UNITY LEADERSHIP TRANSITION

 Unity Leadership Transition

4/25/23 UPDATE

As we move into a transitional time of self-leadership, we acknowledge that we must function together as a CommUnity in order to be successful. As Sue Riley’s song states, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me.” Each and every “me”. Dan Piekarsky will be scheduling guest speakers for Sunday services and workshops. We have rotating teams of service leaders and meditation leaders. Singers have been added to the music team. A Hospitality team is providing snacks after every Sunday service. Renovation of the chapel has begun by retiring some of the past artwork and searching for new visual inspiration. Designs for a focal point for the front wall of the chapel are being considered. A once-a-month child care program is being instituted, as a soft start to a renewal of our Youth and Family Ministries program. New events are being planned. Even though we are in a “waiting” period, our energy and creativity moves forward. The entire congregation has been invited to be a part of the search-for-a-new-minister process. An Executive Committee is preparing the application that needs to be submitted to Unity Worldwide Ministries, to access prospective candidates for our new minister. It is hoped that the application will be filed by the end of May. Once we begin receiving resumes of potential ministers, the entire commUnity will be invited to give their opinions and comments regarding resumes and interviews with each applicant. While we acknowledge that we desire a new minister as soon as possible, we also realize that it is more important to choose the RIGHT person for us. Thus, we move forward with the understanding that discernment from Spirit is paramount. We are willing to stop, listen, and pay attention to Spirit as we conduct our search. We are willing to step up, fulfill necessary duties and responsibilities, and grow ourselves individually and as a commUnity in this endeavor.

4/23/23 UPDATE

Rev. Nat Carter contracted with Unity of Bloomington to be our transitional minister from November 8, 2022 to April 30, 2023. His time here has brought new energy, new perspectives and new commitment to our commUnity. We are very grateful for Rev. Nat’s fresh look at our history, our routines and our goals for the future. Under his tutelage, we revised and updated our Mission statement, our Core Values and our Vision of who Unity of Bloomington really is. Projects that were shelved because of Covid restrictions now have been taken up again with renewed vitality. We have revised our By-laws. We have looked at the pieces of our history that have made us proud and the times when we learned hard-fought lessons. We are holding on to our successes and letting go of those feelings and attitudes that no longer serve us. Rev. Nat’s guidance has fostered a resurgence of attendance, participation and commitment to the renewed intentions that we have set for our future. As we move forward into a time of contemplation and searching for our next, right minister, we are confident that we know who we are, we are strong, and we are attracting the absolute best next spiritual leader for our commUnity.

10/11/22 UPDATE

WE HAVE A FINAL DRAFT OF OUR CONTRACT, which is winging its way electronically to our transitional minister as this update is written. The housing issue has been solved. Once the intention was set regarding finding appropriate housing, Spirit provided an empty house that was looking for a temporary winter resident. Nat Carter, our transitional minister, will be joining us on November 8. We are planning a Meet-and-Greet potluck get-together after the service on Sunday, November 13. Rev. Carter has spent a number of years as a Unity minister, with the last nine years as a transitional ministry specialist. We look forward to his expertise and guidance, as we prepare for a new chapter in the life of the Unity of Bloomington commUnity.

10/3/22 UPDATE

The Board held second interviews with both of our transitional minister candidates this past weekend. We have made our decision, the candidate has accepted our offer, and negotiations regarding the first draft of the contract are underway. Basic terms were agreed upon during the interviews, and we are pretty much on the same page, but we have to fine-tune things and put it on paper. It is expected that our transitional minister will begin in early November. As soon as we have a signed contract in hand, further details will be made public. We still are looking for possible housing opportunities, so if you know of any short-term housing available at a reasonable price, please talk to one of the Board members. We are grateful for your support and patience!

9/27/22 UPDATE

The Board now has interviewed two candidates for our transitional minister. Second interviews with both of them are anticipated for this weekend. We then will follow the guidance of Spirit in determining which candidate would fit the needs of Unity of Bloomington better. While having an experienced and trained transitional minister at the helm of our next chapter is important, the MOST important quality is the energy, attitude and participation of each and every one of us in the congregation. We saw a lot of vitality, interest and enthusiasm during the commUnity conversation with Rev. Stephanie, which will stand us in good stead as we move into the next phase of life for UOB. And the love and fond memories that exist surrounding our previous history was very evident at the 40th Anniversary party this past weekend. All good signs for our future! The Board appreciates very much your patience and your support through this process. We are looking forward to the next steps.

9/20/22 UPDATE

There was good attendance at the commUnity conversation with Rev. Stephanie Seigh last Sunday, with open hearts and willing minds! We realized that we need to do some revision and renewal work on the core values, vision and mission for UOB, so that will be one area of focus for the next few months. People were very vocal about the things they really like about UOB — the things we want to keep. And Rev. Stephanie talked a little more about the neutral zone, about releasing those things that are not on our “favorites” list. Rev. Stephanie’s formula for success is Look/See/Tell the Truth/Take Authentic Action. We know this transition time will be a time of change, and those who attended the conversation seemed to be ready and willing to make whatever changes are necessary for UOB to become a healthy center of spirituality. The Board will be holding a Zoom meeting with a potential transitional minister candidate this week. We are committed to the idea of finding the BEST FIT for Unity of Bloomington, so we set the intention to listen more than we talk, pay attention to what is said, and hold the space for Spirit to move in the mysterious way that brings us our highest and best good.

9/13/22 UPDATE

This Sunday, September 18, will be the “kickoff” for Unity of Bloomington’s transitional ministry. Most of our transition team is in place, and they will begin to learn and practice their new duties as of this coming Sunday. October 30 will be Ginger and Lynn’s “official” retirement date, so we have a few weeks to become more comfortable with transitional responsibilities. There are several Unity churches throughout the country currently in transition, so we need to be patient while we wait for a full-time transitional minister to be assigned to us. We are grateful for the transition team members who are willing to serve in the interim. As we wait, we are actively seeking a deeper understanding of who we are and what we want to see as the future of Unity of Bloomington. Rev. Stephanie Seigh, former Director of Peacemaking and Transitional Services for Unity Worldwide Ministries, will be our guest speaker this Sunday. After the service, she will lead an in-depth commUnity conversation about the culture, vision, and values that we envision for our future at UOB. Please plan to come and share your thoughts.

9/7/22 UPDATE

Within the next few days, emails and phone calls will be going out to many of you, hoping to fill the myriad duties that Lynn and Ginger accomplish each week. Not all possibilities have been matched yet, and we expect that several others will crop up as time goes on. But we are making progress, and we hope that you will say “yes” when you are called to a certain spot.

We are working on a survey, to be delivered via SurveyMonkey or paper/pen, depending upon your preference, looking for your opinions and thoughts regarding how you currently view Unity of Bloomington and how we want our commUnity to unfold in the near future. It would be helpful for our transitional minister to have at least a foundational idea of what our congregation expects, so please be thinking along these lines. We hope to have the survey ready within the next couple of weeks.

We also are working on a talent/skills survey, to get to know you better, and to develop an idea of where the rich resources within our commUnity lie.

Rev. Stephanie Seigh, former Director of Peacemaking and Transitional Services for Unity Worldwide Ministries, will be our guest speaker on September 18. She will offer a Leadership workshop after the service. ALL OF US ARE LEADERS in one way or another, and the workshop is free and open to all. Please plan to attend. Soup and snacks will be provided immediately after the service, and the 3-hour workshop will last until approximately 3:00 or 3:30. There will be a sign-up sheet in the lobby this Sunday, so we know how many to expect. If you are attending online this week, please hit the “Contact Us” button or send us an email to ministry@unityofbloomington.org if you plan to attend. We are NOT able to offer the workshop online, so please plan to attend in person. The Board is grateful for your continued support as we navigate these changes.

9/1/22 UPDATE

The Board has started trying to match up people in our congregation with the duties that will need to be filled upon Ginger and Lynn’s retirement. We are meeting on a weekly basis right now, and hope to have at least a preliminary idea of specific tasks needed and who might be able to be part of a team to fill each of them within the next couple of weeks. If we “divide and conquer”, asking many people to take on just one small task, we will not just survive, but we will THRIVE throughout the upcoming transition. So, Board members and Jonna Capio (who has agreed to be the co-ordinator for this Leadership Team) will be making phone calls during the first couple of weeks of September, asking for you to agree to take on one specific task for awhile. As my Ozark Hills grandma used to say, “Somebody is YOUR middle name!”. And we will need a LOT of “somebodies” to keep things running smoothly. Please say “YES” when you are contacted. Training and resources for each job will be provided to you, and Jonna and the Board will be available for backup, follow-up, questions and anything that you need to be successful. It takes a village, and Unity of Bloomington is one of the BEST!

8/27/22 Update

The Board is meeting on a weekly basis for awhile, to make sure that transition issues are addressed as smoothly as possible.  Jonna Capio has agreed to be the co-ordinator for the Transition Team.  She has many years of experience in the communications field, has been a member of UOB for many years, was on the Board during a previous ministry transition, and currently has a practice as a mental health counselor.  Her wide range of skills makes her an excellent person to head this team.   

We have contacted Unity Worldwide Ministries and have requested a full-time Transitional Minister.  It is our understanding that this role is a temporary position, usually a year.  The Transitional Minister has specialized training specifically to assist congregations in transition.  He/she  will help us decide who we want to be as Unity of Bloomington, how we need to adjust our “churching” to be successful in a changed technological society, and how we can financially support our goals. 

We don’t really have an idea yet of how long it will take to have a Transitional Minister assigned, as it will depend upon who is available and how we can negotiate contract specifics.  We do know that whomever comes to us will need somewhere to live.  If anyone in our commUnity has a guest suite, a mother-in-law apartment, an Air BNB, an empty house, or anything else that you would be willing to rent to our Transitional Minister at a reasonable rate, please click the button on our Contact Us page.  Housing in Bloomington is a real issue, so any help that someone could give in this area would be greatly appreciated, and could make a difference in how quickly we are able to have someone assigned to us.   

We sent out a letter to all of our commUnity over the weekend by snail mail.  If you have not received a letter from UOB, that means we don’t have your correct address.  If that is the case, please update us using the button on our Contact Us page and send us a note with your name, snail mail address, email address and phone number.  We want to make sure our records are up to date, so that everyone is kept in the loop. And if you are strictly an on-line viewer, we still consider you part of our Unity of Bloomington commUnity. Please use the Contact Us page and introduce yourselves with your contact information and anything else about yourself that you would like to share.  Thank you!

A special message about the future of our Spiritual Leadership

Q: Are both Lynn and Ginger leaving their positions?
A: Yes.

Q: Are they both leaving Unity of Bloomington?
A: Ginger and Lynn are not leaving the Unity of Bloomington spiritual family. They are leaving their staff positions only. They will remain as part of the UOB spiritual family. Their participation will just look a little different for a while.

Q: How soon?
A: Over the coming weeks and months.

Q: How does this affect me?
A: With guidance from our Regional Representative and the Unity Worldwide Ministries Transitional Ministry team, the Board will engage the congregation in determining our priorities and what we want in the way of new leadership. Your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions are extremely valued and will be very important. Please share and participate in the coming discussions.

Q: How does this affect the church?
A:  The Board is planning a process that will engage the congregation to confirm our priorities and to engage new leadership. 

Q: What is planned?

  • Rev. Greg Coles, our regional Unity representative, has been informed.

  • The Board will meet with Rev. Tony Boehm, leader of Unity Worldwide Ministries Transitional Ministry Program, who will provide guidance for us in our process.

  • The Board will seek out the guidance of you, our members, as an integral part of this process.

  • The Board will form a Leadership Team to share the duties presently performed by Lynn and Ginger to maintain our regular functions and Services during the transition.

  • The Board will form a Search Team to seek out new leadership.

 Q: Is the church healthy?
A: The church has been and remains healthy with a solid footing, both Spiritually and financially.

Q: Where can I find updated information?
A: Ask any Board Member. You may find their names on this page.