Ministerial Search News - April 16, 2013 - More about Howard Dana
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Toby Smith Ropeik
Apr 16, 2013, 4:52:54 PM4/16/13
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A message from Howard:
Dear First Parish members and friends,
I was saddened and dismayed by the terrible events that took place during the Boston marathon this week. That people were hurt and killed at this joyous event is heartbreaking. My prayers are with all related to this act of violence. Words fail to adequately express the sense of bewilderment such an event causes in us all. The following note from me to you was written before this terrible event occurred. Its journey theme seems especially poignant now.
One can only journey so far before coming home. And each time one returns home, it is not that the home is different so much as that the traveler has changed. And so it is for churches. Your congregation has been on a journey—a quest even. After many years of relative comfort at home, First Parish needed to seek new leadership. For its own health and vitality, it needed to go on a journey. This journey has not always been easy. Nor has it been joyless. And now that the journey is nearing its end, First Parish has been enough changed by the journey to make a new home with a new minister—me.
I, too, have felt a restlessness over the last 18 months that has sent me on a journey. The grief of giving up the home I have made with the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg has been excruciating at times. But my time with that congregation has come to a very natural end. I have set out to find what was next for me—something different, something bigger and bolder, something new and exciting. My journey has led me to consider as many as a dozen churches. It led me to talk to five initially and interview in person at three. From day one of my journey, First Parish has been in the forefront of my mind. Imagine my delight when your search committee and I came to the same conclusion—First Parish and I could be at home with one another.
First Parish and I have both been on journeys that have changed us. You will not be the same congregation you were with Gary and Jenny. I will not be the same minister I was with the Harrisburg church. The journey has made us different and fitted us for one another. I trust that proof of our good match will be evident during candidating week. I am so looking forward to meeting all of you. I am eager to be at home among you.
Love, Howard
MSC member Rhoda Miller wants to share a thought:
“In all my time at First Parish, I have never felt any minister could truly be ‘my personal minister’- until I met Howard.”
THIS SUNDAY’s Forum - April 21, 2013 at 10:30 AM – Members of the Ministerial Search Committee explain the search process and answer your questions.
Candidating Week begins in less than 2 weeks! Please spend time at First Parish during the week of April 28th – May 5th to get to know Howard. Attend as many activities as you can. View the schedule at: <http://www.firstparish.org/cms/files/transition/MinisterialSearch/Howard/Schedule_041013.pdf>. The week culminates in the Special Congregational Vote to Call Howard as our next Senior Minister on Sunday, May 5th at 12:30 PM.
Each week leading up to Candidating Week, the MSC is sharing information about a different aspect of Rev. Howard Dana’s ministry. This week: Pastoral Care
From Howard’s Web site: “One of the most important roles a minister can play is the "priestly" role. I love performing weddings, child dedications, and, yes, memorial services for members of my congregation. ...In all cases, the performing of rites of passage requires me to listen deeply, offer reasonable suggestions, and then perform the rite with the utmost care and respect. This "priestly" function is one of the things I do best. It knits me to my people more than any other duty can.”
To see samples of memorial services, weddings, and child dedications that Howard performed, please visit his Web site*:
URL: http://rhnd.uuministerialsearch.com/
User name: congregation
Password: fpc1636
*You must click “login” in the upper right of the screen.
Get more of sense of Howard’s interpersonal style by reading excerpts from the people who know him well: <http://www.firstparish.org/cms/files/transition/MinisterialSearch/HD_Reference_Excerpts.pdf>
You may not know that when Howard was first called to the Harrisburg UU church, the congregation had just forced a minister to resign and part of the congregation split off to form a new church. Howard comes to us experienced in healing a community suffering from internal divisions.
Please direct any questions or concerns to members of the Ministerial Search Committee: John Boynton <j...@firehousecapital.com>, Caroline McCloy <cmcc...@aol.com>, Rhoda Miller <rhod...@aol.com>, Toby Smith Ropeik <t...@tobyasmith.com>, Terry Rothermel <ter...@verizon.net>, Mary-Wren VanderWilden <Vander...@fmail.com>, Fred Van Deusen <fredv...@gmail.com>, Alec Walker <alecw...@aol.com
MSC meeting minutes are always available on our First Parish Web Site page.
Best, Toby
--
Toby Smith Ropeik
978.369.0007
E-mail: t...@tobyasmith.com
Best, Toby
--
Toby Smith Ropeik
978.369.0007
E-mail: t...@tobyasmith.com
Dear First Parish members and friends,
I was saddened and dismayed by the terrible events that took place during the Boston marathon this week. That people were hurt and killed at this joyous event is heartbreaking. My prayers are with all related to this act of violence. Words fail to adequately express the sense of bewilderment such an event causes in us all. The following note from me to you was written before this terrible event occurred. Its journey theme seems especially poignant now.
One can only journey so far before coming home. And each time one returns home, it is not that the home is different so much as that the traveler has changed. And so it is for churches. Your congregation has been on a journey—a quest even. After many years of relative comfort at home, First Parish needed to seek new leadership. For its own health and vitality, it needed to go on a journey. This journey has not always been easy. Nor has it been joyless. And now that the journey is nearing its end, First Parish has been enough changed by the journey to make a new home with a new minister—me.
I, too, have felt a restlessness over the last 18 months that has sent me on a journey. The grief of giving up the home I have made with the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg has been excruciating at times. But my time with that congregation has come to a very natural end. I have set out to find what was next for me—something different, something bigger and bolder, something new and exciting. My journey has led me to consider as many as a dozen churches. It led me to talk to five initially and interview in person at three. From day one of my journey, First Parish has been in the forefront of my mind. Imagine my delight when your search committee and I came to the same conclusion—First Parish and I could be at home with one another.
First Parish and I have both been on journeys that have changed us. You will not be the same congregation you were with Gary and Jenny. I will not be the same minister I was with the Harrisburg church. The journey has made us different and fitted us for one another. I trust that proof of our good match will be evident during candidating week. I am so looking forward to meeting all of you. I am eager to be at home among you.
Love, Howard
MSC member Rhoda Miller wants to share a thought:
“In all my time at First Parish, I have never felt any minister could truly be ‘my personal minister’- until I met Howard.”
THIS SUNDAY’s Forum - April 21, 2013 at 10:30 AM – Members of the Ministerial Search Committee explain the search process and answer your questions.
Candidating Week begins in less than 2 weeks! Please spend time at First Parish during the week of April 28th – May 5th to get to know Howard. Attend as many activities as you can. View the schedule at: <http://www.firstparish.org/cms/files/transition/MinisterialSearch/Howard/Schedule_041013.pdf>. The week culminates in the Special Congregational Vote to Call Howard as our next Senior Minister on Sunday, May 5th at 12:30 PM.
Each week leading up to Candidating Week, the MSC is sharing information about a different aspect of Rev. Howard Dana’s ministry. This week: Pastoral Care
From Howard’s Web site: “One of the most important roles a minister can play is the "priestly" role. I love performing weddings, child dedications, and, yes, memorial services for members of my congregation. ...In all cases, the performing of rites of passage requires me to listen deeply, offer reasonable suggestions, and then perform the rite with the utmost care and respect. This "priestly" function is one of the things I do best. It knits me to my people more than any other duty can.”
To see samples of memorial services, weddings, and child dedications that Howard performed, please visit his Web site*:
URL: http://rhnd.uuministerialsearch.com/
User name: congregation
Password: fpc1636
*You must click “login” in the upper right of the screen.
Get more of sense of Howard’s interpersonal style by reading excerpts from the people who know him well: <http://www.firstparish.org/cms/files/transition/MinisterialSearch/HD_Reference_Excerpts.pdf>
You may not know that when Howard was first called to the Harrisburg UU church, the congregation had just forced a minister to resign and part of the congregation split off to form a new church. Howard comes to us experienced in healing a community suffering from internal divisions.
Please direct any questions or concerns to members of the Ministerial Search Committee: John Boynton <j...@firehousecapital.com>, Caroline McCloy <cmcc...@aol.com>, Rhoda Miller <rhod...@aol.com>, Toby Smith Ropeik <t...@tobyasmith.com>, Terry Rothermel <ter...@verizon.net>, Mary-Wren VanderWilden <Vander...@fmail.com>, Fred Van Deusen <fredv...@gmail.com>, Alec Walker <alecw...@aol.com
MSC meeting minutes are always available on our First Parish Web Site page.
Best, Toby
--
Toby Smith Ropeik
978.369.0007
E-mail: t...@tobyasmith.com
Best, Toby
--
Toby Smith Ropeik
978.369.0007
E-mail: t...@tobyasmith.com
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