Happy!

•

Happy!

Lucky me. Lucky us.

Rev-Linda-Hart
Rev. Dr. Linda A. Hart

I get to share the good news that the Rev. Dr. Linda A. Hart is a candidate to become the settled minister for the Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation!

In late January, a Task Force of five TUUC members convened conversations in which about 70 congregants:

  • discussed their experiences during Linda’s developmental ministry here,
  • expressed their wishes for the future of our community, and
  • shared their perspectives on Linda’s ministry with us.

The summary from the Task Force notes that our congregation believes “that because of Rev. Hart being our Developmental Minister for the past two plus years, we are in a better place and our future looks not only bright for TUUC, but for the community around us.” The Task Force recommended that we proceed with the process of calling Linda to be our settled minister.

The board wholeheartedly agreed and, with a round of applause and “yippees!,” passed a motion to invite Linda to candidate as a called minister for our congregation. This invitation is a formal step toward a congregational meeting – scheduled for noon on Sunday, March 5, 2017 – when members will vote on whether the Rev. Dr. Linda A. Hart should be called to serve as the church’s settled minister.

Here’s some of what the Task Force captured from our conversations:

  • Where we have gotten after two and one-half years of Linda’s ministry
    • TUUC is a fun place to be
    • The overall functioning of the church has greatly improved
    • There’s a feeling of unity in the congregation
    • Our minister has a higher profile in the community than any minister for years
    • Our congregation is now warm and welcome; solid, stable, safe
  • What we envision for the future of Tahoma UU Congregation
    • More small groups
    • Use TUUC space for community events and groups
    • Express our nurturing core: caring and affectionate
    • Life passage celebrations
    • More vibrant music; bring back the choir
    • More social justice outreach, where we offer protection to those in need
    • We’re more of a presence at community events and engage in other religious groups and interfaith groups
  • How Linda can move us toward this vision
    • She has interest and ability in management, membership growth, pastoral care, community outreach, conflict management, and social activism
    • She’s good a facilitating change
    • She’s hopeful and helps us be a hopeful congregation
    • She lives and loves without ego
    • Great in pulpit, has outreach skills, too, and a sense of humor
    • She welcomes and supports spiritual development
    • We trust her
    • Her life experiences give her great empathy for what people experience
    • She knows her own limits and when to step back
    • She knows how to motivate people

There’s more in the full report from the Task Force. We’ll make it available. I encourage you to read what we said to one another about these topics.

I ask to join me in expressing gratitude to the Task Force members: Bob Hays, Penny Douglas, Kathy Faris, Virginia Lane, and Nancy Tenbrink.

Finally, I remind members to attend the congregational meeting at noon on Sunday, March 5, 2017 to vote on whether Linda should be called to serve as TUUC’s settled minister.

 

Scott Redman

President, Board of Trustees