Our search for an Acting Assistant Minister is underway!
As a reminder, “Acting” means we will hire an assistant minister for 3 years. We have the flexibility to hire the person at the end of the period if the relationship is working. “Assistant” means this role will be hired, not called, and the congregation will not vote on this hire. An Assistant Minister has less responsibility for vision and direction-setting than an Associate Minister. The Acting Assistant Minister will have a ‘Congregational Life’ portfolio of Membership and Pastoral Care, including small group ministry like Theme Circles, and Affinity Groups like The Chronologically Gifted.
Our Board-approved Acting Assistant Minister Search Team of lay leaders with expertise in the Acting Assistant Minister’s portfolio areas has been hard at work with Rev. Jennifer since October. We have prepared and shared our congregation’s record, reviewed and interviewed a batch of UU ministers interested in the position. Unfortunately, we can’t hire Ministerial Intern Steve Sieck. While he is wonderful, the UUA has a rule against internship congregations hiring their ministerial intern.
This month, we will do more in-depth interviews with our top candidates. We hope to make an offer in March. Once our offer is accepted, we will announce the new minister to the congregation. The new Acting Assistant Minister will begin serving in August of 2025.
Rev. Kimberlee and I are both happily rooted here at First Church and will continue to ground us in stability through this process. Rev. Kimberlee will be moving up in the hierarchy of Ministers at First Church in August, collaborating with me on vision and direction-setting for the congregation, much like Rev. Dena
Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom, Senior Minister