We are in a period of change and great potential. I, as an Agnostic Unitarian Universalist, want to share a Biblical quote with you. Good prose is good prose.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

Okay, this is the Pete Seeger version of Ecclesiastes but it is relevant.

We find ourselves on the verge of change again and it is important that we choose change as opposed to putting up with it.

The Board has decided that we should have another Development Minister and we are moving on that course. Does that mean we feel the Fellowship is unhealthy? The answer is a resounding no!

Do we feel that we need to grow? The answer is an even more resoundingly yes!

I hear some say very genuinely that means we are still unhealthy. The answer to that is no!

We as a Fellowship, as a Nation and as a people are in a time of great change and challenge. RVUUF is in a time of great personal, social, cultural and political change. We are being called upon more and more to stand up for our principles. It is time to view RVUUF as a force in the world and not just a place in Ashland.

We are now in a “time to speak.”

We need help in this and the best way to do this is to find a Development Minister to help us.

On Monday evening members of the CFM, Board and the Search Committee met with Keith Kron, the Director of Transitions for the UUA. It was exciting!

Keith added clarity, comfort and confidence to our approach. It is important to note that a fellowship does not have to be sick to get better.

We are healthy but in the midst of growth that we need help with. We hear that some are fearful of our course and we are doing everything we can to let you know we hear it.

The Board has selected a Search Committee that we feel represents the Fellowship as a whole. Further, I know each of the members and I have complete faith in their skills, motivation and intentions to make RVUUF the best possible.

The Search Committee members are:

• Kenny Andersen
• Jean Crawford
• Zoe Davis
• Alison Duren-Sutherland
• Paul Larson
• Michael Ross

All six of these people have the Board’s complete trust and confidence.

What are we asking of the Fellowship? We are asking for your trust, support and blessing in this process. We will make this work!

Jim Meckel
RVUUF Board President