In late-breaking news, the April Anchor reported that, based on the mandate received as a result of discussions at the congregational Open Forum March 14, the Board approved on March 27 an Interim Search Committee (ISC) Charter and appointed Vicki Pepper Committee Chair. On behalf of UNMC the Board also applied to the UUA Settlement Office seeking an Interim Minister. The ISC Charter is posted on the bulletin board near the UNMC library and can be reviewed on this website.
In accordance with the Committee's charter, in late March and early April the Chair discussed the Committee’s role, responsibilities, and timeline with several interested Church members. After these discussions, the chair recommended, and at the Board's regular April meeting, the Board approved members David Skidmore, Mary Templeton, Tom Curteman, and Georgia McKenna to join Vicki to serve on this Committee. The Committee will need to be flexible in working together to accommodate diverse and busy schedules over the next several weeks, but all members are committed to discharging faithfully ISC’s important assigned task.
The Chair spoke with Nancy Hezlitt, Assistant to the Director of the UUA Settlement Office in Boston, who advised that UNMC was one of the first churches to apply for an interim minister, noting that Director John Weston had extended the April 1 deadline. She also advised that Rev. Weston planned to hold the annual Accredited Interim Minister (AIM) Seminar from April 12-15, and that he hoped to match up available candidates and churches soon thereafter. Therefore, Boston should identify to UNMC a handful of qualified candidates by late April or early May. In a separate conversation with JPD Executive the Rev. Richard Speck, the Chair learned that several ministers already have expressed interest in UNMC’s interim position to him. Rev. Speck recommended that the Committee stay in touch through the interim search process, and has offered his ongoing assistance.
Committee and Board preference would be to identify for UNMC a suitable UUA minister who is trained and certified as an Interim Minister, but the paramount concern of Church leadership is finding UNMC the right minister with the best skillset possible to help lead us through this important transitional period in the life of our community of faith. The Committee currently is working on putting together UNMC's informational package, which will be sent to select interested Interim Minister candidates.
To obtain congregational ideas and input for our process, the Interim Search Committee invites any interested UNMC members to attend an ISC meeting scheduled before worship at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 2. We will plan to meet in the Library, but can find a larger room if attendance so requires. The Committee also is developing a simple written survey to provide an alternative means of obtaining input from the congregation, and encourages all UNMC members to take the time to respond to this short survey promptly when it becomes available.
The Interim Search process is simpler and streamlined as compared with the process of searching for a permanent settled minister, and the Committee's goal is to identify, screen, and interview qualified candidates, and to forward a recommendation to the Board by June 30. Due to the nature of its work, a degree of confidentiality must surround the Committee's process in order to protect the personal privacy interests of individual ministers as well as the sensibilities of congregations particular candidates currently may be serving. But within such constraints, parishioners should feel free to contact ISC members with questions and concerns regarding UNMC's interim search process.
The Committee will continue to keep the Board and congregation apprised of its activities.
As of press time: The UUA had identified the first tranche of candidates for UNMC's Interiim Ministry to the ISC. More from the Committee next month.