the OUUC spark

"A sabbatical is an extended time away for clergy renewal,

a common practice in many denominations, including Unitarian Universalism…

My colleagues who have taken sabbaticals talk about returning

with new energy, commitment, enthusiasm, and ideas.”

~ Rev. Mary Gear

If you missed it, click here to read Rev. Mary's full message about her upcoming sabbatical from The OUUC Spark! on 3/7/24: Pull and Rest: Sabbatical and Renewal.

The Rev. Mary Gear will be taking a sabbatical from June 16 to October 31, 2024. Sabbaticals are a vital and necessary element of healthy long-term ministries. Rev. Mary’s employment contract with OUUC clearly defines the frequency, length and purpose of sabbaticals as part of her overall compensation package, however, it is much more than a contractual matter. Due to the unique nature of ministry, those who have ‘accepted the call’ benefit from time away for deep reflection, study, rest and discernment. The Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association guidelines call for ministers to accrue one month of sabbatical for each year of service, with sabbaticals being taken every five to seven years. This sabbatical will take place in Rev. Mary’s fifth year of service to OUUC and discussions with the OUUC board began in August 2022.

A ministerial sabbatical isn’t solely for the benefit of the person taking time away. It’s also an opportunity for the congregation to live into our mission and vision, as well as examine our processes, separately from our minister’s direct participation. It’s a chance to strengthen our shared ministry and can be a time of reflection and transformation for all. Ministerial sabbaticals ground both minister and congregation, allowing us to look ahead together with a renewed sense of shared purpose and responsibility.

The Sabbatical Committee is pleased to announce that the OUUC Board has hired Rev. Monica Jacobson-Tennessen as our half-time sabbatical minister, to serve during Rev. Mary’s sabbatical.

Rev. Monica is delighted to join OUUC as the half-time sabbatical minister while Rev. Mary Gear is away. She has been serving as the consulting minister, focusing on offering support in the areas of governance and stewardship, along with preaching every other month. During Rev. Mary’s sabbatical, Rev. Monica will continue to work with the board, will lead worship once per month and otherwise generally support the Worship Arts Team, and will provide support to OUUC’s staff.

Rev. Monica’s Unitarian Universalist roots are deeply entwined with Pacific Northwestern UUism, spiced with experiences of UUism in other regions. She became a UU in the Corvallis, Oregon, congregation, and has interned, guest preached, and served in a variety of congregations in Oregon and Washington. Following her ordination, she served a 300-year-old congregation in Massachusetts for three years before returning to the northwest to serve part-time at Community UU Church in Pasco, Washington. Recently she offered sabbatical ministry for her home congregation in Corvallis during their minister’s time away.

Rev. Monica and her family lived in the Olympia area for two years, from 2021-2023, and became connected with OUUC during that time. They relocated last year to the Vancouver, Washington, area to raise their daughter near her grandparents but are still fond of Olympia and OUUC and enjoy visiting.

On behalf of the OUUC Board, Sabbatical Committee and congregation, Welcome, Rev. Monica.

All daily, weekly and monthly operations will continue at OUUC during the sabbatical period. To assist the congregation in knowing who to contact while our settled minister is away, the Sabbatical Committee has created a Contact List. This document clearly defines who to contact for the various ministry areas and operations of our congregation.

• June 16, 2024 — Sabbatical Send-Off Celebration
• Date TBA — Mid-Sabbatical Congregational Check-In
• November 3, 2024 — Welcome Back Celebration

A Sabbatical Committee was charged by our Board to support Rev. Mary, the Board, staff, and congregation. Our committee’s purpose is to plan and prepare the congregation for the sabbatical period. We will remain active throughout Rev. Mary’s sabbatical to connect congregants and others with the OUUC resources they need to ensure our shared ministry remains vibrant and effective. Committee members are Dan Donahue, Tiffany Felch, Kirsten Hill, Curtis Tanner, and Polly Taylor. To contact the Sabbatical Committee, please use our email address: Sabbatical@OUUC.org

Click below to view the recording of the 3/17/24 forum on Rev. Mary’s sabbatical, hosted by the SabComm.

...visit this blogpost: https://www.ouuc.org/sabbatical/

...and scroll past what you've already read in this issue of the Spark! 😉

This month we hold the annual congregational meeting when members vote to elect new members of the Board and Leadership Development Committee and vote on a budget for the next program year.

You can find information about the upcoming meetings here.

After the service on June 2, join the Board and Rev. Mary for a detailed explanation of the proposed budget for July 2024-June 2025. Bring your questions and concerns to the meeting so they can be addressed before the annual meeting on June 9.

After the service on June 9, please plan to attend the OUUC annual congregational meeting. This is when members will be asked to vote. The Board will provide finger food after the service so everyone can be fully present for the annual meeting. While only members can vote, everyone is welcome to attend the meeting.

If you are not sure if you are a voting member of OUUC, please contact Rosie in the office.

More than a year and a half ago, we began the process of revisiting OUUC’s covenant, making some revisions to the current covenant and adding a behavioral covenant. Based on your feedback during congregational forums last Spring, the writing team made some revisions, and the Board of Trustees has made some decisions.

We’ve done a lot of talking and listening — now it’s time to vote. At the June 9 congregational meeting, members will be asked to vote on the proposed changes to the current covenant and the addition of a behavioral covenant.

On June 9, I will first ask you if you are ready to vote on the proposed changes. Your vote may be yes or no, but the first question is if you have the information that you need to vote. If the majority answer is yes, I will turn it over to Board President Arlene Colerick, to ask for the vote. If the answer is no, you are not ready to vote, I will ask you what you need to be ready to vote. We’ll have paper & pencils available for feedback.

You can find the proposed covenant changes and more history here.

One of the concerns expressed last Spring was about what would happen if someone didn’t follow the behavioral covenant. This is a concern about how we, as a community, handle accountability. The Board adopted a policy about addressing non-covenantal behavior, which you can find here. This is one of the ways we help maintain safety for everyone and stay in relationship even when we disagree. You will see that the first step, whenever possible, is to have a direct conversation.

If you have any questions about this proposal or the process, please contact me.

I hope you will lend your voice and vote to this project.

Rev. Mary

Minister@ouuc.org

For tonight's community dinner, folks who want to are invited to bring a potluck dish on a color theme. We will set out a rainbow of food to enjoy!

It's also just fine to come and enjoy dinner and not bring a dish. Volunteers are needed for help with cooking, set up, and clean up. If you can help please contact Rev. Sara or show up early.

After-dinner (6:30ish) options include...just the UU Buddhists' Sangha?! We must be winding down for summer! Spoiler alert: next Thursday 6/6 will be the last community dinner before the summer break.

In this week's tiny little news, a quick update on this week's events at OUUC:

Website: https://www.ouuc.org

Email: office@ouuc.org

Location: 2306 East End St NW, Olympia, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 634-2005

Office Hours

Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Sunday, 8:00 am - 1:00 pm

Staff Contacts

Rev. Mary Gear, Minister

Rev. Sara Lewis, Director of Community & Faith Development

Troy Fisher, Music Director

Isaac Jennings, Business Manager

Rosie Koppelman, Office Assistant

Teresa Madsen, Communications & Tech Coordinator

Marie Arensmeyer, Facilities Manager

Anissa Bentlemsani, Religious Education Assistant

Carbon Marshall, Tech Specialist