Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Duluth
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<strong>Unitarian</strong> <strong>Universalist</strong> News <strong>of</strong> the Twin Ports<br />
August 2009<br />
In Medias Res *<br />
It’s August. I’ve been in <strong>Duluth</strong> a year now. It has gone quickly and you have accomplished so much! You are well<br />
settled in the new space, you hosted a fabulous Prairie Star District conference, your Ministerial Transition Team<br />
have walked you through a number <strong>of</strong> the congregation’s interim tasks, and your search committee is hard at work<br />
preparing your packet and getting ready to search for your new minister. Summer worship attendance has<br />
averaged about 50 per Sunday and your first garage sale in this garage was a smashing success.<br />
As we move into our second year together many things will be the same. We will continue working on the<br />
congregational interim tasks – exploring your history, clarifying your strengths and unique identity, building<br />
connections to your community and your district, developing infrastructure and training new leadership, and<br />
getting ready for the settled minister. This fall, that will mean working together to re-envision the adult portion <strong>of</strong><br />
your lifespan religious education/faith development programming and taking some time to develop a<br />
congregational covenant <strong>of</strong> right relations. UUCD is hosting the Interfaith Thanksgiving service this November and<br />
you can anticipate a congregational workshop titled “Beyond Categorical Thinking” which is a part <strong>of</strong> the Search<br />
process.<br />
At the same time that you will be entering search looking for a new minister, I will be entering search seeking a<br />
settled ministry. Beginning in October and running through the winter holidays there will be lots <strong>of</strong> phone calls<br />
and packet exchanges as the congregations and ministers in search get to know one another. Pre-candidating<br />
interviews begin in January and run through March or April – which means I will be away a fair amount in the<br />
winter and spring. Everything crescendos in April or May with a week long interview where minister and<br />
congregation meet and decide if there is a call. If all goes well, by the end <strong>of</strong> May you will call a settled minister<br />
and I will accept a call to a new congregation.<br />
The grand finale <strong>of</strong> our time together will be General Assembly next summer in Minneapolis. My personal goal is to<br />
persuade at least one quarter <strong>of</strong> the members <strong>of</strong> UUCD to attend (that’s somewhere between 50 and 60 people). I<br />
can imagine no better gift to leave for my successor than a congregation that has done its work and then been<br />
energized by the ideas and creativity unleashed at General Assembly.<br />
In the mean time, summer lingers with long days on the lakes. When you’re in town stop by and enjoy our<br />
second session <strong>of</strong> Sunday Morning Summer Camp from August 16- September 6 th . The theme is UU history and<br />
Identity.<br />
On Sunday September 13 th we move back to two services (at 9:30 and 11:30) and celebrate the beginning <strong>of</strong> our<br />
church year with the water ceremony. Don’t forget to collect some water from someplace you have been this<br />
summer! Have a wonderful August.<br />
Blessings, Gail<br />
Report from UUCD President,<br />
Kathy Heltzer<br />
By the time you read this we will be in August…so where did the summer go? Those <strong>of</strong> you who have been<br />
members or friends <strong>of</strong> UUCD may remember a time not so long ago that we all “took the summer <strong>of</strong>f,” closed our<br />
doors and all came back, more or less in September. Our minister headed for the cabin on Rainy Lake and UU<br />
visitors to <strong>Duluth</strong> were on their own. In case you have not noticed, those days are gone! Under the leadership <strong>of</strong><br />
our Interim Minister, Gail Marriner, we have had a very full summer <strong>of</strong> activities and worship here at UUCD<br />
including on site “summer camp” for kids and adult forums for adults as well as “Family Friendly Excursions” for<br />
anyone and everyone. Folks visiting <strong>Duluth</strong> have had a UU community to connect with and those <strong>of</strong> us who are<br />
here on the weekends have had an opportunity to stay connected with one another. I have to admit that I was<br />
initially skeptical that folks would show up but apparently the “if you build it they will come” philosophy is working<br />
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835 West College Street <strong>Duluth</strong>, MN 55811 218/ 724-0308 http://www.uuduluth.org
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