WHO IS YOUR MINISTERIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE?

We are a KSU psychology professor, a former professor of communication and two former elementary-school teachers. We are a working journalist, a Kinko’s design specialist, a former NASA engineer, a former KSU vice provost and a longtime interim minister who has served congregations in seven states.

“What really stands out is this particular group’s dedication

and their determination to see a full picture.”

_{— Committee chair Kathie Slater, former member of the search committee that brought us Rev. Melissa}

We are the father of a young child and mothers of grown adults who went all the way through UUCK Religious Education. We are Summer Institute groupies and never-beens. We are former or current members of the care team, the social-justice committee, the finance committee, the centennial committee, the religious-education committee, the board of trustees — two of us were moderator and the search committee that brought us Rev. Melissa. We are UUCK greeters and pancake-makers, photograph-takers and choir members, instrumentalists, worship associates, Sacred Song Circle singers and former co-chairs of the capital campaign. We bring seasoned UUCK voices with as many as 53 years’ membership and new eyes with only one.

In short, your 2017 Ministerial Search Committee is a diverse group with a variety of talents, skills and interests and at least one important thing in common: Dedication to the task at hand.

“I am just really impressed with the dedication and the energy people are putting into this search process,” says committee chair Kathie Slater. “It’s not just that they want to do the job. They want to do the job incredibly well.”

Your search committee was chosen through a careful process that began with every member of the church being asked to electronically submit the names of up to three nominees. Any member who didn’t submit a recommendation was personally contacted. Some 70 people were nominated, many of them multiple times, by the congregation.

The UUCK Leadership Development Committee and members of the board of trustees gave careful consideration to these recommendations, also to personally expressed interest, skill sets and diversity. Ultimately 12 people were contacted to serve. A few people, most notably folks with young families, turned down the nomination because of the time commitment required; each member of the committee must be prepared to work 250-400 hours during the one-year search process. (Look for a timeline soon in the social hall to let you know exactly what we hope will happen during this year, as we head toward Fall 2018 and a new settled minister!)

One month into committee work, indeed, and your search committee of nine is right on schedule, having finished the interview portion of its Voices of the UUCK project. Some 69 people, more than one-third of the church, were interviewed one-on-one (19), in focus groups (44 participants in 11 groups) and by questionnaire (six).

Next up is a survey, which is being carefully crafted by internal experts and likely will be used as a model in UU searches throughout the nation, Kathie said. Supervised by MSC member Becky Cline, a former KSU professor of communication, it is a tool that must diligently ask the right questions to present a true picture of the church for incoming ministerial applicants.

Next up: The Voices of the UUCK survey.

Watch this space for details to learn how you and your beloved church community

can benefit from your participation.  (There will be prizes!)

“The church has entrusted us to make the best decisions. And from the looks of this committee and how they are working together, they take that trust seriously,” says Kathie.

As always, your search committee welcomes ideas, questions, comments and concerns. We are sincere when we say we are here to serve you.

Your ministerial search committee members are:

     Kathie Slater, chair
     Becky Cline
     Don Easterling
     Saul Flanner
     Bonnie Harper
     Debra-Lynn Hook
     Kathy Kerns
     Rod Thompson
     Gene Wenninger

 

 

 

SEARCH-COMMITTEE FOCUS GROUPS ALMOST DONE!

“We are here, and we are listening.”

Stage One of the church-wide listening project “The Voices of the UUCK,” is almost complete, as the Ministerial Search Committee (MSC) finishes focus groups this weekend.

Once these final focus groups are done, the MSC will begin compiling notes from all groups and individual interviews, with particular attention on the identity and needs of the congregation as expressed by all of you, as well as the skills and qualities you deem most important in the next minister.

We will also begin work on Stage Two, an all-important church-wide survey. No need to sharpen your pencils yet: The survey won’t be ready for distribution for a few weeks, and we’ll let you know well in advance through e-mail, E-nUUs and the Sunday bulletin.

We are grateful, meanwhile, up to this point and beyond, for your voices. Your stories, thoughts, ideas and concerns, provided through focus groups; one-on-one interviews; and eventually, the survey, will be front and center as we compile the all-important “congregational record.” This record is what will tell the story of our beloved church to prospective ministerial candidates.

As always, we welcome your questions, and we thank you for your participation and your patience.

Here’s to a new settled minister in the pulpit by Fall of 2018!

 

Your ministerial search committee members are:

     Kathie Slater, chair
     Becky Cline
     Don Easterling
     Saul Flanner
     Bonnie Harper
     Debra-Lynn Hook
     Kathy Kerns
     Rod Thompson
     Gene Wenninger

 

 

 

Focus groups still need your voice!

Your search committee is here, and we are listening.”

 

Your search committee is pleased to note “Voices of the UUCK” is on schedule as we continue to gather thoughts, ideas, stories and data for a comprehensive packet that will tell the story of our church for ministerial applicants.

All individual interviews with a sample of lay leaders and staff have been complete, notes Voices leader Becky Cline. And focus groups with a sample of committees, boards and general membership, as well as specific groups like parents of young children, are continuing through July 23. Focus groups are still open for signup by e-mailing Becky Cline; individual sign-up times listed below, are:

• Open-invitation group: Saturday, July 15, 1-3 p.m., Fessenden Hall. (Please sign up by noon Friday, July 14.)
• Parents of young children: Sunday, July 16, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Fessenden Hall.Special note: Child care is available. (Please let Becky know when you sign up, also by noon Friday, July 14, if you are bringing children.)
• Parents of youth/middle schoolers: Friday, July 21, 7-9 p.m., Fessenden Hall. (Please sign up by noon Thursday, July 20, and bring your youth to the annex for their own focus group and pizza!)
• Youth/middle schoolers: Friday, July 21, 7-9 p.m., Annex. (Please sign up by noon Thursday, July 20.) Pizza will be provided!

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FAQ: Is the interview the same as the survey I keep hearing about?

No, the interview is a pre-cursor to the survey that will be distributed later this summer. The survey, while much more detailed, will include numerous closed, short-answer questions, while the interview is a smaller number of open-ended questions, which will allow individual voices to emerge. Each member and friend of the UUCK is being asked to participate in both, as both are important in preparing the document that will most authentically describe our beloved church for ministerial applicants.

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“I hope a lot of parents show up for our group,” Religious Education Coordinator and mother of two young children, Colleen Haines Thoele, told the committee. “It is so important for parents and caregivers to share their hopes with this committee. Not just so that our voices are heard, but the voices of our children, too.”

Folks unable to attend one of the focus groups may pick up a paper questionnaire, which contains the same questions being asked in face-to-face interviews and groups. Questionnaires will be available in Founders Lounge after worship this Sunday, July 16, or by contacting Voices coordinator Becky Cline. Questionnaires should be returned to any search-committee member by July 23.

Becky, along with the full search committee, wants the congregation to know how grateful the committee is for all participation. Not only did staff and lay leaders readily agree to be interviewed, but several church members agreed to help with facilitating, note-taking and recruiting for the interview and focus-group processes. Shout-outs to Elaine Bowen, Don Easterling, Bonnie Harper, Kim Homsher, Debra-Lynn Hook, Kathy Kerns, Patty Miller, Susan Poole-Wilke, Carolyn Andrews Schlemmer, Susanna Smart, Shana Jane Steinhouse, Colleen Haines Thoele, and of course, Becky Cline, for their help.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

– Margaret Mead

 

Your ministerial search committee members are:

     Kathie Slater, chair
     Becky Cline
     Don Easterling
     Saul Flanner
     Bonnie Harper
     Debra-Lynn Hook
     Kathy Kerns
     Rod Thompson
     Gene Wenninger

 

 

UPDATE FOR MEMBERS ATTENDING SUMMER INSTITUTE (SI):
 
In addition to the open interview times taking place at the church next week, there will be two open interview sessions at SI!  They will be:

• Tuesday July 11 from 3:15 to 4:45PM (late afternoon workshop time slot) in room 254 in the Science Center
• Wednesday July 12 from 1:30 to 3PM (early afternoon workshop time slot) in room 254 in the Science Center

Any member of the Kent UU church is invited to participate in one of the sessions (more information about the sessions is given below).  The sessions at SI will be conducted by Kathy Kerns, if possible please e-mail or call her to let her know which session you plan to attend ([email protected]; cell 330/780-5406).  You can also contact Kathy if you have any questions.

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Your search committee needs your voice!
“We are here, and we are listening.”

A major part of finding a new minister involves gathering details about our beloved Kent UU for potential ministerial candidates to review.
 
Which is why you are seeing fliers, posters and sign-up sheets throughout the church announcing “The Voices of UUCK.”
 
Which is why we need you.
 
Your search committee is asking every member and regular attendee of the Kent UU to participate in this very important project this summer, which
will focus on two opportunities.
 
The first is an interview-and-discussion process throughout the month of July. During this time, a sample of lay leaders, staff and groups will be asked to discuss their hopes and dreams for the church going forward; where they believe we are strong and where we need strengthening; and the characteristics they’d like to see in a new minister.
 
A second opportunity comes in August with a community-wide survey that will address the same issues in much greater detail. Both will aid your search committee in developing an authentic synopsis of Kent UU, so we can make the best and most appropriate choice when we call a candidate next spring.
 
“Each member and friend of the church has two opportunities to be heard and to help us discover what we need to know to try to find a new minister we will fall in love with — and who will fall in love with us,” says search committee member Becky Cline, who is coordinating the Voices project.
 
One-on-one interviews, conducted by members of the search committee, are already underway this week, with a variety of group interviews being scheduled for later in July (see below for the groups scheduled to date).
 
Folks who find they are unable to attend one of the group discussions may pick up a paper questionnaire, which contains the same questions being asked in interviews and groups. Questionnaires will be available in Founders Lounge after worship services on July 9 and July 16 or by contacting Becky Cline.
 
Focus groups scheduled to date:

• Open-Invitation Group I (anyone can sign up): Thursday, July 13, 7-9 p.m., Annex
• Open-Invitation Group II (anyone can sign up): Saturday, July 15, 1-3 p.m., Fessenden Hall
• Parents of Young Children: Sunday, July 16, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Fessenden Hall
  • Please note: Child care is available. Please indicate to Becky or on the sign-up sheet if you will be bringing children.
• Parents of Youth/Middle Schoolers: Friday, July 21, 7-9 p.m., Fessenden Hall

Members of the search committee will be in Founders Lounge after church on Sunday, July 9 and again on Sunday, July 16, with signup sheets for the above-mentioned groups. We realize some folks may be away at Summer Institute during sign-up and during some of the group events. If you want to attend one of the groups and are unable to be at church on one of the Sundays to sign up, please contact Becky at [email protected]. Also,
please remember you can participate in the interview process on paper, by e-mailing Becky for a copy of the questions. We value all input and want to hear from everyone.
 
As always, your search committee welcomes questions and comments throughout this process. Every piece of information becomes key as we move toward calling a new settled minister in April 2018. We are grateful for your interest and your participation.

Your ministerial search committee members are:

     Kathie Slater, chair
     Becky Cline
     Don Easterling
     Saul Flanner
     Bonnie Harper
     Debra-Lynn Hook
     Kathy Kerns
     Rod Thompson
     Gene Wenninger