I’ve been here with you at UCN for almost four months and it has been an exciting and challenging time! Most of my efforts have been in listening and learning – a process that will continue throughout my ministry with you. A significant achievement for the Board of Trustees and me has been developing leadership goals. You can read more about them on the Board Blog post by Chris Holbein.

For my first blog post, I thought I would write about ministry and specifically, the developmental ministry that I have contracted with the Board of Trustees to provide. My blog title is Towards Higher Ground. I hope we can all keep moving together towards what is best and highest for our community and for each of us as individuals, in all ways.

My being here as a Developmental Minister is a first for UCN. There have been a lot of ministers here over the last few years – some called and settled, some interim. There was also a search and call process that did not result in a call. As Jerry Slosser, your former President said, developmental ministry is a good option for this church because the time did not seem right to go through the search process for a settled minister. And, the guaranteed short-term nature of an interim ministry, with its focus on congregational self-examination, did not seem appropriate for UCN, either. Recent interim ministers have done excellent work in helping UCN do the self-reflection necessary to develop a new spirit of energy and commitment. It seems time to move into action.

Developmental ministries are goal-oriented. As a developmental minister, I am on a year-to-year contract and can stay as long as five years. My main task as a developmental minister is to mentor and coach congregational leadership in identifying and achieving key congregational goals. In my contract, the goals mentioned are leadership development and strategic planning.
During our initial time together, the Board of Trustees has refined these into specific goals: mission development; behavioral covenant development; developing stronger communication policies, procedures and formats; education with the congregation on church-size transition; organizational capacity analysis; and supporting key committees and task forces.

Besides the goal-oriented work, I am also responsible for all key ministry activities, such as leading worship, religious education and teaching, pastoral care, social justice, officiating at life passage rituals, prophetic witness and, of course, administration and church staff supervision.

In addition to listening to and learning about the UCN community, I must love you individually and collectively. So far, you have made that easy! And, we must also trust one another. In October, we entered into a covenant together during Sunday worship. In it we promised to extend trust mutually and to be together in respect, transparency and lovingkindness. The stronger and more complex the webs of relationship are among all of us, the easier is the trust and love. If we’re not loving each other in all that we do, then nothing else matters much. We can and will disagree, but that can happen in a context of love and respect. “Us” and “them,” however and whomever we categorize, is never a viable approach.

I am here for you as your minister for pastoral care and support. I am also here to support your learning and exploration of Unitarian Universalism and your own spiritual journey. You may find me in my office most days of the week and depending on the day, most times of the day. (It’s best to make an appointment to be sure I am available.) And when there is a crisis in your life and you need my presence, I can be reached 24/7.

If you have issues or concerns related to me, please give me the courtesy and respect of speaking directly to me about them. If you have questions about my contract, my purpose, my focus, please be in touch – it’s all open. There are no mysteries to be held about my presence here.

I am excited about the limitless possibilities for this church community – to be a powerful and effective religious community in the Hampton Roads area! To be a Beloved Community for our members and those with whom we partner. Let’s make it happen!

Blessed be.