Committee on Church and Ministry
Southwest Conference, United Church of Christ
It is my pleasure to add a word of recommendation for Carson Hawks to the Committee on Church and Ministry of the Southwest Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Carson has been active in the life of First Congregational United Church of Christ Phoenix for over two years now having introduced herself as a Member in Discernment. Participating in worship, assisting our Pastor, James Pennington, in a variety of pastoral duties including preaching, pastoral care, and new member assimilation.
Our local church Discernment Team has met with Carson to hear her personal story and faith journey. As a member of that Team, I have been privileged to watch Carson develop her leadership style, as well as deepen her faith expression. To be expected, she exhibited care in ascertaining the appropriate roles to assume in relation to the pastor and her potential to be of service. Carson showed sensitivity to the boundaries of leadership as a new face in the congregation. While enthusiastic in spirit, she demonstrated from the beginning that she was well aware of her boundaries, and seemed a bit cautious and tentative in presentation.
I am most pleased, however, to report that once that initial carefulness (full of care) was rewarded by acceptance and love from the congregation, Carson developed her God-given relaxed and personal warmth which will be sure to serve her well in her future professional life. This dynamic balance between appropriate boundaries and personal rapport seem to be essentials for an effective pastoral personality.
Meeting goals and accomplishing tasks are high in Carson’s skill sets. Her work with new member assimilation has been appreciated by so many new members for whom the church often symbolizes an uncertain mixture of experiences and emotions. Carson has a way about her of helping persons feel at ease and welcome. Hospitality for the diversity of cultural, racial, gender, and theological backgrounds is a strength Carson has put to work from the beginning. She’s a great hugger as well!
Finally, Carson’s grasp of theology exhibits her desire to learn and express the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition. It is obvious that she took her theological training seriously, and shows an on-going willingness to both deepen her understanding and help others find connection with the wider Biblical and theological motif. With this foundation, her passion for pastoral care will be grounded and offer the potential for theological reflection as well as therapeutic healing.
Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the professional development of Carson Hawks.
Arnie Koriath
Member of Local Church Discernment Committee
First Congregational United Church of Christ, Phoenix Arizona
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