Rev. Juniper Meadows and the Board of Trustees have agreed to explore the path of settled ministry at Second Unitarian. Currently, Rev. Meadows is a “contract” minister. That is, she has signed a contract offered by the Board of Trustees on behalf of the congregation for a specified time. A “called” or “settled” minister is one who has been formally voted upon by the congregation to stay in relationship for an indefinite duration of time. The path of moving from contract to settled ministry is referred to as the “contract to call process.” It is often considered by a church after at least two years of contract ministry.

A “Call Task Force” has just recently been formed. Their role is to navigate the process and engage with members in discussions to help discern if the transition to settled ministry seems like a good fit. Together, the congregation and minister must assess whether vision, leadership, and financial resources are sufficiently robust to sustain settled ministry. After this period of discernment, which we expect to take place over the course of early spring and summer, a special vote of the congregation is held. For a minister to accept a call with a congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Transitions office recommends a positive vote of at least 90-95% of the membership.

The decision to call a minister is, to put it plainly – a big deal! It is one of the most important decisions a congregation makes together, deserving of thoughtful consideration and meaningful discussion. If the congregation votes to call a minister, and the minister feels called to be their minister, this special relationship is usually celebrated with a special installation ceremony, often attended by other UU ministers and supportive clergy.

We extend our deep gratitude to members of the Call Task Force for accepting the call to serve our congregation in guiding this process. Task force members: Carol Johnson, Lillie Sharp, Karen Hux, Laura Bergevin, Chris Peters, and Margo Miller.

The Board of Trustees recognizes the significance of this important decision in the life of our church. We welcome your questions and input. The Task Force and the Board will do our best to keep you informed of this process. We look forward to exploring together the possibilities of what lies ahead for Second Unitarian Church!

~ Your Board of Trustees