Greetings!                

            May I begin by expressing my appreciation to you for accepting the challenge of selecting an interim minister to walk with your congregation during its transition time.  

            As I prepared to introduce myself, I asked:  If I were in your position, what would I want to know about this person whose name has been given as a prospective Interim Minister?    "Can she preach?" is the first thing.   This link leads to audio and text versions of some recent sermons, and other pages provide examples of  meditations and projects in which I've engaged.  
   
            Next, I might ask, "Does she listen well?  Will she care about our stories and us?  Will she understand our unique context?  Is she approachable?"   

          Other questions might include, "What experience does she bring?  If we have difficult issues, will she help us deal with them? Can she help us deal with conflict?  Can she help us make sense of who we are and where we want (or need) to go?" 

Responses to these questions are harder to convey. This website offers an overview of my experience and education and introduces other aspects of my work. A detailed curriculum vitae is provided in my Ministerial Record Sheet, available to interim search committees through the Transitions Office of the Unitarian Universalist Association. I welcome the opportunity for telephone or Skype conversations, that might give you a better sense of my abilities and how they may connect with your congregation's particular needs.  I also encourage you to contact my references and any other sources to get a broader perspective.               

My approach to interim ministry is grounded in appreciation of the reality that each congregation is unique.  Yes, there are threads that may be productive to follow during your congregation's transition time.  The experience of many congregations during their interim period has distilled several "developmental tasks" that, when addressed, correlate with a successful next chapter of ministry. (Please click here for an overview of this concept of an interim process.)

                  Ultimately, the path you will walk with your Interim Minister will emerge from and be responsive to your congregation's particular identity and needs.  In interim ministry, as in all aspects of our UU life, one size -- and one approach -- cannot fit all.  Your context --  your congregation's recent and past history,  its size and vision, and the culture of your social and geographic location -- are all important contributors to the shape and content of your interim time.

                 This is why I like to spend the first weeks of an interim period in deep conversation with a cross-section of your members and lay leaders.  In this way, I hope not only to connect relatively quickly with the breadth of the congregation, but to gain a deeper understanding of your unique context as we begin our work.  It is important to me that all voices be heard -- the quiet as well as the lively, the young as well as the old.  As time goes on, I look forward to finding creative ways to engage with, for example, young adults, parents, retirees, children and youth, and to learning about their unique perspectives and dreams.   
 
                   I realize that you, as members of an Interim Search Committee, have accepted a significant responsibility at this important time in your congregation’s life.  As volunteers, you are bringing the best of yourselves to the service of the community for which you care.  This is the greatest gift any of us can give.  It would be a privilege for me to bring my best self to work with your congregation in your interim period.

                I will appreciate the opportunity of a scheduled interview, where we may explore together your congregation's needs in this interim period, and how they connect with the skills and gifts I have to offer. 

               If you have questions that warrant a more immediate response, please feel welcome to contact me at any time.

 Warmly,