If you ask most people what the Committee on the Ministry does here at TJMC, the majority probably won’t have any idea. They might not even have heard of it. Those who have, may very likely think that it’s the group you can go to when you want to complain about something the Lead Minister has, or hasn’t, done. That’s certainly been its purpose in the past, back when it was called the Ministerial Relations Committee, but today we recognize that no one – not even our ordained ministers – is ultimately responsible for the health of the ministries of our congregation.

As we say over and over again in various ways and in various venues, our’s is a mutual ministry between ordained clergy and lay congregants, staff, members and friends. We, together, are responsible for how we do what we do here. Recognizing this, the Committee on the Ministry is no longer simply a Committee on the Minister.

It is still a group to whom you can take your concerns, your questions, your feedback, your praise. The Committee on the Ministry as it now exists, and has for a good several years, tries to take a look at the whole of our ministries, to see the congregation’s life holistically. In other words, if you don’t know where to “take something” that you’re thinking or feeling, the Committee on the Ministry is certainly a good place to start.

You can email the Committee at com@uucharlottesville.org. If you want to talk with a person face-to-face, our Committee on the Ministry for the 2015-2016 church year consists of Doug Webbink, Ruth Douglas, Katharine Maus, Lisa Shutt, Beth Jaeger-Landis, and Cathey Polly. The Committee meets on the third Monday of each month to take what we’ve heard and consider how best (and who best) to respond. RevWik is an ex officio member.