March 16, 2008

Dear Members and Friends of UUFSD,

This is not the letter we all thought we would be sending out when we began this process 18 months ago. But, things do not always go as planned. The Ministerial Search Committee will not be presenting a candidate for settled minister this spring, as we had hoped.

We will explain how the process unfolded, and also describe what will happen next.

The Committee has worked diligently for the last 18 months. This began with formulating and then implementing a survey. Again, thank you to all who took the time to share your input with us, both by survey and in focus groups. We then prepared a congregational record as well as an informational packet to be sent to prospective ministers. Packets were exchanged, phone interviews were held and finally 3 ministers (the best three of all those who applied) were invited to pre-candidate.

The first minister decided to withdraw his/her application a few weeks after coming out. This minister decided that UUFSD was not a good fit, a conclusion that we had also come to.

The second minister was invited to candidate, but elected to go elsewhere. The congregation that he/she chose to go to is one twice the size of UUFSD. While UUFSD was high on his/her list, we simply did not offer the same opportunities as a larger congregation.

The third minister was someone we considered at length. In the end, after many hours of discussion, meditation and evaluation, we came to the conclusion that he/she would not be a good choice for our congregation.

At the General Assembly in Portland last summer, I attended a luncheon for Ministerial Search Committees that was put on by the Transitions Office of the UUA. I was told that there were more congregations in search than there were ministers in search. It was clear that not every congregation would find a match. And when you take into consideration that many congregations were looking for ministers with similar qualities, the pool got even smaller.

Rev. Owen-Towle has graciously agreed to stay on as our Interim Minister. The Ministerial Search Committee will undergo reorganization, as some members leave the committee and new members join. For those Search Committee members who choose to leave, we owe undying gratitude for the service they have provided. If you are interested in joining the search committee, please let the Board know as they will be forming a nominating committee. It is hard work, but it is good work and very, very worthwhile.

No committee has ever worked harder than your Search Committee. Blood, sweat and tears were shed. Each member put in hundreds of hours of time. Families, work and other obligations were neglected as we worked toward the goal of finding this congregation a minister. Do not despair. This is not the end, not by any stretch. UUFSD will get a settled minister, just not this spring. Our congregation has become stronger and healthier in the last year and half. Under the leadership of the Board and Rev. Owen-Towle, we have welcomed in fabulous, vibrant new members, the pledge drive is up, and we’ve celebrated a year anniversary with our DRE, Alison Crotty.

As we get stronger and healthier, we attract a stronger and healthier pool of ministerial candidates. This is the time to show the world what the people of UUFSD can be. This is the time to commit your time, your devotion, your financial support, your energy and your spirit.

We, the Search Committee, are committed to finding UUFSD a minister who is a good match. We did not want to “settle” – to present someone who wasn’t quite right, just because the congregation was expecting it. We decided it was better to present no candidate, rather than present the wrong candidate. We wanted someone who will nurture this congregation and love it the way we do. We wanted someone who will stay with us for the long haul. We wanted someone who would lead this congregation and help us to grow – not just in numbers – but in spirit and in community. We did not find that someone. But we know we will. As the saying goes “Every path has its puddle.” We’re in the puddle now folks, but we are going to keep on walking, wipe off our boots and follow this path. We’ll get there.

When will we find our minister? Only time will tell. Since our application and paperwork with the UUA is all in order, we do not need to wait until the traditional time (typically in the spring) to invite someone to candidate. We are able to work “off-track” and may find someone sooner.

We have learned a lot about ourselves, our congregation and about Unitarian Universalism in the past 18 months. This committee was passionate in our debates and united in our commitment to this Fellowship. We carried UUFSD with us in our hearts at all times on this journey, especially in recent times as we struggled with our choices.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr.:

The ultimate measure of a [person] is not where [he or she] stands in moments of comfort, but where [she or he] stands at times of challenge and controversy…Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream

In peace,

Diane Masser-Frye

On behalf of the entire Ministerial Search Committee – Larry Jones, Chris Kinzie, Dan Ness, Pamela Puckette, Robin Sales and Kathryn Sturch.

Ministerial Search Committee Members