Your Board of Trustees and Interim Minister Search Committee are pleased to announce the hiring of Interim Minister Reverend Douglas Wadkins.

The Board has selected Rev. Wadkins to lead us during our interim period between called ministers because of the depth of his interim ministerial experience, demonstrated skill in guiding congregations through transition and his ability to collaborate with others and inspire congregations to do the hard work of discernment.

Rev. Wadkins’ deep UU history includes experience as an interim minister at five churches, ministry at United UU Congregation in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and serving as called minister at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship for 13 years. It is also notable that he has successfully led two churches similar in size to UUC through transition, facilitated Beloved Conversations, has a passion for supporting children and youth and has been directly involved in matters relating to anti-racism and anti-oppression work in most of his ministerial placements.

We are truly fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such a well-respected and experienced leader. There were 25 churches seeking an interim minister and only a few more than 30 available ministers. The fact that we were able to match with one of our top choices is truly a gift.

In August 2024, Rev. Wadkins’ interim ministry begins.

The Board will offer an information session in July for those wishing to learn more about Rev. Wadkins and the immediate next steps in our path forward. Until then, you are invited to learn more about him at: www.douglaswadkins.org. UUC also has on our website a Ministerial Transition page which is kept updated.

The Board is extremely grateful to our interim minister search committee that included Kathleen Cromp, Gayle Childers, Leila Zelnick, Sooraj Kuttykrishnan, John Crusius and Patricia Graesser, who kept as their guiding light the congregation’s mission and a focus on who would be the best person to lead UUC in the interim. The committee met many times for many hours, read reams of material, watched dozens of sermons and had frank, candid and deep conversations, which allowed them to make a thoughtful selection that the committee unanimously supported.

With this selection made, we return our Board focus on a grateful farewell celebration for Rev. Jon Luopa on June 16.

After Jon retires 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.

Please keep our dedicated staff in your thoughts and show them the appreciation we have for them. We are grateful for how they are holding this ship together as we sail off into uncharted waters. They have a lot to manage right now.

In the summer the Board will name a transition team that will serve as the support team for our Rev. Wadkins and begin discussing a nominating committee for the called minister search committee.

The search process for a called minister will begin after Rev. Wadkins joins our church in August. You can read about the search process for a called minister in the UUA's online Settlement Handbook.

I’m looking forward to sharing in our next phase together with you.

~ Patricia Graesser,  UUC Board of Trustees President