Listening Session Notes (Dec 17. 2025. Hodgdon)

Peace to you, church family. I hope you are doing well.

I want to thank each of you for being part of this vital body of Christ. First, thank you for your presence—for showing up, listening with humility, and speaking with love. Our listening session was not meant to solve everything. This work is hard, and it takes time. It is a process. Still, I truly believe our time together was a strong and faithful first step in the right direction.

Attached are my summary notes from the session. These are my personal notes, so they may not include every comment shared. I wrote down the points I felt were important to remember. Please feel free to add comments or share your feedback.

Each of us is encouraged to bring concerns or agenda items to the Administrative Council. If there are urgent or specific matters, you are always welcome to speak directly with me or with our SPRC team: Paula, Jennifer, and Jill.

I am deeply grateful to be part of this beloved community. I thank God for you. 

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Hodgdon UMC Listening Session Notes
December 17, 2025

·        We acknowledge our human brokenness. Wherever people gather, conflict can arise. At the same time, we affirm that we are the body of Christ. We are given to one another. Each member is a valuable and unique gift from God. Therefore, we commit to honoring our differences and treating one another with respect.

·        We shared a common sense of communal frustration around communication. We recognize that there have been two groups working separately. There is consensus that improving communication is essential for the health and unity of the church.

·        There was discussion about the church yard sale. We value the yard sale as an important way to connect with and reach out to our community. At the same time, concerns were raised that it can linger—continuing until everything is gone—or that leftover items are stored in the church.

·        We named the need to be intentional about respecting and following the church’s official communication and decision-making channels. Our monthly Administrative Council is the governing body where we envision, plan, discuss, and make decisions together. The Women of Wonder (WOW) group is intended to carry out the details. Ministries and missions are encouraged to be brought to the Administrative Council, where we can plan and decide together—clarifying the who, what, when, where, why, and how.