OUR || CHURCH Ministers & Staff Minister Transition
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Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) 
Front Row (from left): Greg Belisle, Chris Tanner, Vic Vore Middle Row: Linda Fitzgerald, Ameena Amdahl-Mason, Bill Cunninghame Back Row: John Thompson, Carolyn Gillen, Paul Pitkin
Contact our Search Committee: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email will be monitored in strict confidentiality by the Search Committee. They welcome your thoughts on anything pertaining to the senior ministerial search process, from suggestions to questions. Committee Updates Posted Feb. 17, 2010 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q: What is the timeline for the final phase of the Search? Posted Nov. 1, 2009 Beyond Categorical Thinking The last couple of months have been a busy, exciting time for the Ministerial Search Committee. We’ve had our plates full putting together and organizing all of the inspiring, informative comments that we received from you. The 529 questionnaire responses we received have been a tremendous help to us. Because such a large number of you described your desires for the church so eloquently, we decided to use many of your quotes (anonymously) directly in our Congregational Record and Ministerial Packet, the two documents that represent our church to interested ministers. We have posted the results from our congregational survey on our bulletin board in the narthex and on the Ministerial Transition page of the church website. The search process reached a new milestone on Oct. 23: our Congregational Record was unveiled on the UUA Transitions website, and we’re now officially open for business! Ministers who are in search will start to send us indications that they are interested in our church, and for the next few months we’ll be busy reading through all of their Ministerial Records to determine the strongest candidates. This second phase of the search process marks the point where we will no longer be able to share details about the search with the congregation due to strict confidentiality rules. We’re still committed to keeping you up to date on our progress, though, so continue to check the church website and our bulletin board for news. Another very important event in the ministerial search took place on Oct. 24. The Search Committee sponsored a wonderful workshop called Beyond Categorical Thinking. The workshop was led by Rev. Keith Kron, Director of the UUA Office of Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Concerns. This event helped the Search Committee and many congregants learn about how our preconceptions about certain identities (Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Age and Weight/Size) can either consciously or unconsciously influence how we might perceive a ministerial candidate and their suitability for consideration as our senior minister. Rev. Kron was very compelling in his discussion about how preconceptions connected with a specific identity can often blind a search committee or congregation to the strong qualifications and skill set a candidate possesses. Instead of focusing on the candidate’s skill set, we can become bogged down in our biases and miss out on someone who might be a perfect fit for our congregation. This information is crucial to us as we focus on finding the strongest candidate to become our new senior minister. There were many assumptions that were challenged by the workshop, for example: A person with a given identity will automatically be in a better position to “fix” a perceived deficit in the congregation, i.e., a young minister will automatically connect well with youth, or a person of color will automatically make the congregation more diverse. This places undue pressure on the minister for responsibilities that lie with the congregation. Another example of a potential missed opportunity for the search committee would be to automatically discount a gay candidate simply because the committee says, “We already have a gay minister—we don’t want to be perceived as a ‘gay’ church”, thus overlooking all of the other qualifications the candidate possesses. The participants were given much food for thought! If you didn’t get a chance to attend Beyond Categorical Thinking, you can see videos about it on YouTube. Links to the videos are posted on the Ministerial Transition page of the church website. We continue to feel deeply honored and supported by the ministers, staff and congregation, and we are always happy to hear any questions and comments you may have. Congregational Questionnaires/Surveys Thanks for participating in both of our Congregational Questionnaires/Surveys. We received hundreds of responses! Your input is greatly appreciated and has been taken to heart. Congregational Information Gathering Meetings:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Transition Q: What is the ministerial transition process? A: Our Bylaws state that the Search Committee will be appointed by the Board in consultation with the Nominating Committee. We have had two sessions with a consultant to develop the ministerial transition process; we have done a careful review of our Bylaws. The Board has created a list of skills and characteristics needed on the committee. Congregants have had a chance to add ideas to this list. And with the search criteria in mind, we will be deliberating in consultation with the Nominating Committee on recommended congregants for the search committee. The Board is charged with choosing the Search Committee. Q: Who will be in charge during the search? A: The board has asked Tom Disrud, Associate Minister, to serve as Acting Senior Minister, in addition to continuing to serve us in his role as the Executive Minister – responsible for day-to-day functioning of the church – during the search process. The board judged this arrangement would best maintain continuity and momentum. This is a departure from the recommendations from the UUA, which suggest hiring a transition minister to serve during the search. However, most of the UUA recommendations are for churches that are smaller than ours. And in our denomination there are simply not many ministers with experience appropriate for a church of the size and programmatic complexity of First Unitarian. So instead of one interim minister, who would both preach and serve as church executive, we have separated the functions. We have invited the best preaching ministers we can find, while Tom will serve to maintain stability and continuity in the transition. The preaching ministers include: Preston Moore who will be with us for a month in fall and again in spring, Mark Morrison-Reed who will be with us between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Carolyn Colbert who will be with us for a month in winter; they may also offer retreats in the adult programs for congregants. Q: What about Tom and Kate? A: Both Tom Disrud and Kate Lore have indicated that they will not be applying for the senior minister position. We will rely on their continuing presence through this transition. Then they will decide, in collaboration with the new minister, whether they are called to continue to serve First Unitarian Church. Q: What will be the impact of this transition on our current financial situation? A: We must continue to sustain the church during this transition, and into the future. But when a senior minister retires, it is natural to expect some change in the congregation. When we remember back to Marilyn’s arrival, it led to a period of excitement and growth for our church and programs. The Board expects that the future of First Unitarian Church will be as bright, creative and prosperous as our past. Q: Will Marilyn and/or Tom have influence over the selection process? A: Although Tom Disrud will be serving as the Acting Senior Minister, he will have no contact with the search committee unless invited to do so. The UUA office of transitions will assign a contact person, who will be the main adviser on questions of process to the search committee. Marilyn Sewell will be gone during the period of the search committee’s work and will not have contact or influence over the process. The search committee, however, may choose to interview Marilyn in pursuit of their duties. These are standard procedures recommended by the denomination for all churches, regardless of size. Q: How will we guarantee that the committee will be representative of the congregation? A: We want a Search Committee that will envision the future of First Unitarian, and only then will they be able to develop a plan for searching for the ministerial candidate who will most likely ensure the realization of that future. Instead of programmatic representation, we are concentrating on the skills and characteristics needed for the committee to do its work in the best interest of the church as a whole (See Search Committee criteria on this website). Congregants, including the Nominating Committee, have had an opportunity to add their thoughts to this list. We are currently reviewing the qualifications needed for search committee members and considering those individual who have been recommended for this important work. The Board of Trustees plans to complete the interviewing of candidates and announce the Search Committee at the April 23 Board meeting. The charge to the Search Committee is broad and encompassing. They will go through a process of envisioning the future of First Unitarian Church. Next they will develop criteria for the senior minister who will lead First Unitarian Church into the future. Following development of their criteria for the senior minister, the committee will begin looking at ministerial candidates who apply. The envisioning part of their charge creates special challenges, and we need special talents to meet it. So in selecting a search committee, we will be guided first and foremost by the goal of selecting a group that, among them, have the assorted competencies we have specified as needed to carry out this charge. Q. What can I do to show support for our church during this time of transition? A. Please continue to be a strong and active participant in our church – continue to volunteer, to pledge – and, if called upon to serve on the search committee, please consider the request seriously. Q. Who can I go to for pastoral concerns? A. Tom Disrud, Kate Lore, Intern Minister Leisa Huyck, and the lay minister team will be available throughout the ministerial search process. Q. Who can I go to for questions about the ministerial search process? A. Please check the church’s website for ongoing information. You are also invited to contact Marilyn Scott, Board Moderator, or talk to any of the Board members. Q. What will the next year and a half look like? A. The main thing people will notice is, instead of Marilyn preaching, we’ll have guest preachers – rather as if Marilyn were on sabbatical. Programs will continue unchanged – music, education, social justice, and fellowship. In the background, the search committee will be quietly and competently doing its work providing brief but regular reports to the congregation, and in the spring of 2010 will bring forth a candidate for our consideration. Q: What is the timeline for the Search? February 8, 2009: Rev. Marilyn Sewell announces her retirement from the pulpit April 23, 2009: Board meeting in which the Board finalizes and announces the Ministerial Search Committee. September 15, 2009: Complete congregational conversations and congregational survey, interviews with ministers, staff, and board. Seek names of prospective candidates from District Executives and other church officials.
October 24: Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop. The entire congregation is urged to attend! The workshop helps us begin to think beyond categories and stereotypes that may inadvertently affect our perception of particular candidates and their suitability for our church. End of October: Prepare Congregational Record and post on Ministerial Settlement website. Prepare congregational packet for distribution to short-list candidates. These documents describe our church, our goals for the future, and what qualities we’re looking for in a candidate. At this time the Congregational Record can be viewed by prospective candidates and they can notify us that they are interested in being considered. The application review process begins. November - January: Review ministerial records and establish a short list of candidates for telephone interview. Exchange packets with short-list candidates. Search Committee starts to check references provided by the candidates, evaluates publicly available information (e.g. written sermons, sermons on YouTube), and reviews ministerial packet provided by each short-list applicant. January – March, 2010: Pre- candidates (finalists) have been selected from short list. Each pre-candidate will come to Portland for confidential pre-candidating weekends. In-depth interviews will take place, and each candidate will lead a church service in a neutral pulpit. Mid-March: Pre-candidate visits are complete. A final candidate is chosen, pending in-depth background check and snowball reference checks (interviewing a reference, asking that reference to suggest other people we should talk with—going 4-5 people deep.) This round of interviews will include members of the candidate’s current church.. Early April: The final candidate is announced to the congregation, and the Candidating Week is scheduled. April-May: Candidating Week. The ministerial candidate will be introduced to the church congregation; he or she will give two sermons, hold town hall meetings with the congregation, meet with staff and church leaders. At the end of Candidating Week a vote will be held to decide whether or not to call the candidate as our new senior minister. Voting Members of the church will be eligible to vote. NOTE: A voting member is a congregant who has 1.) Signed the Membership Record Book, and 2.) is current with her or his annual financial pledge to the church. Members who are experiencing financial hardship may have this requirement waived by the Acting Senior Minister or by a member of the Board of Trustees. Q: What percentage of the Voting Membership should be in favor of a minister before a call is made? A vote in favor of the ministerial candidate is normally over 90% for the call to be considered successful. Q: Will there be an opportunity for the congregation to meet with candidates? The congregation will be able to meet with only the final candidate (see above for a brief description of Candidating Week). Q: Have you hired anyone to do the search? Are you working with consultants? The Ministerial Search Committee is solely responsible for seeking a final candidate for Senior Minister. The committee has consulted with Gil Rendle of the Alban Institute to gain insight on particular issues concerning large congregations. Q: It is the Search Committee’s job to provide a description of the congregation. Will that information be available to the congregation? Yes. The congregational record and ministerial packet will be available upon request for congregants to read. Q: What does the UUA do to support the search process? The UUA Transitions Office provides support and advice by phone or through their online Ministerial Settlement System. In addition, there are several handbooks that have been developed which outline time-proven methods that lead to a successful search. Finally, each UUA district has a Ministerial Settlement Representative who keeps in touch with each church in their district that’s involved in a search, helping them to stay on track with the search process. Q: Does the UUA pick our minister? No. The Ministerial Search Committee is responsible for determining the final ministerial candidate to present to the congregation, and the congregation votes to call that minister to service. Q: How do I find out about what’s going on with the search process? The Ministerial Search Committee maintains a bulletin board in the narthex of the Main St. Sanctuary which contains status reports, notes from congregational meetings, upcoming events, etc. In addition, our church website http://www.firstunitarianportland.org has a tab for the ministerial transition. Finally, there are regular updates and announcements in all of the church publications and the weekly eNewsletter. Q: How do I give input to the Search Committee? You are welcome to contact us with any questions, comments or suggestions at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . All correspondence is confidential and will not be shared with anyone outside of the Ministerial Search Committee. Q: I have a favorite minister I’d like to see considered for our Senior Minister position. What can I do to put their name in the hat? Congregants who know ministers they believe would be desirable as our senior minister should encourage them to apply through the ministerial settlement process established by UUA. Board of Trustee's Charge to the Search Committee Posted Dec. 30, 2009 |
