As of January, the Transition Team had handed over to the Search Committee all the data it collected from the questionaires and the cottage meetings, as well as from its own research. The Search Committee will distil the data further and create from it a finalized church profile.

Transition Team Meeting on August, 7, 2009

The Transition Team will provide a survey and questionnaire to all members so that it can develop a progile of our church as a congregation as well as develop a profile of the kind of settled pastor the members feel can best serve ECC.

In addition, there has been progress in developing a history of ECC since its founding. Several members also have offered to host "Cottage Meetings" at their homes or at church.

The Transtion Team is also looking at ideas for future Bible studies, as well as the organizational structure of the church, such as developing and revising job descritpions of the diaconate, reconstituing committees and teams, and amending the by-laws, as needed.

Transition Team Meeting on June 26,2009

With these words, in late June, the Transition Team began its work. Its purpose is to help us to gain perspective on the chapter in our lives that has ended; to gather feelings and ideas from our members and constituents; to provide a forum for the sharing and focusing of hopes and aspirations for the future; and to help us move from preoccupation with the past to readiness for a new chapter in the life of Edgewood Church with a new settled pastor.

The team also is considering ways to involve all of us in accomplishing five developmental tasks:

1. Coming to Terms with History, e.g., telling the church?s story, sharing significant moments and accomplishments, putting the tenure of former pastors in perspective, deciding what is important to carry into the future.

2. Discovering a New Identity, e.g., assessing our self-image, separating the church?s identity from the former minister?s personality and style, taking advantage of the opportunity for renewal and growth.

3. Making Necessary Leadership Changes, e.g., clarifying the leadership structure, writing ministry descriptions, recruiting new leaders, reconstituting committees, revising the bylaws.

4. Renewing Denominational Linkages, e.g., building on a healthy relationship with the RI Conference UCC and seeking its support for an upcoming search process.

5. Making a Commitment to New Directions in Ministry, i.e., building wide ownership of and excitement about a shared vision for the future of Edgewood Church, clarifying what we are looking for in a new minister, and handing over a first draft of the church?s profile to a Search Committee which will pick up the baton and begin the search process.

The Interim Team is studying these tasks and considering strategies that might be a good ?fit? for this congregation. Possibilities include an all-congregational forum (or two), meetings in members? homes, Bible studies, a retreat, interviews with long-time members, surveys mailed to members and constituents, and more. Right now we are thinking about our history and ways to present it to newcomers and about how best to gather data about our priorities.

It will be a busy fall here at Edgewood! We plan to offer a variety of ways you can participate and to share your hopes and dreams for this congregation. We have a ?Suggestion Box? in the sanctuary and encourage you to tell us what you are thinking. Also, if you are online, you can check out where we are in the process through our ?transition time? page on the website. In the meantime, ask yourself these questions: ?Why did I come to Edgewood Church?? ?Why did I stay?? and ?What will have to happen to keep me here for the future??

Team members, appointed by the Deacons on your recommendations, are Carol Cornell, Judy Dewey, Jack Falk, Don Fowler, Fred Fullerton, Dave Stachkunas, with Rev. Betsy, ex officio.