May 15, 2025

Dear Members and Friends of UUFEC,

I am honored and delighted to have been chosen by your Search Committee and the Board to be your next minister! In all my interactions with folks, in reading the materials your Search Committee prepared for applicants, and in hearing the sorts of questions that were posed to me, I consistently experienced a sense of warmth, commitment, and desire to move into the future wisely and courageously, all of which drew me to accept your offer.

As a hybrid ministry, this will be a new model for all of us, so l anticipate experimenting a bit with how we form our partnership and do our work together as we reach for a rhythm that is right for us, that makes good use of technology when we are apart, and that maximizes the opportunities for connection when we are together. Please know that I will not be a distant presence, but intend to engage with you fully, to get to know you and hear your dreams for your fellowship, to find creative ways to bring those dreams to fruition while ensuring we honor and hold fast traditions that continue to sustain you.

My ministry with you officially begins in mid-July; in the meantime, I am talking with other colleagues who have experience in hybrid ministry to learn ways of making it work well (and learn what is unlikely to work, so we can avoia repeating those mistakes), reflecting further on what I already know about you and where my presence and perspective are needed most, making a list of questions I’ll want to ask you. In beginning a new ministry, I typically come with lots of questions and do a lot of listening, because only when I know you well can I serve you effectively. And I invite you to ask any and all questions of me as we move along. I so look forward to our journey together. The world truly does need what we bring now, more than ever.

In faith, hope, and love
Rev. Kathy