[cuc-uumoc] Ministerial Transitions - Cross-Country check-up

[Mary Bennett]

Hi,
This is an additional message this month (usually on the 5th) as I've
received some updates to ministerial transitions.
If you know of any errors or omissions, please send to me as soon as
possible.
 
--------------------
June 29, 2006

 


Ministerial Transitions in Canada


Cross-Country Check-up


There is an unprecedented number of ministerial transitions across Canada
right now. Some congregations are about to settle new ministers after an
interim period; others are in search - either for interim ministers and/or
settled ministers and some are still discerning what next steps to take
following the end or anticipated end of a professional ministry.

 


>From coast to coast: 


Eastern Region


Rev. Dr. John Baros-Johnson is ending his ministry with the Universalist
Unitarian Church of Halifax after 8 years. 

Unitarian Church of Montreal, following Rev. Ray Drennan's move to
Bouctouche, NB to open a "spiritual retreat centre" with partner, Ann
Vickers, are just completing a one-year interim ministry with Rev. Peter
Boullata, who felt his call to ministry while a member there and who
attended Emmanuel College at University of Toronto. 

Diane Rollert was voted as their 11th minister (and first woman minister) at
a congregational meeting on April 30. 

In the fall, Lakeshore Unitarian ordained Rev. Heather Fraser Fawcett. 

Ottawa First ordained Debra Faulk, their intern minister for this year on
May 17 and George Buchanan, a long-time member of their congregation on
Friday, June 2. 

Their associate minister, Rev. Lee Devoe, has resigned to take an interim
ministry position in the U.S. Rev. Brian Kopke has announced his retirement
next August, 2007.

Ottawa Fellowship have just announced the hiring of Rev. Frances Deverell as
a half-time consulting minister for the 2006-07 church year while they
continue in search for a settled minister. This follows a year where Leela
Sinha who had previously been the intern minister at Ottawa First served
them. 

 


Central Region


Don Heights Unitarian Congregation in Toronto called Rev. Debra Faulk to be
their full-time settled minister. This follows three years of interim with 2
different UU interim ministers and most recently Dr. Marvin Anderson as a
facilitator. 

After Rev. Anne Treadwell's retirement in December, 2004, Waterloo
congregation was lay-led for six months and have had a one-year interim
minister since September with Rev. Roberta Haskin. They have announced that
(Rev.?) Felicia Urbanski will be their Interim Minister in the coming year.

Toronto First have had a one-year interim minister with the Rev. Mark
Allstrom who was a summer minister there 20 years earlier. Rev. Janet Newman
will be joining them for a second one-year ministry. 

Peterborough have had two years' of interim ministry and have selected Rev.
Peter Boullata to do another one-year of interim ministry with them for the
2006-07 church year. 

All three congregations are continuing the search for settled (full-time
ministry) while also preparing for an additional year of interim ministry. 

Karen Fraser Gitlitz of BC (and on the CUC board recently) will be going to
Hamilton to be their first intern minister starting in September, 2006.

 


Western Region


Lakehead Unitarian in Thunder Bay have had the benefit of professional
ministerial leadership from Julie Stoneberg during the past year during
which attendance and membership have grown considerably. Lakehead Unitarian
Fellowship, in conjunction with First Universalist Unitarian Church of
Wausau, WI, ordained Julie Saturday, June 3, 2006 at the First Unitarian
Church of Duluth. Julie is continuing with them on a contract basis. 

Winnipeg's minister Rev. Susan van Dreser will be leaving the church after
17 years this summer. Winnipeg have applied to the Unitarian Universalist
Association for an interim minister. 

Rev. Frances Deverell resigned from Saskatoon as of March 31, 2006.
Saskatoon have also moved to a new building and last year, their DRE, Laura
MacNaughton left for a job in Edmonds, Washington. 

Westwood Unitarian (Edmonton) has had half-time professional leadership
support from Reinie Heydemann during the past year. Reinie is moving to
Nanaimo. Westwood and UCEdmonton have had shared supervision by Rev. Brian
Kiely of an intern for 4 of the past 5 years. Marguerite Robbins will be
joining Westwood as intern minister while they begin a search for settled
ministry.

 


BC Region 


Rev. Linda Weaver-Horton who left North Shore last summer has been on
contract with Kelowna Fellowship for the past year. They have mutually
agreed to extend the contract for a second year. 

Rev. Wendy McNiven who resigned from the Kelowna group last summer, has been
serving the Kamloops Fellowship on a contract basis that has been renewed
for the coming church year. .

Elisabeth Bailey will be moving from Lunenberg, Nova Scotia, to join South
Fraser Unitarian Church in Surrey, BC, as of January, 2007 as a half-time
professional minister. South Fraser have been in transition longer than
most, creatively contracting with professional ministers on both sides of
the Canada-US border during their search. 

North Shore Unitarian is completing a one-year interim ministry with Rev.
Alicia McNary-Forsey previously of Starr King School for Ministry. President
Jill Whitford states their appreciation for Alicia's ministry on this part
of their journey. Rev. Dr. Shirley Ranck will be serving the congregation
for a second one-year interim minister as they search for a settled minister
to start in 2007. 

On Vancouver Island, Rev. Jane Bramadat, minister of First Victoria reports
that she will be supervising intern Marion Stewart, a ministerial student
attending Meadville Lombard seminary. She will be doing a joint internship
with Nanaimo and First Victoria. This past year, Jen Devine has been an
intern with First Victoria and Capital UU (Victoria).

 

Many of these congregations have more details on their own websites or in
their newsletter. You can find congregational website information at
http://www.cuc.ca/congregations/index.htm

 
Take care,
 
Mary Bennett, Executive Director
CANADIAN UNITARIAN COUNCIL
www.cuc.ca <http://www.cuc.ca/>    1-888-568-5723
Mary's in Vancouver till end of August - 604-617-0142
 
CUC Annual Conference and meeting 2007 will be the largest ever. Over the
summer we are finalizing various details and will post on the web regularly.
Reservations for accommodation at UBC - the conference site--will open July
15/06. 
http://www.cuc.ca/conference/2007/index.htm.