March 9, 2016

Dear Members and Friends of UU Petaluma,

Serving as your minister is the greatest joy of my life.  I am enlivened by being in relationship with you.  You have loved and challenged me to grow into the minister that I am.  And so it is very hard to tell you that after deep discernment I have decided to conclude my time with you at the end of June.

This choice has not come easily.  We have been together for nearly five years.  I will miss every aspect of being your minister. I have shed many tears in coming to this decision and will shed many more as the reality comes closer.  I know it is right for me at this time in my life and I pray you will experience it as a proper decision for the life of the congregation.

As I witnessed the Congregational Meeting at the end of January the message was unmistakable: UUP is thriving.  The energy that had been going into choosing a new home is now flowing into Fun and Fellowship, Chalice Circles, volunteering in Religious Education, new Worship Associate voices, Social Justice and more.  The Board’s commitment to developing a covenant of right relations, with the support of the Committee on Shared Ministry, and to articulating the sharing of responsibilities between congregational leaders and your minister will help that energy flow ever more smoothly.

I will turn 65 in April and my sweetheart of almost 25 years will turn 72.  It is time for both of us to pare back our work commitments. We are looking forward to having more time together.  And I must admit the deaths in the past year of two people, both very dear to me and both younger than I am, has pushed me to give serious attention to these age thresholds.

As you consider what’s next in your journey from a family to a pastoral size congregation, it is a perfect time to identify what you now need and want from a professional minister – to take your time, to be in conversation with each other, to seek guidance from within and from the wider Unitarian Universalist community.

You will have the resources of the Pacific Western Region and the Transitions Office of the UUA to support you in your discernment.  You have a thoughtful and capable Board of Trustees and Committee on Shared Ministry to lead the way.  All of you together are on the cusp of your next growth spurt.  After June, I will be watching from afar, cheering you on.

In the meantime, and until my last day with you, I continue to be your minister, giving my energy and care to worship and pastoral care, music and religious education, chalice circles and social justice, membership, stewardship, communications – whatever is required.

I am here to answer any questions you may have about my decision and to support the Board and the Committee on Shared Ministry as they work with you to chart the steps for a smooth transition.  In the days and weeks to come, let us be in conversation with each other.

In faith and love,

Reverend Mary