Diverse Staff Helps Attract, Link People to First Parish

First Parish Brewster, MA (700 members), has two full-time professional ministers, James Robinson, senior minister; and Mykel Johnson, assistant minister. Pancheta Peterson, community minister, is half-time. There are also two ministerial interns, Denis Meacham and Catherine Cullen.

Other staff includes a full-time Children and Youth Ministries director, an office administrator (30 hrs./wk.), and a finance administrator (25 hrs). Other part-time staff include a music director, sexton, membership coordinator, Children and Youth Ministries assistant, youth advisor, and two organist/accompanists. The entire staff meets twice monthly. The program staff also meets twice monthly. Meetings start with worship.

The church has been successful in attracting people from across economic and social classes, in large part because of the diverse staff, says Robinson. "We've tried to build the staff so that people can see themselves when they come." Peterson is black. Johnson is lesbian. Meacham provides an addictions ministry. The church also has 18 para-ministers, people trained to listen, who visit the elderly, shut-ins, and those going through life transitions.

The staff was recently increased to handle membership growth. Staff compensation has increased in recent years, but is below UUA guidelines. The personnel committee is addressing that.

To become a First Parish member one must be 16 and sign the membership book. Each new member is invited to a new members' supper, a two- to three-session new UU course, and a welcoming ceremony. The bylaws permit removal of members who have not pledged or been seen by anyone in two years. An estimated half percent of the congregation is of color, compared to 2 to 3 percent on the Lower Cape. According to a survey about six years ago, about 20 percent of the congregation has family income below $22,000, including retirees and service workers in the tourist economy.

The Membership Committee staffs a welcome booth during coffee hour. It also places maroon "guest cards" with detachable nametags in the pew racks for visitors. And it has designated three to five people to seek out and talk to new people after each service.

First Parish is governed by a board of 12 trustees who meet monthly. Board terms are three years, with second terms permitted. The congregation's democratic process handles most problems with antagonists, says Robinson. "As soon as we hear a gripe we get it out in the open. People stop listening when they know the person has had a chance to talk in a democratic way. Our culture doesn't let problem people thrive."

Success with accessibility issues is mixed at First Parish. All of the congregation's four buildings have at least some access by wheelchairs. The sanctuary and adjoining Parish Hall, where coffee hour is held, are accessible from outside by a wheelchair ramp. The sanctuary has pew cuts for wheelchairs, but there's no way to get a wheelchair up on the speaker's platform. There is no wheelchair access from the lower level Fellowship Hall (under the Parish Hall) to the rest of the building, except by going outside. The two-story Children and Youth Ministries "barn" has an elevator.

At the beginning of each Sunday service a cordless microphone is carried around the sanctuary and people are required to use it for announcements so that all can hear. Sign language interpretation is offered with two weeks' notice. Large-print hymnals and bulletins and assistive listening devices are also available. "Accessibility remains a great challenge for churches," says Robinson.