effective Teams seminar.

Choose a date:

• Thursday, January 29
• Thursday, February 12
• Friday, February 13

Contact Helen Reynolds (ext. 2465) to register with your first and second choice for the dates you can attend.

As Community of Christ we visually represent our identity through the nameplate, our church seal, photography, and artwork. In association with the commentary article on Doctrine and Covenants 163:8b, which focuses on the Temple as life-giving symbol, the Cross and Spiral illustration is offered as a gift to the church.

Along with our church seal, this illustration is another image that points us toward peace. Read the commentary and find a discernment activity and a special reading in the January Herald and online. Visit www.CofChrist.org/graphics/ to download graphic files and style guides.

Jan Kraybill celebrates her 10th annual Super Bowl Sunday organ recital on February 1 at 3 p.m. This free recital showcases a program consisting entirely of requests submitted this year from audience members. Come hear Jan play a wide variety of favorites, including Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," Dupré's virtuosic "Prelude and Fugue in G Minor," a fantasia on Celtic melodies by Paul Halley, a medley from the High School Musical movies, Rossini's "William Tell Overture," and more!

We continue to strive to improve our experience here at International Headquarters. Again this year we’re using a survey to help gather information to help in this progress. You can take the survey at www.odtoolsplus.com. Copy and paste the following code for the password - 5400CAUX2290OVF. The survey will be open until Friday, January 30, at 5 p.m.  If you have questions or need help in completing the survey contact your enrichment group leader.

 

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