WellSprings News (Page 2)
Rev. Lee on Sabbatical Until April 1st
Dear members, friends, & visitors to WellSprings, The day is here: my four-month sabbatical begins this Sunday, December 1st. As I said in my most recent message, I love you all, and I will miss you during this time away. A sabbatical is a wonderful privilege of serving in ministry, and I do not take this gift lightly. After all the challenges of the past few years, it means so much to me that you are offering me four entire…
Announcing Our New “Future Fund”
At our Installation service in September, our former ministerial intern – the Rev. Beth Monhollen – announced the creation of a new fund at WellSprings. The Future Fund is an investment in WellSprings’ future, created on the occasion of our first ministerial Installation, and intended to honor our congregation’s founding era by planning for the era to come. Gifts given to the Future Fund will not be used for our normal operating budget, but for future-oriented projects that help sustain…
WellSprings Installs Rev. Lee As Settled Minister
The charge of the soul was powerfully felt on Sunday afternoon, as we formally Installed the Rev. Lee Paczulla as our settled minister at WellSprings! More than a dozen guest speakers – from our local community, and from across the denomination – joined our musicians and worship leaders to create a joyful and celebratory service. We’re not kidding when we say that each moment, each speaker, and each song was a highlight… but the Rev. Cheryl M. Walker preached a…
This Year, At WellSprings…
We’re busy planning for the year ahead at WellSprings! Our Fall message series begins in September – but you can scroll down to get a taste of the conversations we’ll be having (on Sunday mornings, in YouthSpirit, in our small groups, etc.) all throughout the year… Breathing Together our Fall Message Series The results are in, and living through history is exhausting. We feel overwhelmed by what’s happening in the big world beyond us, and also by the busy pace of…
All About our “Neighbors & Helpers” Message Series for August
Our summertime tradition at WellSprings returns… our annual “Neighbors & Helpers” message series is back, starting August 4th! We see the world through our own eyes – and sometimes we assume that’s just “the way it is” for everyone. But when we engage with our neighbors, we start to realize how much our own limited perspectives never showed us. There are so many shades and colors of what it means to be “us” – to live in Chester County, or…
Announcing a New Coalition for People of Faith in Chester County
Many folks in our congregation have felt the call, over the past few years, to take a more active role in our local community – lending strength and support to each other, and to our neighbors. We see how our political climate is only growing more volatile by the day, and we long to be reminded of the strongest power there is: the power of Beloved Community. The power of showing up, to love and care for one another. WellSprings…
Save the Date for WellSprings’ First-Ever Installation
UPDATE: Registration is now open! Click here to RSVP. Save the date for September 29th, 2024, when WellSprings will hold a milestone event in the life of our congregation: our first-ever ministerial Installation! Earlier this year, our congregation held a vote to officially “call” and affirm the Rev. Lee Paczulla as our settled minister – the first time we’ve gathered in this way to choose our own minister, in the 17-year history of our community. WellSprings has been host to…
WellSprings at Pride!
We showed up for Chester County PrideFest in force this year, WellSprings! This was the second year in a row that WellSprings served as a sponsor for the annual event, held along Bridge Street in Phoenixville, during the month of June. We were packed with volunteers at our booth, and dozens more from our community dropped by to say hello – whether they were there tabling for another organization, or just out at PrideFest enjoying the gorgeous weather. This year,…
Farewell Jessica, Congregational Meeting Recap, & A Report from Stewardship…
This past Sunday we celebrated Jessica Heichel’s last day on Staff as our Membership & Communications Coordinator – and, our Board of Trustees led our annual Congregational Meeting, after the service! You can watch all of Sunday’s events at the link above – including a special New Member Welcome for Jessica and her husband Dan! The Heichels decided to become members of our congregation, following Jessica’s time on Staff. We also gave Jessica a parting gift to thank her for…
A Final Report, From Stewardship
Greetings WellSprings! The Stewardship Ministry is wrapping up our annual pledge campaign, and we would like to thank everyone who generously made a pledge commitment to WellSprings for the fiscal year July 2024 to June 2025. Our pledge campaign, Building Our Beloved Community, supported the following stewardship goals: 1. to increase member pledge participation from 70% to 90% 2. to increase the overall pledged amount by 16% to meet the planned budget of $250,000. To measure member pledge participation, we used a base…
Now Hiring: Office Coordinator
WellSprings is now hiring for a part-time role on our Staff Team: our Office Coordinator! The person who fills this role will manage and implement the day-to-day administrative functions that are necessary for WellSprings to thrive. Read below for more information, including how to apply. About WellSprings: WellSprings Congregation is a progressive spiritual community of ~200 adults, teens, and children in Chester County, PA. A member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, our mission is to be a community “charged…
Now Hiring: Membership & Communications Coordinator
WellSprings is now hiring for a part-time role on our Staff Team: our Membership & Communications Coordinator! The person who fills this role will engage people, both inside and outside of WellSprings, with our community’s programs, culture, and mission. Read below for more information, including how to apply. About WellSprings: WellSprings Congregation is a progressive spiritual community of ~200 adults, teens, and children in Chester County, PA. A member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, our mission is to be a…