From Our President – Summer 2016

As we begin our Summer of Transition, I thought you would appreciate a brief review of what will be happening in the next two months.

We have a plan for the month of July that covers most situations that might come up. During office hours, contact Gwen, otherwise, should an emergency occur, contact me at president@uucantonny.org or at my home phone number which is in the church directory. Summer is a sleepy time, but we have contingency plans for the most likely situations.

Kudos to those congregants who are assuming the responsibilities for the UShare gardens in the wake of John Tyo’s untimely death. This stunned us all, and left much to be done right at the beginning of the growing season. As is so often the case in our community, people stepped right up to shoulder the additional burden. Many thanks to all who have taken on more of UShare’s work. You can help support these efforts by signing up to care for the Canton garden for a week this summer or pitching in at the Cecilie garden in Potsdam.

James officially begins his ministry with us on August 1. He and his family will be arriving in Canton the last week of July. James will be assisting with services in August and you can expect to see him in the pulpit in September.

As part of the process of bringing on a new minister, the UUA provides professional support for a “Start-up” weekend. This provides an opportunity for the congregation and the new minister to examine expectations, build relationships, and plan for future. We have scheduled an all-congregation event for Friday, September 16, with an all-day training session for church leadership on Saturday, September 17. Expect more details as plans are finalized.

As we all know, summer is fleeting in the North Country, a precious commodity to be savored. The Worship Committee has worked hard to provide summer services to be savored as well. I hope our paths will cross on some Sunday, and that you enjoy your summer endeavors.

Barbara Beekman, Church Council President