Moderator’s Letter – May 2022 

•

Greetings,

This letter will find us in the midst of Rev. Alison Miller’s candidating week. Rev. Alison preached last Sunday and will preach again this coming Sunday. She is meeting with various groups across the church during the week. We hope you have a chance to meet her. The vote to call her as our next Senior Minister will be tallied on Sunday after service and the results will be announced that afternoon. This is an exciting time in the life of First Unitarian!

There are three ballots this year. The week after we vote on the call for Rev. Alison, ballots for the church’s annual elections will be due. Members should have received their ballots in the mail. On the ballot this year are members of the Board of Trustee, Nominating Committee, Foundation Board Stewards, and the church budget for next year. Please vote!

The final ballot will be to confer on Rev. Sinkford the designation of Minister Emeritus of First Unitarian Church. Minister Emeritus is an honorary designation given to Ministers who have severed with distinction. Rev. Alan Deale and Rev. Marilyn Sewell were both made Ministers Emerita by First Unitarian. This is a distinction recognized by the UUA. The ballot for this vote will be sent out soon and will be due in the Church office by June 12.

We are slowly retuning to in-person activities at the church. Family Worship and Sunday Service are welcoming people back to the Sanctuary and the Eliot Chapel. Meetings with Rev. Alison have taken place this week both in-person and via Zoom. Offering different ways to engage with the church and its activities will continue into the future.

We will be honoring Rev. Bill’s time with us in June. June 12 will be his last service. June 19, Rev. Susan Frederick-Grey, UUA President, will preach. Following the service, there will be a reception for Rev. Bill in the Buchan Reception Room.

All of us want to honor Rev. Bill’s legacy at First Unitarian. He has asked that we do that with a contribution to the William G. Sinkford Scholarship Fund. The fund, administered by the UUA, helps support BIPOC seminary students as they prepare for ministry. Many of you have already donated, but if you haven’t done so yet, it’s not too late to make a tax-deductible contribution:

  • PayPal: paypal.me/firstupdx – with note “Sinkford Scholarship” 
  • Mail or drop off check to First Unitarian Church with memo “Sinkford Scholarship”
  • Want to use your credit or debit card? all Church Office and ask for Zaida Cooper

Funds secured by mid-June will be tallied and presented to Rev. Grey at the June 19th service. 

In Service,

Mindy Clark, Moderator