WellSprings News (Page 2)
Celebrating Rev. Ken’s Ministry
After 17 years as Founding Minister at WellSprings Congregation, Rev. Ken Beldon is retiring at the end of June. Join us for a celebration to honor Rev. Ken, after our service this Sunday. We’ll have food, live music, stories and memories, and a few surprises to honor all that his ministry has meant to our community, and to each of our lives. At this past Sunday’s service, Rev. Ken was granted the title of Minister Emeritus by unanimous vote! Here’s the moment the decision…
What Comes Next? A letter From Rev. Ken
Dear WellSprings, As I enter this final month of my ministry with you, I hope that we can continue to connect with one another. Whether it’s at my final message or the party or at any of the drop-in days, June promises to be a very full month. What comes after this time is equally important and so I wanted to reach out to you to talk about it. Beginning July 1st I will enter a time of 6 months…
Congregational Meeting this Sunday, June 5th
Each year at WellSprings, the Board of Trustees hosts a Congregational Meeting where members are invited to hear important updates, vote on initiatives, and participate in a Q&A session. This meeting will be taking place after Sunday service on June 5th. If you are joining us in Bell Hall, simply stay to participate. If you are joining us online, stay tuned to the service livestream. to avoid potential overlap, there will be no online coffee hour this weekend. What to…
Minister Emeritus FAQ
At our upcoming Congregational Meeting on June 5th, one of the items we are voting on is whether to grant Rev. Ken Beldon the title of “Minster Emeritus” upon his retirement. We’ve assembled an FAQ to help folks understand what that means, and how it works. As stated in a recent update from the Board of Trustees: The Emeritus designation is granted to a minister to honor long and meritorious service to a congregation where the minister has given devoted…
Belonging Sunday Recap
This past Sunday, we gathered in Bell Hall and online to celebrate everything that WellSprings Membership means. Folks of all ages heard heartfelt and moving stories from several current members, and we took the opportunity to – as a congregation – welcome our newest members. You can watch the entire service below. You can also read a recap and view some photos on our website. If you are interested in learning more about WellSprings membership, you can take our upcoming…
Easter Sunday Recap
This past Sunday, April 17, we came together to celebrate Easter. This one was especially meaningful, as it was Rev. Ken’s last Easter service preaching at WellSprings. In case you missed it, you can view the entire service at this link. Here are a few photos from the day… Thank you, WellSprings, for making our celebration so special!
Easter Sunday at WellSprings
This Sunday, we hope you can join us, either in-person or online, for our annual Easter Service. If you haven’t yet joined us for a service in Bell Hall, here is an FAQ to let you know what things are like these days. If you plan to join us online, here is the link to our YouTube livestream for Easter.During service, kids can expect a YouthSpirit Easter Egg hunt with a slight twist this year: less candy, but a small mystery to solve…
Updates to Our Covid-19 Gathering Guidelines
Dear WellSprings, We’ve now held five services – both in-person and live-streamed – since re-opening Bell Hall last month! We’ve learned so much about offering multiple ways to connect with our community on Sunday mornings – and I’m so glad we are back to offering a physical place and time together, for those who seek it. You might remember that for ease with last month’s transition, we decided to return to Bell Hall with the same Covid-19 safety guidelines as…
Our New Message Series: The Great Integration
Millions of people quit their jobs in 2021. Over the last two years, people sold houses, changed careers, ended marriages, and moved to new towns at rates far beyond the norm – so much so, that journalists and social scientists started calling it “The Great Resignation.” It makes sense that in times of change, people change too. What does it look like to re-build, and re-integrate, all these new pieces of a life… with the old ones that are still…
WellSprings “Report Card” – How are We Doing on Our Annual Goals?
We are a little over halfway through the current congregational year, and the Board of Trustees along with Rev. Lee wanted to share a brief “progress report” on this year’s annual goals for our community. How are we doing so far? Click below to watch.
A Brief Update re: Covid-19
As our Board shared in mid-December, and in response to our survey and congregational feedback at that time, we are planning to re-open Sunday services to in-person participation, early in 2022. We know many of you are longing to gather in body – many of us who’ve been leading worship remotely feel the same way! At the moment, the Board and I are cautiously targeting February for a return to gathering in Bell Hall. The exact date will be determined based on local conditions…
An Important Letter from Rev. Ken and the Board of Trustees
Dear WellSprings, It is with a very full heart that I am writing to let you know that I’ll be concluding my ministry at WellSprings at the end of this congregational year, June 30th, 2022. This decision is much more a retiring than a resigning, as it is not my wish or intention to serve another congregation as their minister. I’ve served UU spiritual communities since I was 27, and as I approach 52, I know that my time as…