Over the past year, the leadership teams of Hillside and Sanctuary have been on an intentional journey – one focused on surfacing the values, cares, and concerns that unite us. At the heart of this process has been a commitment to listening deeply: to our histories, to one another, and to the Spirit. With the guidance of Rev. Don Remick, who brings a wealth of experience facilitating mergers within the UCC, we’ve worked to discern whether we’re being called to step into a shared future as one congregation.
Much of this work has been about uncovering what we already know to be true: that Hillside and Sanctuary are rooted in the same vision of progressive Christianity. Together, we lift up a faith that is inclusive, justice-seeking, and unapologetically focused on love in action. We’ve found that our theology and mission are already in harmony – we are not just like-minded; we are like-hearted.
This alignment shows up in tangible ways. Worship is growing, with more people in attendance each week. On Christmas Eve, we had a full house, and the Christmas pageant reflected the energy and joy that’s alive in our community. Our Thanksgiving food drive served twice as many people this year as it did last year, thanks to an overwhelming outpouring of support from twice as many volunteers.
We’re thriving, not just in the numbers but in the ways we come together as the church – as God’s people called to serve. And it’s this vitality that has fueled our ongoing conversations.
As we’ve talked about who we are and what matters most to us, we’ve also begun looking toward what might be next. The next stage of conversation between our leadership teams will turn practical, addressing questions about governance, membership qualifications, and what the makeup of a combined church council could look like. These discussions are crucial because they’ll help us imagine how we might structure ourselves to carry forward the mission and values we share.
We know there’s still work to do, but this process has already affirmed what we believed going into it: we are stronger together. And wherever this path leads, we’re committed to staying grounded in our faith and unified in our purpose – building the church God is calling us to be.
