Letter for Congregation

 

We are excited about the future of Unity South. We have a long way to go and many talented people to help us in our recovery and blossoming. We invite you to be a part of the recovery and continued growth of the Unity South family.

Unity South has offered many people a space to learn Truth, make friendships, feel God’s love and support, and experience Oneness. As the board of Unity South, we know that it is our job to help lead us forward to our greater purpose and mission. Because Unity South had months of change, confusion, and conflicting perspectives last fall, we felt we needed an interim minister before starting a search for a permanent one. We have kept our members informed of that intent.

We were blessed to have the help of Rev. Allen Liles during a very difficult time. He has been our Acting Minister since January 2008. He stepped in to help us until we found an interim minister. Although he was not hired to be a “transitional minister" per se, he has performed the tasks of a transitional minister at multiple levels.

Rev. Allen Liles has helped our church by giving a series of Sunday lessons on healing during January. On January 20, he focused specifically on healing our spiritual community. (If you have not had an opportunity to hear that healing message, we invite you to listen to that and/or other messages now available on our web site at our sermons page.) He led a class called “Making Peace with the Past", and is currently leading a class called “I of the Storm." Rev. Liles has addressed the majority of the areas identified as needing immediate attention in the “Peacemaking Evaluation"; and continues to work on the remaining areas. Rev. Laurie Brandt also led a three-week class called “From Trauma to Triumph." The healing of our church can be felt weekly in the energy, joy and loving-kindness that is expanding each Sunday morning.

As a board, with feedback from multiple congregation members, we feel that perhaps many of the “transitional tasks" have been achieved; and although Unity South has other very significant tasks still to master, that it is time for us to begin the process to call our new permanent minister rather than continue to search for an interim one. Also, if we as a church determine to proceed with the search for a permanent minister, Rev. Liles has agreed to stay until that process is either completed or nearly finished.

Before we make this significant and very important change in our course, we want to give everyone a chance to give us feedback. We invite you to contact any of us in the next two weeks with your opinion on this topic. Since people go about their healing and growing in many ways, we also want to give you the opportunity to talk with any of the Unity South board members to get clarity on any issues you feel are impeding your healing and to share your vision of Unity South in the short and long term future.

If we do go ahead with calling our new minister, we need people to volunteer for the extremely important search committee and the equally important visioning committee. Please contact any of us if you are interested on serving in either of those areas.

We plan to have a ceremony and ritual to claim/own our ongoing process on Sunday, April 27. We ask you to join us.

Thank you for blessing us and being part of our shared consciousness.

The Unity South Board
Yvette Trotman, Mary Jo Bartos, Jim Rasmusson, Chris Ternand, Duaine Olson, Kelli von Heydekampf

What does a Transitional Specialist do?… And what Rev Liles has done.

  1. Carries on the regular pastoral work of the church during the transitional period. (Worship services, classes, administration, etc)
    • In progress
    • Does the Sunday worship service
    • Has presented several classes
    • Attends the Board meetings
    • Handles some of the administration / office work
    • Works in a counseling role as needed
  2. Helps members and congregation work through feelings of anger, guilt, grief, unresolved conflict, etc.
    • In progress
    • Presented “Making Peace with our Past" in January ’08
    • Presenting class – “I of the Storm: Embracing Conflict, Creating Peace" in April / May ’08
    • Available for counseling as needed
  3. Leads a congregation through agreed-on developmental tasks such as:
    • Coming to terms with history
    • Presented session – “Making Peace with our Past"
    • Discovering a new identity and commitment to new directions
    • Will be involved in Visioning process in May / June
    • Resolving conflicts
    • Presenting class – “I of the Storm: Embracing Conflict, Creating Peace" in April / May ’08
    • Identifying power issues and facilitating needed leadership change
    • Working with the board to update the Organization Structure of Unity South
    • Renewing denominational linkage
    • Is in constant contact with Joann Landreth / Association of Unity Churches
  4. Gives vision and direction to the church’s Transitional Advisory Committee appointed to help facilitate the tasks mentioned above.
    • Advises and works with the Board on financial and organization issues
  5. Understand and agree that in no way would s/he become a candidate for the open ministerial position at the church for which s/he served as transitional minister, nor in any way encourage or support others who might desire this. If a transitional minister were to become a candidate, s/he would automatically forfeit future employment by the Association in any Unity church.
    • Rev Liles has agreed not to become a candidate for the permanent ministerial position