By Eric Sandhusen
The Bergen Ethical Society is undergoing a period of transformational change. Like all change, this creates challenges and opportunities, as new formats are tried, new programs and funding streams are developed, children grow up and adults grow old, and all while we pursue the never-ending effort to keep the meetinghouse safe, warm, and welcoming.
Sometimes the changes are small and barely identifiable, until they add up and we take notice. Others are profound and immediate. Our Society has been altered significantly and permanently by the advent of hybrid Gatherings (formerly known as Platforms, in yet another example of change). This has expanded our reach across the country, while bringing fewer people together in person on Sunday mornings. Under the Leadership of Curt Collier, our Sunday School’s Family & Friends program now meets before the Gathering, which requires us to intentionally program more intergenerational opportunities like festivals and special events.
One change that is coming into focus, for me, is a subtle yet discernible shift from a membership organization–a capital-S Society–to a less-defined community of people who participate in a variety of ways. We welcome people who might not join or donate, and we are enriched by their participation and presence. Fundamental to this concept of “community” and how it relates to “society” is the question of who we are serving. The answer may be “everyone everywhere at all times, insofar as our time and resources permit.” While we’re a small but mighty group, that’s a lot of territory to cover, and so we must prioritize our human and material resources. As such, that means we will constantly be seeking to balance service to our Society members and service to a larger community that includes non-members, visitors, even possibly antagonists. In doing so, I try to be mindful that in service to others, I also receive a great gift.
We must face both inward and outward
It’s true that to continue to exist, our Society needs members and donations and people willing to serve (especially on committees). As a community, we also need non-members, people to enjoy what we create and offer here, returning to us the gift of their presence in our midst. We cannot succeed as a community if we lose that balance between our inward-facing and outward-facing missions. We can provide for our own wants and needs as a Society, while making a welcoming space for our community, asking for nothing in return.
Society and wider community provide mutual enrichment
We’re all here for a reason, and those reasons differ. Some might be attracted by the opportunities for social action, or to give back, or pay forward. Others may seek a place of solace in an otherwise turbulent world. Some might just like potlucks. We will thrive insofar as we recognize a dynamic relationship of mutual enrichment between our Society and our wider community, and recognize all people as gifts, accepting them with gratitude.
Eric Sandhusen is president of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County.