Accredited Interim Minister ~ Unitarian Universalist
Your minister is leaving.
You've been told it can take
as long as 24 months before
your new minister arrives.
What do you do now?
You are in an Interim Time -- by definition, a period of transition. One chapter of your congregation's life is ending (or has ended), and the next will soon begin. The time between is a "liminal" period, not-quite-this, not-yet-that, rich with opportunities for deeper understanding and creative approaches to congregational issues. Your liminal time can be a positive transition, where seeds are planted, hopes are voiced, visions articulated, and positive energy nurtured.
Working with an accredited interim minister is one path to positive transition.
* An interim minister can be a companion and advisor as you come to terms with the changes your congregation is experiencing. She (or he) will help you honor your history, while facilitating needed conversations, and lifting challenges gently but directly into the light.
* She will view your congregation with clear eyes, giving you an honest assessment of your strengths and an appreciation for areas with potential for positive change.
* She will offer comptent professional ministry and deep personal caring, providing a thread of continuity in a time of change. Your interim minister will help your congregation be aware of its connection to the wider fabric of our movement and our collective ministry.
* She will help you nurture and enrich your worshiping and working community during the transition period.
* She will walk with you on the path of expanding your congregation's perceptions and identity, as together you seek to live out UU principles in creating a just and inclusive world.
* As you deem necessary, an interim minister can work with you to deepen your stewardship, review and strengthen your governance structures, nurture lay leadership, enhance your board and/or staff's performance and morale, and prepare for your next chapter of ministry.
These things are part of what you might accomplish by working together during a period of interim ministry.
Then, at the end of the appointed time, an interim minister will join you in celebrating your opportunities -- and, with respect and caring, she will move on. For that is the nature of an interim time -- it comes to an end when your next chapter is ready to begin.
A selection of sermons
Connect to Maureen's profile on Linkedin.com
Visit Maureen's Facebook page
Rev. Dr. Maureen Killoran has a passion for interim ministry, and for being part of a community as it makes the most of its times of change.
"Transition is about people moving toward something new," she says. "It can be a time of anxiety, even for those who are generally comfortable with change. As I complete my sixth year of interim ministry, I am grateful for the continuing opportunity to partner with congregations as they prepare for their next chapter of ministry."
Maureen believes there is no single "right way" to engage an interim time, or to be together as a religious community. Perhaps especially during transition, a congregation's joys, sorrows, playfulness, and challenges continue. The life of a congregation is ongoing -- and each community is unique.
As Maureen puts it, "In addition to organizational competence, congregations have the right to expect their interim minister to come ready to care about them, both as individuals and as a community. One of my joys is entering a congregation with my heart open, ready to connect in shared ministry."
In 26 years of ministry, Maureen has served congregations in two countries and seven US states, ranging in size from a large congregation of over 700 to an intimate group of 40.
She understands congregational size dynamics, growth
issues, and the sensitive complications and conflicts that sometimes emerge during transition times. Maureen has worked with a range of governance systems, from policy-based governance to committee-led structures. She enjoys facilitating effective and congenial staff teams.
To this base of experience and skills, Maureen brings creativity, energy, intuition, and deep commitment to the diversity of our religious heritage.
* "She is fully authentic in her sermons, combining intellectual depth and an understanding heart with excellent delivery."
* "Maureen is committed to the congregation as a whole - children as well as adults, elders as well as youth. She has been an effective advocate for our families and religious education programs."
* "She accepts the hard task of speaking truths we need to hear," reports another congregant, "and she does it with love."
* "I am particularly impressed with her grasp of governance systems as networks of humans with full lives and concerns that are not limited to the church," said a board member.
Maureen cherishes this comment from a lay leader with whom she worked: "It isn't any one thing she did, or any one technique she used, but after two years of working with Rev. Maureen, our highly conflicted congregation has accomplished significant healing and is ready for a healthy and vibrant future."
