MEMBERSHIP
Karen Johnson-Susko serves two
important membership functions. She
is the woman who coordinates help
requested by Fellowship members
when they need rides, food, childcare,
etc. She sends flowers when appropriate.
She has her finger on the pulse of
the Fellowship and is such a quiet presence in the background
that we forget to thank for her efforts.
Her second function is to accumulate weekly Caring
Notes. This is three-way collaboration. Dick Johnston
rips them from the recording of Joys and Concerns in the
services. He sends them to Karen and me. Karen edits
them for publication and I send them to members and
active friends.
There has been some concern about the distribution of the
Caring Notes. I would like to ease any anxiety. Here are
the facts:
We distribute Caring Notes electronically to members
and active friends ONLY.
On any Sunday, about 105 adults attend the service and
about 13 are involved with the children in Religious Edu-
cation. We have about 300 members and active friends.
That means that about 200 people have not heard the
sharing during the worship service,
When you arise in the service and tell us your joy or concern,
you are seeking some kind of affirmation from the
rest of us.
Caring notes expands that circle of affirmation while
keeping it inside the church family. It is a members/
active friends only voice.
Just as you can opt out of telling us your joy or concern
in the service, you may opt out of Caring Notes.
Tell or e-mail Karen to remove your sharing. Tell me to
remove your sharing. The best time to do this is on the
Sunday you spoke, but no later than Tuesday of the following
week. The responsibility is yours.
Caring Notes are not unique to BuxMont. Other
churches, Unitarian Universalist and non-Unitarian Universalist
do something similar. I read Washington Crossing’s
notes weekly. They help me stay in touch with what
is happening in my former congregation. When an old
friend expresses a joy or concern, I am able to contact her
and commiserate. Caring Notes serves this same purpose
for our family members who could not be in the service.
If you have a specific concern that I failed to address,
contact me. Personally, I love Caring Notes. They keep
all of us in touch on some level.
Howard Bennett, Membership Coordinator