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Rev. Christina Neilson Named SLD Congregational Life Consultant
Rev. Christina Neilson has been named Congregational Life Consultant for the St. Lawrence District. Beginning July 1, she will provide support and resources to district congregations as well as stewardship and resource development for the Central East Regional Group (CERG), which includes St. Lawrence and three other districts. "Rev. Neilson is a firm believer in shared ministry and an evangelist for Unitarian Universalism," said Dave Munro, SLD President, noting the district board's enthusiastic endorsement of Rev. Neilson. Mr. Munro said the Search Team, in recommending Rev. Neilson, had cited her mediation and organizational skills, her stewardship success and her ability to help people move forward even in difficult circumstances. "We are very excited to start working with Chris," he said. A self-described "district cheerleader," Rev. Neilson has chaired the Ohio-Meadville District's Commissioned Lay Leader Committee and served as Annual Program Fund representative and president of the UU Ministers Association chapter in that district. Rev. Neilson holds an M.Div from Starr King School for the Ministry as well as degrees in Nursing and Theater. She is Minister of the SouthWest UU Church in North Royalton, Ohio. During her ten years at SWUU, the congregation has seen significant growth, had a very successful capital campaign, and purchased a building. Mr. Munro offered thanks on behalf of the District to "our first-rate Search Team" that recommended Rev. Neilson. Members were board members Jeff Donahue and Nancy Reed; Rev. Douglas Taylor, Minister in Binghamton; Melissa McKinnon, DRE in Schenectady and co-hair of the SLD Liberal Religious Educators Association chapter; Ted Fetter, President of the Metro NY District; and Rev. Joan Van Becelaere, Ohio-Meadville District Executive and CERG Regional Lead. - E. A.
Change is Still the Theme in St. Lawrence
After an interim period that saw an emphasis on Healthy Congregations training, plans for Commissioned Lay Leaders, and increased work with other districts in our region, more change is on the way, St. Lawrence District President Dave Munro told delegates to the 2012 annual meeting. A soon-to-be-selected Congregational Development Consultant (formerly called the District Executive) will lead that change, working with a largely new part-time staff. Staff openings offered the chance "to think regionally," Mr. Munro said. In addition to the Central East Regional Group staff members who offer services to SLD, he said, our new part-time Social Justice Coordinator and Youth Coordinator are also employed by other districts in the region, our Program Consultant will work part-time for another CERG district, and our new CDC will work 1/4-time for CERG. Mr. Munro thanked Interim District Executive Connie Goodbread for her efforts in bringing new programs and ideas to the district to help its congregations prepare for further change. He cited her experience, her dedication to Unitarian Universalism, and "her love for all of us" as critical elements in the success of her time with our district.
One area that hasn't seen change is that of finances. Next year's budget anticipates a deficit of $5,000. While the district's $76,000 reserve fund will cover that deficit as it has those of recent years, Mr. Munro emphasized that the district was "living beyond its means." He and Ms.Goodbread both called on SLD Congregations to be generous and increase their fair-share giving to the UUA Annual Program Fund and to District dues. If all our congregations paid their full fair-share, we would have an additional $25,000 a year, Mr. Munro said, asking delegates to think about what could be done with those funds. District Board member Kathy McGowan followed up with an invitation to join the new Friends of the District to help fund projects that might not be possible without additional gifts.
A Period of Accomplishment by Connie Goodbread, SLD Interim District Executive The job of an Interim is to enter into the system quickly, assess what is being done well and what the challenges are, name them, discuss them with the leaders and help the leaders develop a plan for the ongoing work. It is that simple and that difficult. This is the way we have worked for the past two years. Everyone has worked hard. I am proud of what we have accomplished. The leadership of St. Lawrence District (SLD) both paid and volunteer staff, is dedicated, innovative and capable. It has been a great joy for me to work with you. I have a rich collection of stories about how well things work here. I share those stories often. SLD has one of the most well-researched and visionary long-range- plans I have ever seen. You did
that work long before I arrived. I have used it to inform my work here. It is a model for others on
how to do the research really well so that the document is one of transformation. The mission
statement is clear and compelling. Serve, Connect, Grow - Wider, Deeper. It is brilliant.
Our Future Together by Dave Munro, SLD President If we can recognize that change and uncertainty are basic principles, we can greet the future and the transformation we are undergoing with the understanding that we do not know enough to be pessimistic. - futurist Hazel Henderson This has been another year of change. . .and even more significant change is on the horizon. Fortunately, the St. Lawrence District has become used to change, and we do it pretty well. Not surprisingly, change was a major theme in the annual columns of my two predecessors. In April 2010, then president Ernie Hall wrote that "This is a time of significant change for the District, Region, and national office of the Unitarian Universalist Association." Change at that time included the retirement of our beloved District Executive Tom Chulak; the beginning of regional cooperation between our District and 3 others - the Metro NY, Ohio-Meadville and Joseph Priestly Districts, now called Central East Regional Group, or CERG; and the launching of the District's new Long-Range Plan. Not surprisingly, Tom was instrumental in both the creation of CERG and development of our strategic plan. Last year then-president Karen Palmer also wrote about change as Connie Goodbread, our new interim, part-time District Executive joined us. In Karen's annual report she quoted Connie, who said that "the way you can discern whether a system is healthy or unhealthy is how it handles change and challenges." Karen observed that "Given the progress that the District has made this year amidst so much transition, it appears that it is indeed a healthy system."
Rev. David Messner Ordained by Rochester Unitarian
Rev. David Howard Messner was ordained Sunday, April 22, by the First Unitarian Church of Rochester. Rev. Messner was a Ministerial Intern at Rochester Unitarian and currently is its Consulting Assistant Minister of Membership Development. The ordination service included Reflections on Ministry from three ministers: Rev. Charles Blustein Ortman, Senior Minister of the UU Congregation at Montclair; Rev. Cynthia Gano Lindner, Director of Ministry Studies and Clinical Faculty for Preaching and Pastoral Care, University of Chicago Divinity School; and Rev. Scott Tayler, Rochester Unitarian Parish Co-Minister. Other participants in the service included Rev. Messner's wife Jennifer and their children Cassidy and August; Rev. Kaaren Anderson, Rochester Unitarian Parish Co-Minister; Rev. James Pitts, Chaplain Resident, University of Rochester Medical Center; Rev. Bill Reynolds, Associate Director of Chaplaincy Services, University of Rochester Medical Center; and Anne Perry, President of the Rochester Unitarian congregation. - E. A.
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