Information session: Sunday, April 21, 12:30–1:30 p.m. in the Knatvold room

We’re now in our precious last few months of Rev. Jon Luopa’s leadership here at UUC before his announced retirement at the end June.

On Sunday, June 16, we will have a congregational celebration to send Jon and Annie out with deep gratitude and well wishes for a joyful retirement. The worship service, with Jon in the pulpit, will begin at 10 a.m. An all-ages celebration will begin at noon. Stay tuned for details and registration.

The interim minister search process continues to move forward, aided by our representative at the Unitarian Universalist Association. You can read about the process in the Transitional Ministry Handbook online at: https://www.uua.org/sites/live-new.uua.org/files/transitional_ministry_handbook.pdf

You are invited to attend an information session the Board has scheduled for April 21 after the second service to learn more and ask questions. There is also a dedicated Ministerial Transition page on the UUC website that we are keeping updated.

Our Interim Minister Search Committee (Sooraj Kuttykrishnan, John Crusius, Patricia Graesser, Kathleen Cromp, Gayle Childers and Leila Zelnick) has completed the application for interim ministry and will be publishing our profile and questionnaire responses prior to the April 18 UUA deadline.

At the end of April, interim ministerial candidates will look through the profile and information packet UUC provides and, if interested in us, express their interest to the UUA Transitions office. The UUA will then provide our Committee with a set of interim minister candidates on April 28.

The Committee will look at sermons, review minister information, interview applicants, and then recommend an interim minister to the Board. Our selection must be made by May 13. Before the end of May 2024, the Board is expected to enter into a contract with an interim minister for a two-year period.

When Jon retires at the end of June we begin a new and unfamiliar phase for many. Those of us who haven’t been through a change in ministers like this may not be aware that it is an expectation that the departing minister steers clear of their old church for a couple of years. The intent is to allow the congregation space and time to discern who they are without their prior leader.

This break in contact with an out-going minister isn’t unique to Unitarian Universalism, but it may be new to many in our congregation. It’s nothing personal or fraught. Please do keep this in mind though and consider what you may want to do for your best parting with Jon at the end of June.

This summer’s services will be similar to what we’ve become accustomed to, with various voices in the pulpit. In the summer the Board will also name a transition team that will serve as the support team for our interim minister.

Then, in August 2024, our interim ministry period begins.

The search process for a called minister is a separate process that isn’t initiated until after an interim minister is hired. You can read about the search process for a called minister in the Settlement Handbook online at: https://www.uua.org/files/pdf/s/settlement_handbook.pdf

As a Board we are committed to keeping you informed of the details as they continue to unfold. In return, we ask for your continued patience and participation as we travel this transitional road together.

~Patricia Graesser, President, for the UUC Board of Trustees