Meet Your Leadership Council: Joanne Pritchard – Co-Chair Leadership Council – Operations Working Group Lead
Over the next weeks, we are going to be introducing you to an amazing and hardworking group of people here at the church, your leadership council! This is the group that governs the church and makes decisions around: Vision, mission, and strategic planning, Policy development and organizational oversight, Annual budget, Reporting to the Congregation, Relationship with the Chinook winds regional Council and the UCC General Council and Pastoral relations.
We hope that you enjoy learning more about them!
Joanne Pritchard – Co-Chair Leadership Council – Operations Working Group Lead
I started coming to McDougall in 1993 when my husband, Rob, and I chose to have our younger daughter, Eleni, baptized here. I first participated on the McDougall Council as a member of the Christian Education Committee when our two daughters were in the Faith Friends program. After that, the rest is history.
For several years, I served on the Worship and Music Committee, which fit well with my love of choral music and my understanding of its important role in worship. After a few years break, I joined the Ministry and Personnel Committee, serving for several years as M&P Chair.
In 2016, I was invited to join McDougall’s Executive Council and vice chair and haven’t been able to step down since! The need for continuity of leadership during the pandemic challenges and our governance restructuring transition has kept me on McDougall’s leadership team for many years. My current role on Council is that of Council Co-chair and Lead of Council’s Operations Working Group, which is responsible for the operational business of the church.
This spring, I would love to see renewed energy and emerging leadership coming forth for the behind the scenes team work required for our Ministry Teams to flourish. For example,
Worship and Music: Join Worship Tech Team if you have media skills or you’re looking for an opportunity to develop them.
Pastoral Care: Join the Pastoral Care Ministry Team if interested in providing support for the members of our community of faith.
Family and Community: New members needed to assist in planning and implementing programs and events for children, youth, and their families.
Outreach and Social Justice: The Right Relations Project Group is looking for new members interested in reconciliation work and volunteers are needed for McDougall’s Feed the Hungry Dinner event this fall.
This year, I would like to see the McDougall Council working towards the implementation of partnerships with other United Churches to share our space, our expertise in areas such as live streaming of worship services and our vision for outreach and social Justice initiatives.
To learn more about Leadership Council, please visit the Leadership Council Webpage.
To learn more about Operations, please visit the Operations webpage.
To learn more about all the amazing volunteers at McDougall, please visit the Volunteer Page.
