Hello from your Ministerial Search Committee!

This past weekend, May 11-12, the members of your Ministerial Search Committee participated in a retreat with our Ministerial Transition Coach, Rev. Marni Harmony. Getting to know one another and community building were both large aspects of the retreat, as well as reviewing the overall timeline, tasks, and goals of the Search process. We are a group ranging in age from 29 to 76, with a range of years as Unitarian Universalists. All of us have only been members of this congregation, and we are all so honored to serve you.

We will begin meeting weekly next week (May 21) and will be doing so for most of the next year. We will share with you as much as we can while honoring the need for confidentiality regarding candidates and our discussions. We are available to hear from you, and plan to hold “listening” sessions to provide a forum for face-to-face updating of our process. All seven of us have specific roles within the Committee, but we are equally here to serve our congregation and our UU faith. All committee members will be participating in each task to help keep the workload even for all of us.

What role do you, as congregants, have going forward? You all have already been a large part of the process, nominating and then electing the seven members of this Committee. In the next several months, we will be setting up cottage meetings and will have a survey for you all to fill out. Our best chance of a successful match requires a high level of participation for both of these, so make every effort to attend and participate, and encourage your fellow Gainesville UUs to attend and participate. In the early Fall, we plan to hold a Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop to promote inclusive thinking and prevent unfair discrimination during our congregation’s search for a settled minister. Again, our best chance of a successful match includes a well-attended and engaged Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop and Sunday service. Please mark the date on your calendar when it is announced.

We look forward to this opportunity to serve our congregation and truly appreciate the faith and confidence you have given us.
Lynne Capehart, Samara Crutchfield, Jeff Dunn, Alisha Dusty, Pete Runyan, Lauren Samuels, and Kristin Stevens