Our Interim Minister

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Created on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 14:21

Reverend Dr. Elaine Beth Peresluha

Read more: Our Interim Minister

Ministerial Search Committee

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Created on Sunday, 12 December 2010 16:05

Why and Who

First Parish in Concord is in search for a minister to replace the Reverend Gary E. Smith who retired in June 2011.

Members of the Ministerial Search Committee were nominated by the Standing Committee and elected by a Congregational vote on November 14, 2010 and have determined the following responsibilities.

How a Search Works

Our job during the 2011-2012 church year is to gather input from the First Parish community on its interests, priorities, and dreams. We will then synthesize that information into a packet that reflects the unique character of our church. Prospective ministers will review that packet to decide if they are a good match for our ministerial vacancy. During the 2012-2013 church year, our committee will review the candidates who demonstrate interest and make a selection of the person we feel best reflects what our congregation says it wants. In the spring of 2013 our selected minister will candidate at First Parish for a week and then be voted on by the full congregation.

To download a more detailed timeline outlining our search process, click HERE.

Coming February 2012:

Search Committee members and members of the Parish Interim Team (PIT) will co-facilitate listening sessions with parishioners, to identify our congregation's goals and hopes for the future. Please be sure to attend at least ONE session. Every voice is important.

Work to Date:

 As of January 19, 2012, the Ministerial Search Committee has met 14 times, including:

1. Meetings with the Reverend Elaine Peresluha (2)

2. Meeting with the Reverend Sue Phillips, the District Executive for the UUA

3. Meeting with the Reverend Keith Kron, our ministerial settlement representative (MSR).

4. A day long retreat with Keith Kron during which we learned more about our personality types and work styles, assigned responsibilities, and determined how we will make decisions.

5. Meetings with the Parish Interim Team to discuss roles and responsibilities.

Our committee is currently awaiting an official charge from the Standing Committee.

Committee Decisions Reached:

• The selection of a ministerial candidate must be unanimous. Our primary goal in making all important decisions will be to reach consensus. Lesser decisions will be made by a 6-2 majority.
• During the 2011-12 church year, committee representatives will co-facilitate (with the Parish Interim Team) congregational discussions related to our church's future so that we can listen first-hand to what parishioners want.
• We will create and conduct a survey of the congregation to collectively define a vision for First Parish in the future. Look for this survey in the spring of 2012.
• We are visiting other UU churches to sample the breath of ministerial styles in the wider UU world.
• We cannot officially begin a search until the Standing Committee gives us an official charge, telling us to search for either a Senior Minister, one collaborative minister or two collaborative ministers. While we await that charge, we will continue to meet to get to know each other better and learn more about the congregation and the search process.
• We are going to remain at 8 members, rather than add a 9th.
• We asked the Standing Committee to appoint a separate committee to hire an Interim Minister. Traditionally the committee that hires the Interim then becomes that minister's support committee while he/she is at First Parish. The Ministerial Search Committee did not want the dual responsibility of supporting the Interim Minister while looking for a settled minister. A subcommittee of the Standing Committee will hire the Interim Minister. With the decision of the Standing Committee to hire an Interim Minister for 2 years, the Search Committee will likely be looking to settle a new minister at First Parish in the fall of 2013.

Christmas Greetings from Székelykeresztúr

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Created on Thursday, 24 December 2009 00:00

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Last time I wrote about the idea of fundraising, about the first donations and about our joy and enthusiasm. Since then we have met with many young, adult, worker and retired founders and our joy has multiplied. Now we have sent you $10,500. Take this donation with the love we have in our hearts. With the money I send my Christmas greeting as well. I wish you beautiful celebrations, a peaceful New Year and blessing on your lives.

József, Anna and the congregation of Székelykeresztúr.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Christmas greeting!

Because of some miracle when Christmas arrives there is a deep silence around us – and maybe inside us. The advent period has been beneficial. The four weeks and the four Sundays forewarned us that Jesus of Nazareth will arrive and will knock at the door of our houses and hearts. He knocked every day during the advent period. And we needed silence to hear his knocking, to open the door of our hearts, to recognize and welcome him.

On Christmas Eve the annunciation nestled us into sleep: the hope of life was born. We closed our eyes in our warm homes surrounded by our family’s love. In our dreams we could relive the Christmas story and we could listen to the angels together with the shepherds: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to all people.”

Then Christmas Day arrives. And we can share our joy, happiness and love with our families, friends with those who are pleased and who are in need, with healthy and sick people. We share the festive sentiment brought by the sounds of the ringing bells which tells us: People of Concord and Székelykeresztúr do not be afraid! I call you with my brazen voice to share the joy of the birth of the child, of the prophet who is teaching the gospel of love.

And now again he is standing in front of the door knocking and asking for admission. Where he steps in, there life and thought essentially changes.

Vision is changing, because we find other things more important than before.

Thinking is changing, because something else will become more essential than before.

Life is changing, because we do things otherwise than before.

We would like this kind of quiet and peaceful Christmas otherness, wouldn’t we? Let’s listen and live with it and if we do, these miracles will happen. And the way in which our children, wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, neighbors, friends will look at us will be a miracle as well. And if they ask if it is possible to think and live otherwise, we can happily answer them, yes, because it is Christmas.

But just at this time? This is my question today to myself, to us, to you, my brother.

Christmas fair is over, Christmas passes by, manger cradle is taken apart, christmas tree decorations are taken down and put away for the next year. But will this happen to our Christmas hearts as well? What about thinking and living otherwise? It’s up to us if we put it away or we take with us to the New Year.

Before Christmas passes by we should think and pray for this. That’s what I do myself.

May our Christmas be blessed and the New Year happy and peaceful.

Auction 2009 Photos

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Created on Sunday, 15 November 2009 00:03

First Parish Auction 2009 photos are up!

Stoney Ballard's pictures are here.