New minister

 

Search committee and candidate 

     We on the search committee chose the Reverend Marcia Stanard as our candidate for minister. Marcia is dynamic and joyful and sharp. She is from Oregon, a graduate of Lewis and Clark College  here and the Meadville-Lombard Theological School in Chicago. She's in her early forties, a proud mother of two teenagers. She had very Portland post-college jobs: working at Powell's books, wearing a dirndl and singing German drinking songs as a waitress at Gustav's, volunteering at the Women's crisis line,  and managing a naturopathic office.  Her wife Katie is a police dispatcher.  For the past 5 years Marcia has served a small Portland congregation half time, and an even smaller congregation 5 hours away in Blaine, Washington a quarter time. (The work history of the majority of our 20 candidates reminds me of that of adjunct professors.)  After searching all over the country for our new minister, we discovered  the girl next door.

The Reverend Marcia Stanard

     The committee followed the guidelines and timeline of the Unitarian Universalist Association in the selection of the candidate.  This ridiculously long process had some beneficial effects. The congregation became clear about their current identity and direction, and identified what they were looking for in a minister to lead them. They also became invested in the work of the committee, even as we became highly invested in the candidate we chose. We fully expected that the congregational vote on April 26 would be no problem.  As I told Marcia, "They are invested in us, and we are invested in you.  Now all you have to do is seal the deal."
    Marcia hit it out of the park with her first sermon on April 19. During the following week, she introduced herself at 23 church meetings. I attended many of them with her.  I was impressed with how quickly and thoroughly she connected and grasped the dynamics of each group. She was both bold and compassionate in addressing issues that most job applicants would avoid until well after they were in office.

Marcia accepts the position

     At the end of the very last dinner meeting of that long week, Marcia checked her phone for some scheduling question. She began smiling and crying; we knew she had gotten some important news.  Her younger daughter, age 13, had won second place in the state History Day competition, and would be going to DC for the national contest.  We all  rejoiced with this thoroughly exhausted and thoroughly present mother. The next day, Marcia preached again, and went around the corner with her daughters while the congregation voted.

  There were very few questions at the meeting before the vote.  One member asked us what made us choose Marcia, not above all the other applicants, but what made us think she was the best  fit for our church.  According to our committee chair, the most  persuasive argument in favor of Marcia came from me.  I had said that "we, as a group, are better with her than without her.  She brings out the best in us."  The congregation voted 96% in favor of calling Marcia as our new minister. Five people abstained.  Nobody voted no.
     Success!  Marcia will be installed as our minster in late August.