For the past 10 months I have been on the San Francisco Unitarian Universalist Society’s Ministerial Search Committee. I have been reading hundreds of pages of sermons, philosophical statements, and background information from 34 ministers in the effort to identify the one who is the best match for our congregation.
The Committee has conducted telephone interviews and reference checks. We flew five top choices to San Francisco, and spent an intensive weekend with each of those ministers.
This morning our eight-person committee announced to the Congregation its unanimous recommendation: Reverend Gregory L. Stewart.
I’m excited and delighted.
Greg can communicate a Unitarian Universalist vision. That’s a delicate process, walking a tightrope between sounding too much like “organized religion” and sounding too much like liberal mush and spiritual dilettante-ism.
Reverend Gregory L. Stewart and Family
Today the Congregation learned of the Committee’s recommendation. On April 9th the Members vote on whether to extend a call to ministry to Greg.
Next Friday Greg and his family come to San Francisco for a week of introductions. He will preach next Sunday, April 2 at 11 and then again Sunday, April 9th.
After the service on the 9th, Members vote. Typically 85+% should vote in favor of calling the minister for the minister to accept. If the vote is successful, Greg will become our minister in August.
I’m very pleased… bursting in fact! I think we have a chance for a truly liberal religious message to be heard in the babble of divisive, scared self-righteousness that too often gets labeled as religion. It’s a message that people need to hear.
More information:
Congrats!
So does this mean you’re now free on Wednesday nights?
Soon! The next couple of weeks are filled with planning and introductions. After the Congregational vote we’re taking a couple weeks off. Then we’re doing a few (4, 5, ??) more meetings to tie up loose ends.
Right now having free nights sounds wonderful. I imagine that after few free ones, squaredancing will look like a fun way to spend the time.