Members and friends of the UU Community of Charlotte:
Hearing from our UUCC members is one of the top priorities for the Search Team. Recently, we released the congregational survey, which can be submitted online using this link: UUCC Ministerial Search Survey. We are looking to get at least a 60% return, or 313 surveys, by the October 6 deadline.
The next phase of our information-gathering includes a series of five feedback sessions, to which all members are invited. We have four sessions scheduled in person and one via Zoom. We will also hold focus groups designed to solicit feedback from specific groups at the UUCC and you will receive information directly from your group. If that time is not convenient, please do schedule yourself in a general session listed below.
Here is the schedule for the Feedback Groups:
- Wednesday, October 11 at 2 p.m., in person at UUCC – REGISTER HERE
- Sunday, October 15 at 11:30 a.m., in person following the service – REGISTER HERE
- Thursday, October 19, 7 p.m., on Zoom – REGISTER HERE
- Thursday, October 26, 7 p.m., in person at UUCC – REGISTER HERE
- Sunday, October 29 at 11:30 a.m., in person following the service – REGISTER HERE
Links to sign up for the sessions will be posted on the Search Team Update page and in Currents, in the weekly Order of Service, and on the member Facebook page. We will also arrange childcare for parents wishing to attend the in-person sessions.
The smaller, specific Focus Group sessions are the UUCC Board, UUCC former Board Presidents, leaders of Affinity Groups, CYRE Parents, CYRE youth, new members (2 years or less as a member), Music Makers, and the Humanist group.
The Team is on schedule, as instructed by the Board of Trustees, to follow a months-long, well-structured search process, timed to coincide with other UU congregations also in search for Settled Ministers. The process of interviewing and vetting candidates is, of course, confidential. This protects the interests of ministers in search and the other congregations in search – or whose ministers may be seeking to be called elsewhere.
Here, in brief, is our timetable, beginning after the survey and group listening sessions:
October/November 2023: Search Team publishes survey results to the congregation
December 2023: Our UUCC Congregational Record, a packet of information about our community and our members’ expectations, is posted online for minister candidates to review
January 2024: Potential candidates express interest, UUCC Search Team begins interviews**
February/March 2024: Pre-candidates visit Charlotte and preach at out-of-town sites**
Late March 2024: UUA Offer Day for settled ministry positions**
April/May 2024: Candidate accepts offer and visits UUCC for 8 days culminating in Board approval and congregational vote
**Confidential – Search Team only
Using this well-established process, the Search Team has sole responsibility for finding the best candidate, doing background and reference checks, and submitting a candidate. Under our Bylaws, UUCC must issue a call to the new Settled Minister by a 90% majority vote of the congregation.
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of hearing from you before we begin reviewing potential candidates. Once again, the deadline for returning the survey is Friday, October 6th. Thank you!
Your UUCC Settled Minister Search Team,
Barry Ahrendt
Althea Clark
Mic Elvenstar
Ellen Holliday (co-chair)
Rebekah Visco (co-chair)
Dave Warren
Kathryn Whitfield