Leadership Board

The Leadership Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month, typically 6:30-8 p.m. in Room 207, and meetings are open to the public. The next meeting is Dec. 9.

Lifelong faith formation is focus of Nov. 23 town hall meeting

 How will you be a part of lifelong faith formation at Chelsea First?

That’s the question that will be posed and explained at the Nov. 23 town hall meeting, the final town hall of 2025 hosted by the congregation’s Leadership Board.

The session is scheduled for 3 p.m. in the church’s social hall. All who attend Chelsea First are invited to attend.

“Our goal is to make this session more interactive by asking key questions about how each one of us can help infuse faith formation into everything we do as a church,” says Mike Vanderspool, chair of the church’s 11-member Leadership Board.

The focus on faith formation will be led by Susan Adam-Rita, the congregation’s director of lifelong faith formation, who started in that new role in June.  The town hall will be an opportunity to explore the meaning of lifelong faith formation and how “each of us is invited to take part in this journey of growing together in faith,” says Adam-Rita.  Lifelong faith formation is the process through which we grow as disciples, deepening our relationship with God and learning to live out the teachings of Christ in our daily lives.  “It invites people of all ages to engage in continuous spiritual growth, nurturing faith through learning, worship, service and community. As a congregation, it is our goal to take deep root in this vision, embracing it as a way of life that strengthens both our individual faith and our shared mission as the body of Christ,” she explains.

For discussion during the town hall, participants will be asked two questions:

• When you think of lifelong faith formation, what excites or inspires you the most?

• What are some ways you could support faith formation engagement within our congregation and across generations?

During the session, there also will be updates on the work toward reaching the stated 2025 church goals and on where the Leadership Board stands with specifying goals for the coming year.

The agenda for the town hall was discussed during the Nov. 11 monthly meeting of the Leadership Board.

During the time scheduled for faith formation at that meeting, Rick Fitzgerald shared information about the United Methodist sacraments – baptism and communion – and where the UMC fits in with other faiths. Most protestant faiths share the same two sacraments, but there is range from no sacraments (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) to as many as seven sacraments for Roman Catholics.

Mike Vanderspool led a discussion on how to engage in courageous, or difficult, conversations. He shared an outline that leans heavily on four agreements: stay engages, speak your truth, expect to experience discomfort and expect and accept that there may not be closure.

Among other items addressed during the November Leadership Board meeting:

• The Leadership Board unanimously approved a $2,500 donation from the operating fund surplus to the Jackson Interfaith Shelter, which Chelsea First has supported on an ongoing basis with volunteers for the shelter’s meal program.
• The Leadership Board reviewed and offered feedback on a preliminary 2026 church budget.
• Monthly consent agenda items were approved unanimously. These items include the minutes of the October meeting and the September consolidated financial report. There was one guest at the meeting.

January 14 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

February 11 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

March 11 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

April 8 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

May Leadership Board meeting minutes

June 10 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

July 8 – Leadership Board meeting minutes

September 9 – Leadership Board meeting minutes