An Authentic Life 1.1 for pdf - Universalist Radha-Krishnaism

In my senior year, I started applying for a position
to begin after graduation. A UCC advisor said,
“If you want to get a church quickly right out of
seminary, apply in the Midwest. There are many
small churches looking for pastors.”
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I applied to churches in the Midwest, on both coasts,
as well as campus and justice ministries. I did a telephone
interview with a church in Clinton, Iowa. Then
they flew me there for a face to face interview.
I took many pictures to show Geraldine since
she was skeptical about moving there. Clinton is an
old industrial town on the Mississippi about 45 miles
north of Davenport and about an hour and a half
drive west of Chicago. American flags and yellow
ribbons all around town didn’t bode well.
The Community Congregational Church was
on the north end of town next to a funeral home. The
parsonage was on a side street behind the church, and
then the large church school and office building was
across the alley. The church had about 250 members.
I was lodged at the Best Western Motel, hosted
by and interviewed by the search committee. I told
them I was only interested in working there if they
were open to serious changes that would allow them
to attract new, young members. They needed to become
a mission oriented church. I warned them about
my progressive views and made them aware of my
background. They said I was who they were looking
for. I said OK.
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