The Community Church in Search
The Community Church has embarked on a very exciting time - we are searching for our next settled minister. This will be a time of great reflection and discernment as we think about who we are and who we want to become with our new minister. The search process as set forth by the UUA will guide our congregation and particularly our Search Committee. To read more about this procedure, followed by most UU churches in search, see the Ministerial Transitions website.
The first step in this process was the election of the Search Committee by the congregation in March of 2013. While the committee will represent and lead the church through the entire process, the congregation will be integral to the search process in several very important ways: participation in a cottage meeting, taking the online survey, contributing to the congregational packet (information on committees, groups, etc.), getting to know the candidate during candidating week, and voting on whether to call the candidate. There will also be times, particularly after the congregational packet is completed and before the candidate is announced, when you won't hear much from the Search Committee. During that time, most of what we do will be confidential. We'll share what we can, but please understand that there will be little that we can share. Know that we are working very hard to find our church a great minister!
The timeline below represents our expected process. It is our fervent hope that we find a minister that is an excellent match for our congregation. However, if we can't find such a match, the Search Committee will not choose less than an excellent match out of desperation. If this situation arises, we will go into search for another year with a different Search Committee.
The first step in this process was the election of the Search Committee by the congregation in March of 2013. While the committee will represent and lead the church through the entire process, the congregation will be integral to the search process in several very important ways: participation in a cottage meeting, taking the online survey, contributing to the congregational packet (information on committees, groups, etc.), getting to know the candidate during candidating week, and voting on whether to call the candidate. There will also be times, particularly after the congregational packet is completed and before the candidate is announced, when you won't hear much from the Search Committee. During that time, most of what we do will be confidential. We'll share what we can, but please understand that there will be little that we can share. Know that we are working very hard to find our church a great minister!
The timeline below represents our expected process. It is our fervent hope that we find a minister that is an excellent match for our congregation. However, if we can't find such a match, the Search Committee will not choose less than an excellent match out of desperation. If this situation arises, we will go into search for another year with a different Search Committee.
Of Immediate Interest
- On Sunday, May 4th, the congregation voted to call Rev. Thom Belote as our next settled minister. Click here to read about our Minister Elect.
- Click here to learn about the data collected from the cottage meetings.
- Click here to learn about the data collected from the survey.
The Timeline
- Spring 2013: The Search Committee is elected by the congregation
- Summer 2013: Cottage Meetings and online Survey provide information on the congregation and our desires for our next minister
- August 15th, 2013: Reverend Gary Kowalski begins his one year term as our interim minister.
- Fall 2013: The Search Committee produces a congregational packet that will let potential ministers know who we are, what we do, how we operate, what our strengths are, where we need to improve, and what we're looking for in our new minister. The packet will be made available to the congregation sometime in the fall.
- Winter 2014: The Search Committee evaluates the ministers who are interested in us, conducts phone interviews, arranges to hear a few ministers speak at neutral pulpits, and ultimately offers the position to the minister that is an excellent match for our congregation.
- Spring 2014: The candidate is announced to the congregation in mid-April and comes for a candidating week in which they will preach two Sundays and attend many get-to-know-you meetings throughout the week in between. Following the second Sunday, the congregation votes on whether to call the candidate as our next settled minister.
- August 2014: If the congregation chooses overwhelmingly to call the candidate, he/she begins their ministry with us in August.
The Search Committee
The Search Committee is honored to be chosen for this very important task. We pledge to the congregation our commitment to carrying out the search process to the very best of our abilities.
Front Row, left to right: Ivy Brezina, Mary LeMay, Maureen O'Rourke
Back Row, left to right: George Thompson, Brad Kosiba, Bob Weston, Jenny Warnasch
If you need to contact the Search Committee, please contact the chair, Ivy Brezina, at ivy.brezina@yahoo.com.
Front Row, left to right: Ivy Brezina, Mary LeMay, Maureen O'Rourke
Back Row, left to right: George Thompson, Brad Kosiba, Bob Weston, Jenny Warnasch
If you need to contact the Search Committee, please contact the chair, Ivy Brezina, at ivy.brezina@yahoo.com.