Changes in Worship & Creative Arts

We shared Pastor Ron’s email last week about Sunset’s budget adjustments that had just been finalized. As the W&CA ministry leadership team (Jay McKenney, Steve Masters, Janet Fraser, Bob Thomas, and Laura Padur) we wanted to share more specifically with you how these changes will impact W&CA.

 Julie Reid resigned her Management Team and Ministry leadership staff role in order to keep much of our team intact. We shared her announcement in last week’s update and Pastor Ron thanked her in an email today. You can read Pastor Ron’s email below. Her last day was yesterday and Jay will assume her leadership responsibilities.
 Our AV Tech position (Tres Cozad) was eliminated. Tres' last day is Aug 31st. His tasks will be absorbed primarily by Travis and Randy and willing volunteers.
 Our Special Events Coordinator position (Carrie Peeples) was eliminated. Carrie's last day is also Aug 31st. Her tasks will be absorbed by the Operations Team and willing volunteers.
 Our administrative assistant hours were cut from 45 to 25. The result here is two-fold. The arts and production teams will absorb this loss and we'll have fewer dollars for contract AV labor.
 Our Production & Tech capital expense budget was cut by 33%.

In every case, the cuts which were made affect highly capable and productive staff. We will honestly miss the unique contribution that Julie, Tres, and Carrie are to our team; far more than their work, they’re fun and gifted team members who have left a distinguishing mark on our team. There’s no doubt we will feel the impact of these changes as we enter the fall season of ministry. But, we believe that the church leadership made a wise and strategic decision to make necessary cuts.

As the ministry leadership team, we are continuing to assess and pray about how we can best respond to the cuts in terms of increased productivity and affects to programming. We had already scheduled a couple of days in August for some planning and will use that time to continue to assess next steps. We’d LOVE your prayers for us as we seek to understand God’s desire for our teams. We’ll continue to communicate changes and adjustments as we move forward.
Jay McKenney, Steve Masters, Bob Thomas, Laura Padur and Janet Fraser

Email from Pastor Ron-
to subscribe to Pastor Ron's news and views emails contact rickanderson@sunsetpres.org

When it became clear we had to trim over $500,000 from our next year's budget, Julie Reid, our Minister of Worship & Creative Arts, came to me and offered to resign. It was a leadership decision on her part to avoid other staff reductions in her ministry. Julie has served five years in this position. Almost all that time she served without compensation. She only began receiving pay March 1 of this year.

I want to give public thanks to Julie. She has been the centerpiece in the planning of our worship services. She is very sensitive in creatively planning worship services that flow from beginning to end and enhance the message and theme of the service. Julie has been one of my most trusted advisors, offering suggestions for my messages even to how I word things. She was a valued member of the Management Team and offered wise words of counsel to us. She served selflessly, sometimes to the detriment of her family, because of her deep love for Christ and the church.

Last summer while on vacation in Chicago, she experienced an attack resulting in serious heart surgery. Even after nearly losing her life and recuperating during the fall, she chose to come back and assume the role of leading the worship department.

I have regretfully accepted her resignation. I thank her so much for her dedicated service. She has been the epitome of faithful service to Christ. No one is more passionate about connecting people to Jesus than Julie. She has brought many neighbors and friends to church. She is passionate about reaching people who do not know Christ and in making our worship services a place where people can connect with Jesus.

Thank you, Julie, for your many years of ministry. We will greatly miss you in this staff role. As you and your family continue to worship with us, may God bless and enrich your lives.

With gratitude,
Pastor Ron