Ministerial TransitionYour Ministerial Search Team can be reached by email at mst24@unityunitarian.org.
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Please welcome Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair
as Senior Minister of Unity Church
The Board of Trustees and the Ministerial Search Team are so very delighted to share news of the April 21, 2024, congregational vote to call the Rev. Dr. Oscar Sinclair as Senior Minister of Unity Church. The affirmative vote exceeded our congregational bylaws requirement of 85%, as well as the 90% minimum threshold hoped for by most ministerial candidates. As Rev. Oscar shared in remarks at the conclusion of Sunday’s meeting, he accepts this call “with great humility and fullness of heart.”
Get to know Rev. Oscar and see video answers to questions posed by the congregation.
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Friends,
After the April 21 joyous meeting and call to Rev. Oscar, the often asked question of MST members was, “So, what are you going to do with all your free-time now that the search is over?” Step one: Grasp our heads in astonishment and delight at the overwhelming vote of confidence in Rev. Oscar and the search process. We are excited to hear your stories from candidating week and the congregational meeting. Send us an email or catch us at church to share. Share your story, listen to the stories of others. Repeat… repeat… repeat... just like we’ve been doing all year. We want to capture these stories as part of the history of Unity Church. Step two: According to page 106 of the UUA Settlement Handbook (yes, 119 riveting pages of content), it advises the search team to "shred any documents which list applicants' names... celebrate their good work." So, naturally, we’ll do both, and hopefully the celebration part will include a delectable dessert from our talented chef and baker, Ray. Step three: Embrace quality time with our families -- both the ones under our roofs and the ones at church. Dive into kid’s events, tend to loved ones, and reconnect with friends who may not have seen us much since April 2023. Our extensive text thread will persist -- MST withdrawal is a genuine phenomenon. Step four: Extend and express the volumes of gratitude that are in our hearts. We have immense gratitude for our congregation, the Board of Trustees, the care and skill of our staff, the inspiring Rev. Kathleen and our interim ministers. Thankful for whoever invented the Trader Joe's Hot Takis knock-offs. We hold Rev. Oscar, Stacie, Ailish and the adorable Teddy Magoo with gratitude and in our prayers during this time of immense transition and wish them good leave-taking and safe travels. We are grateful to the congregation at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln and hold them in our hearts as they embark on their own search process. Step five: Write the final report for the Board of Trustees regarding this whole process, which will be our last official act. It won’t be as verbose as the 23,000 words of the congregational record, but we’ve been told we tend to get a bit “wordy.” It will capture the important components, lessons learned, surprises we stumbled upon, and hopefully at least a little humor. Whether we were holding hands, sharing hugs, shedding tears of grief or joy, or just enjoying another good belly laugh, this journey has been an honor for us to share with each other and with our congregation. With hearts full to bursting with gratitude, thank you!! The ‘24 MST |
2024 Unity Church Congregational Record
The Unity Church 2024 Congregational Record is now available.
What is the Congregational Record? What's the Purpose?
The Congregational Record (CR) is a document used during minister search to provide prospective ministers with information about Unity Church-Unitarian (and other churches in search).
What is in the Congregational Record?
A profile of Unity Church-Unitarian that includes notes on:
What are steps in the ministerial search process?
What is the Congregational Record? What's the Purpose?
The Congregational Record (CR) is a document used during minister search to provide prospective ministers with information about Unity Church-Unitarian (and other churches in search).
- All Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) churches in search provide a CR to prospective ministers as part of the UUA search process.
- All ministers in search provide a Ministerial Record (MR), kind of like a CV or resume but more in-depth.
- Both the CR and MR are how ministers and search teams learn about each other and search for a match.
What is in the Congregational Record?
A profile of Unity Church-Unitarian that includes notes on:
- Congregational life, personnel, church history, membership and finances, demographics, accessibility, resources and programs, and the surrounding Twin Cities community.
- The congregational record is built from many sources, and cottage meetings and congregational survey are vital elements of the story an MST is able to tell about their congregation.
- This year, over 250 people attended 27 cottage meetings and the congregational survey was completed by 44% of members!
What are steps in the ministerial search process?
- Candidates express interest and submit their Ministerial Record (similar to a resume) to the UUA.
- Congregations let the UUA know they are in search and submit their Congregational Record.
- The UUA helps facilitate the process, making both the MR and CR documents available.
- Search teams narrow their selection and choose one candidate to visit their church.
- Candidating week is an opportunity for the congregation, staff and board of directors to meet the candidate, hear them give a sermon, and vote on whether or not to affirm that minister's call to their congregation.
Charge to the Congregation
Unity Church Board of Trustees Charge to the Congregation
Charged during worship services on May 14, 2023
Charged during worship services on May 14, 2023
- As a congregant, I will be an informed participant in the search process.
- I will respect the covenantal nature of this process.
- I will respect the work and honor the service of the Ministerial Search Team, knowing that they cannot share everything with the congregation.
- I will offer thoughtful discernment about the current and future needs of the congregation.
- I will engage in best practices of transformative conflict but not engage in divisive behavior that causes harm.
- I will be mindful in my use of email and social media communications with respect to matters concerning the search and the search process.
- I will be present during candidating week, will learn about the candidate, make my decision carefully, and vote responsibly.
Ministerial Search Team
MST pictured left to right: Ray Wiedmeyer, Angela Wilcox, Rebecca Flood, Tara Romanov Messana, Kat Sherman-Hoehn, Jennie Smith, Richard Lau
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RolesAngela Wilcox: chair, Beyond Categorical Thinking coordinator, interview coordinator
Tara Romanov Messana: communications, survey and cottage meeting coordinator, Beyond Categorical Thinking coordinator, notetaker Jennie Smith: communications, pre-candidating weekend arrangements coordinator, candidating week arrangements coordinator Richard Lau: negotiating team Rebecca Flood: negotiating team Kat Sherman-Hoehn: treasurer, congregational record coordinator, documents packet coordinator Ray Wiedmeyer: neutral pulpits coordinator, pre-candidating weekend arrangements coordinator, candidating week arrangements coordinator |