September 30, 2018
Response to Resignation Letter
from the Executive Committee and Rev. John's Pastoral Support Team
Dear Members and Friends of United Christian Church,
As you read above, Rev. John MacIver Gage has accepted a call to be the new Senior Minister for the Congregational Church of Needham, Massachusetts. While saddened by this turn of events, we are grateful for John’s time with our congregation and pray for a smooth transition for him and success in his ministry with his new congregation.
Here is a schedule of important dates leading up to John’s departure:
During this time of our own transition, we want to reassure you that the ministries we all love at United Christian Church will continue without interruption, particularly during the upcoming Advent and Christmas seasons, when our other pastoral and professional staff will step up to take the lead. In the meantime, we will work with our denominational leaders to look for a gifted intentional Interim Senior Minister to begin in the new year.
In the months following, the Church Council will recommend, and the congregation will empower a Search Committee to find our next Senior Minister. This committee will consist of a diverse group of church members chosen by the Church Council and approved by the congregation. They will lead us in conversation to determine how we believe God is calling our congregation and the sort of pastoral leadership we hope will help us get there. Then they will begin a nationwide search for that pastor, reading profiles and interviewing qualified applicants, until eventually they will bring forward a single candidate for the congregation to vet and vote on. Along the way, they will provide regular updates to the congregation on their progress.
In this time of change, we invite you to remember that God is in control and will be with this church at all times; indeed, God’s presence is vital for the life of the church, as is your presence and participation as members. Supported by the Spirit, we are free to feel whatever we need to feel—grief, confusion, hope. We are a family, a family of God, and God has promised that “all things will work together for good,” the good of God’s people.
Yours in Christ,
The UCC Executive Committee and Senior Minister Support Team
Chris McCubbin, Chair
Tony Hunt, Vice Chair
Laurie Thornhill, Secretary
Dean Jones, Treasurer
Rev. Nikki Stahl, Associate Pastor
Bryan Thornhill, Senior Minister Support Team
Rebecca Molis, Senior Minister Support Team
Response to Resignation Letter
from the Executive Committee and Rev. John's Pastoral Support Team
Dear Members and Friends of United Christian Church,
As you read above, Rev. John MacIver Gage has accepted a call to be the new Senior Minister for the Congregational Church of Needham, Massachusetts. While saddened by this turn of events, we are grateful for John’s time with our congregation and pray for a smooth transition for him and success in his ministry with his new congregation.
Here is a schedule of important dates leading up to John’s departure:
- 11/4, one service of prayer and communion @ 9am, with annual congregational meeting to follow (with youth Mocktoberfest fundraising lunch to follow that)
- 11/11, John’s last Sunday preaching, worship @ 9am & 11am
- 11/18, John’s last Sunday with us, one worship service of leave-taking and letting go @ 10am, with coffee hour fellowship time to follow
During this time of our own transition, we want to reassure you that the ministries we all love at United Christian Church will continue without interruption, particularly during the upcoming Advent and Christmas seasons, when our other pastoral and professional staff will step up to take the lead. In the meantime, we will work with our denominational leaders to look for a gifted intentional Interim Senior Minister to begin in the new year.
In the months following, the Church Council will recommend, and the congregation will empower a Search Committee to find our next Senior Minister. This committee will consist of a diverse group of church members chosen by the Church Council and approved by the congregation. They will lead us in conversation to determine how we believe God is calling our congregation and the sort of pastoral leadership we hope will help us get there. Then they will begin a nationwide search for that pastor, reading profiles and interviewing qualified applicants, until eventually they will bring forward a single candidate for the congregation to vet and vote on. Along the way, they will provide regular updates to the congregation on their progress.
In this time of change, we invite you to remember that God is in control and will be with this church at all times; indeed, God’s presence is vital for the life of the church, as is your presence and participation as members. Supported by the Spirit, we are free to feel whatever we need to feel—grief, confusion, hope. We are a family, a family of God, and God has promised that “all things will work together for good,” the good of God’s people.
Yours in Christ,
The UCC Executive Committee and Senior Minister Support Team
Chris McCubbin, Chair
Tony Hunt, Vice Chair
Laurie Thornhill, Secretary
Dean Jones, Treasurer
Rev. Nikki Stahl, Associate Pastor
Bryan Thornhill, Senior Minister Support Team
Rebecca Molis, Senior Minister Support Team