Congregational Meeting and Services with Rev. Jen Crow
Save the date: Sunday, January 12 • 12:30 p.m. • Sanctuary
The Rev. Jen Crow, a trained UUA transition coach, former Unity intern minister, and senior co-minister at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis will preach at Sunday services and also lead a congregational meeting to help build our understanding of how the search for our next called ministers will be conducted.
The Rev. Jen Crow, a trained UUA transition coach, former Unity intern minister, and senior co-minister at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis will preach at Sunday services and also lead a congregational meeting to help build our understanding of how the search for our next called ministers will be conducted.
Staff Changes Support Ministerial TransitionAnticipating the church’s ministerial transition, a few temporary changes in staffing have begun this fall. Unity Church will not have an intern in the 2019-20 church year, and Karen Hering will take on several added responsibilities, joining the staff as part-time associate minister for the next two years. Unity’s important work as a teaching congregation for ministerial interns will resume in the future as we move into and through this time of transition.
In the current church year, Karen will begin as less than half-time, coordinating the Chalice Circles program and weekly chapel services on Wellspring Wednesdays, while continuing to offer the monthly guided writing sessions of her literary ministry. In January she will be phased into coordinating Unity’s pastoral care program under Janne Eller-Isaacs' leadership and in collaboration with Unity’s full ministerial team. Karen will again offer the annual Thresholds series for people on the cusp of significant personal change, but the timing of the series in 2020 will shift to April and May. Next summer, when Janne and Rob Eller-Isaacs retire, Karen’s role will increase again as she assumes primary responsibility for pastoral care. Working with and in support of the new interim minister in the 2020-21 church year, she will also coordinate a new small group ministry focused on living well with change. You can reach Karen at karen@unityunitarian.org or by phone at extension 109. She would be especially delighted to hear from you with your registration for Chalice Circles that begin in September! Ministerial TransitionNovember 2019 Update
This is an update for the congregation on how the Unity Church Board of Trustees is planning for ministerial transition. This is the same summary that was published in the November 2019 issue of commUNITY. The board is busy preparing for Janne and Rob Eller-Isaacs’ retirement next summer and we want to update you on our progress. There are three main areas of focus:
Celebration The new Eller-Isaacs Celebration Team is forming, headed by co-chairs Pat Fontaine and Lia Rivamonte. Created by the board, this team will take the lead and help the congregation acknowledge our senior ministers’ lasting contributions and our deep appreciation for their leadership. The team will be responsible for planning events, determining a gift, and fundraising. For anyone interested in being involved with the celebration planning, watch for opportunities that the co-chairs will be sharing. The celebration will be held on Sunday, May 31, 2020 (see box at right for more information). The Board is extremely grateful to Pat and Lia for agreeing to step up and take on this important role on behalf of the congregation. Recruiting an Interim This spring the board will work through the UUA to identify an interim minister to join us for a year, from July 2020 through to June 2021. The interim minister will join our strong executive team that includes Barbara Hubbard, Executive Director; Rev. Lisa Friedman, Minister of Congregational and Community Engagement; and Rev. KP Hong, Director of Religious Education. Along with keeping Unity humming and leading worship, our interim minister will help guide the congregation through this transition. Calling a Senior Minister While calling a senior minister or co-ministers is the responsibility of the congregation, a Search Committee conducts the process and makes a recommendation. Search Committee members devote considerable time to this work as they weigh what is in the best interests of the whole church. Search Committee members keep in mind where we’ve been as a church — and with our new Ends statements — where we’re heading. We’ll take a big step in forming the Search Committee and thinking through this process on Sunday, January 12, when Rev. Jen Crow, a trained UUA transition coach, former Unity intern minister, and senior co-minister at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, will preach at Sunday services, and also lead an all-congregation meeting at 12:15 p.m., to help build our understanding of how the search will be conducted. Jen has already been working with the board on the transition effort, and once the Search Committee is named, Jen will be an ongoing resource. Forming the Search Committee starts with the development of a list of candidates. The board creates the list of 15 to 20 candidates after reaching out to the whole congregation asking for recommendations for who should be considered for this role. Starting in January, this outreach will include phone calls, small group discussions, and an online form. The members of the Search Committee will be named by the board from among those on the candidate list. This will happen in May, after an all-congregation meeting where votes will be cast and after information has been shared about the candidates. Voting at the meeting will determine the majority of the Search Committee members, with the remainder selected by the board with an eye to balancing out needs for representation and skills. Know that we will continue to share more information in the months ahead. And you can always reach out to board members with any questions. |
Updates
DocumentsSenior Co-Ministers Retirement Announcement
2018 Annual Report 2018 Annual Meeting Information Packet ContactBoard Transition Subteam
Rejoice at the River
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