Dear Colleagues,
I wish that I could fully convey to you the veritable explosion of interest and passion about the future of community ministry that I experienced in countless conversations at General Assembly this year!
One of the fundamental shifts that has occurred in the last year is a new level of support for "unleashing lay ministry" at the denominational level. This was one of the themes of the UUA Sustainability Summit in Boston in May.
There is a growing awareness that the moment is ripe for the community ministry movement, and lay ministry in particular, to take off. UUSCM, as the only membership organization bringing together community ministry clergy and lay ministers, is already playing a key role - one that will only expand!
UUSCM is also the only membership organization actively promoting the recognition by congregations of lay leaders serving dedicated ministries within and beyond the their congregation through a formal commissioning ceremony. One of our categories of membership, Commissioned Lay Community Minister, reflects that.
It's clear that the commissioning of lay ministers by their congregations is taking off, and more of our members are reporting having been commissioned. Many more such conversations are in process. Among the conversations I held were several with parish ministers asking to learn more about the commissioning process, and we will be responding with resources for them.
UUSCM's support for our seminarian and clergy members is also expanding. We will be increasing active support for those of you preparing for the MFC, seeking affiliation, developing entrepreneurial ministries or navigating relationships with your parish colleagues. Our members are a rich resource of collegial experience, and they are actively asking to share! We will be creating new channels for that to happen.
As your President, I focused my energy at GA on outreach and networking with potential partners. I initiated conversations with the leaders of approximately 30 of the constituent organizations and interest groups that gather under the auspices of the UUA. These were rich and generative conversations. Virtually every one turned into a brainstorming session on possibilities for collaboration, shared learning and mutual support.
In the year to come your Board will be following up on these conversations. We expect to serve our membership through new opportunities for collegial connection, new institutional partnerships and new programs for continued learning and professional development.
This year at GA, I was particularly pleased to meet with Rev. Don Southworth, UUMA Executive Director, and Rev. Alicia Forde, Professional Development Director, Ministries and Faith Development of the UUA, to begin discussion on collaborative ventures. These include both taking a fresh look at the recommendations of the 2012 Joint UUSCM-UUMA Task Force on Excellence in Community Ministry and new initiatives. One project is already in development. We are most appreciative that UUSCM has received a $500 donation from the UUMA to support our work.
Your Board has begun a practice of inviting UU leaders to join us for a portion of each of our monthly meetings. Among the guests whom we are looking forward to welcoming in the coming year are: Jim Key, UUA Moderator; Jesse King, Chair of the Ministerial Fellowship Committee; Rev. Lee Barker, President of Meadville-Lombard Theological School; Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons, Executive Director of DRUUMM; Rev. Sarah Lammert, UUA Director of Ministries and Faith Development; and Tim Anderson, President of the UU Musicians' Network.
In the Fall, the Exec will also be meeting for the first time with our new UUSCM Advisory Board. The Advisory Board represents a diverse group of accomplished UU leaders and we are most fortunate to be able to draw on their collective wisdom and experience.The members are:
- Rev. Deb Holder (past UUSCM Board President; Congregational Life Staff, Pacific Western Region of the UUA)
- Ms. Linda Laskowski (past member, UUA Board of Trustees)
- Rev. Carol McKinley (past UUSCM Board member; past Coordinator Washington State UU Voices for Justice)
- Mr. Bob Miess (Pacific Central District Ministerial Settlement Rep; former VP of the UUSCM Board; and Chair of the UUSCM Lay Community Ministry Committee)
- Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie (past member, UUA Board of Trustees; Minister, North Unitarian Universalist Congregation)
- Ms. Gini von Courter (past Moderator of the UUA)
At GA this year, I hosted two community ministry related events: a Meetup lunch during Ministry Days attended by about twenty community ministry clergy, and our traditional Pub Night at which UUSCM members and those just learning about community ministry shared a relaxed evening of renewing connections and making new ones.
Our table at the Exhibit Hall was ably managed by our Booth Coordinator, Bob Miess, to whom we owe a huge vote of thanks! Bob also represented UUSCM at the UUMA Good Offices Retreat at the beginning of GA week. Please see Bob's report elsewhere in this issue..
The joys and accomplishments of GA were marred by our shock and sadness that the Rev. Suzanne Marsh, our UUSCM Good Offices Director, passed away suddenly while we were gathered in Columbus. Suzanne, who served our UU Church of the Desert as its parish minister, held a full understanding of the rich potential for community ministry (both lay and clergy) and congregational ministry to be mutually enriching. She brought warmth, humor, insight and experience to her role.
We are extremely fortunate that Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason, PsD, MDiv, LCSW, a clinical pastoral psychotherapist who serves as the Managing Director of the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute, is joining the Board and will fulfill Suzanne's term.
Exciting times are ahead for our community ministries and for UUSCM. As Bob Miess puts it, "community ministry is like a roller coaster train that has been climbing, slowly and steadily for a long time and has now reached the top of the curve. So get ready for the ride."
It was a true joy and honor for me to usher in my presidency by carrying the UUSCM banner in the traditional Banner Parade! But next year, I hope it will be you (and several of you!) who gather to carry the banner. It is only appropriate as it is YOU and your ministries that are changing the face of ministry and "carrying the banner" of our faith into the world!
With You on the Path,
Cat
What a Great Event!
With great sadness, while General Assembly was underway we received the news that our Board member, The Rev. Suzanne Marsh, died suddenly on June 24. Suzanne was our Good Offices Director.