UUFS | Minister Column, September 2007 | From Comments, Essays, and Sermons (Collection 2) | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California Comments, Essays, and Sermons (Collection 2)	Back to index

2007-09 Minister’s Musings
by the Rev. Vicky Combs
UUFS Interim Minister

Hello! To all of you, both members and friends of UUFS, I extend my heartfelt greetings. I look forward to meeting you in person soon.

Last night Sibyl and I read the ’Ritual of Departure and Blessing’ for Roger and wept. Suddenly, what had been a moment before a somewhat abstract task of interim ministry had now become a very present grief and our hearts went out to both you and Roger. Yes, this change offers great opportunities for new growth for UUFS (and Roger, of course); still the sadness and loss are real and we needn’t gloss over them. I know that Roger will be in good hands with my dear, former colleagues from the PSD. I trust that they will comfort and support him as they always did me in my many years there. And to you, UUFS, as you grieve this loss, I will offer pastoral support as we lift up and honor this very tender and sacred part of your congregation’s story.

And the opportunities abound!! I cannot tell you how exciting it is to see the incredible work you have already done with Bob Miess. You must be so proud and your excitement is simply palpable.

The UUA guide ’In the Interim’ describes the tasks ahead of us and I paraphrase them here. Together we will work to…

claim and honor UUFS’s past and heal its griefs and conflicts
illuminate the congregation’s unique identity, its strengths, its needs, its challenges
clarify the multiple dimensions of leadership, both ordained and lay, and navigate the shifts in leadership that accompany times of transition
renew connections with available resources, within and beyond the UUA
renew UUFS’s vision, strengthen its stewardship, prepare for new professional leadership, and engage your future with anticipation and zest

I look forward with great anticipation to doing this work with you for the interim between settled ministers is truly an opportunity for transformation . The strength of this liberal religious movement that we so love and that our world so desperately needs is only as great as the strength of its individual congregations. Who UUFS was with Roger is past and there will be ample time to celebrate and evaluate that in detail. Who you will become is the treasure before you. I feel honored to be part of your journey toward its discovery.

Blessings,

Vicky

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California Comments, Essays, and Sermons (Collection 2)	Back to index