Welcome to the Harbor Unitarian Universalist Congregation

It's under a week since I made a requested phone call to Cathy Kaufman. During that short call I found out she and her family were
moving to California and therefore Cathy was resigning as HUUC's president. I've gone from a feeling of surprise, and not being ready
to a week where I've immersed myself in the details of serving as HUUC president, which included presiding over my first board meeting.

I follow Cathy who in her short time as President has a significant and positive impact on HUUC. Anything I am able to achieve will
be aided by the fact that Cathy turns over to me a going concern. There's no need to get up to speed as Cathy kept things humming along. I enjoyed my time assisting her as Vice President and will strive to keep up to the high standards she set as President.

It's sad to see good people like Cathy, Dave and Alex move from our congregation and community. Here's hoping that California is
everything they hope it will be. Paraphrasing some advice I once got about moving-you can always come back. We all hope they are
happy and healthy, but as with all, the Kaufman's will always be welcome at HUUC!

To help us go forward I'd like to share the following with you.

"The arrogance of power must be countered with reason, force with dialogue, pointed weapons with outstretched hands, evil with good."
- Pope John Paul II

Now there's the type of quotation you'd expect to see in a faith community newsletter.

"I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally."
W. C. Fields

Prejudice? Hate? Perhaps now what you'd expect?

I share these quotations for two reasons. One is to remind us that we make some tremendous claims to tolerance and diversity. I think
we need to always to be trying to find the edge of these boundaries. We seek the edge to honor our diversity even if it is
uncomfortable.

Second, these words show that there is always more than one way to accomplish an objective, that there is never just one way to do things. As we move forward I ask you to push yourself to come up with creative solutions to our collective mission, Let's not worry
about what's proper or correct, but let usworry instead about fulfilling our mission as a liberal faith community

And, oh yah, let's also keep this in mind: "The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously." This by Nicholas Butler. If I get over serious let me know!

Next, don't ever hesitate to ask me anything. Whatever comments, questions or suggestions you have please address them to me at anytime whether in person, via phone or via email. I like to proceed on the basis that everything I do is fully discolosed. I'll share as much as I can with the congregation and urge you to help me keep you informed by asking me anything, at anytime, anywhere for any reason. In the near future I hope to host an ask anything session, so members and friends have an opportunity to allow me to share
the good news of HUUC.

I'll covenant with you to answer questions within 24 hours of receiving them. Be aware that the questions and answers will be grist
for all aspects of my role at HUUC and may appear on the website, in the newsletter etc, as a proposal etc.

We all have ideas, quotations, pithy parental advice etc. that guides as we live our lives. Two of the guides I have are a personal
mission statement I have developed and a metaphorical image that I carry in my head.

The mission statement is: "To take my talents and apply them to the needs of the community to ensure that others have sufficient
opportunity to succeed." Serving as Vice President, as Worship Committee Chair, and now as President of HUUC will allow me to
further carry out this mission. I look forward to applying them to all the needs of HUUC from Sunday services to supper house to
buildings and ground and on and on.

The metaphor dates from a conversation I had in the kitchen at Big Sable Lighthouse. I was sitting with a friend who was serving as
President of the Big Sable Light Keepers association. I remember him saying, "when you fly over a city at nite you see the yellow lites of the cars on the roads. They look orderly, appearing as a steady steam of progress. It;s much different if zoom your view in. You see the broke down car, the person working overtime, the potholes in the road, the part of the city that is congested with traffic etc." My friend said, "well I've never been comfortable with that overhead view, I've always felt best when I'm on the ground even if I am in the middle of a full on sh*tfight!"

The kind of person and leader I strive to be is a person who is firmly on the ground engaged in making things better, solving problems,
and making things happen. I'll leave the whisper jet view to others.

Another little phrase I'm always saying is 'Just have to get on with it'. I think that is an apt summation for the on the ground
metaphor that guides me. Things are what they are, problems often look too big, etc. but the reality is if you grunt up and get
on with it things can happen for the better!

I hope my initial column has helped you understand a bit about who I am and how I want to serve HUUC. It will appear
in the newsletter and on the website.

In the futre I'll address topics such as why suggestions are good but solutions are better, what's the one question I'll always ask about potential HUUC activities and more. I also hope that you'll frequently be asking me anything, and that I can answer some of the questions in this column.

Be it Sunday Service, Supper House or Sledding Pot Luck I look forward to seeing you all!
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Schedule Notes: 1. I'd love to meet your committee, group etc. so I can learn as much as possible about all aspects of HUUC. However, I'm usually at work until at 1500 each weekday, so evening meetings are what work for me. 2. January 20th at 7 PM in the social hall we will have our quarterly Community Meeting. Board members and Committee chairs are expected to attend 3. January 30th at Noon the board and all interested parties will meet to begin crafting a new vision and mission for HUUC. 4. I will be out of town
on business from 7 to 21 February.