Learn more about the search for our next settled minister.

What’s next, now that we have a match?

• What Does It Mean to Call a Minister?
• What Happens During Candidating Week?
• Schedule for Candidating Week
• The Congregational Meeting
• What Are We Voting On?
• The Results of the Vote
• Who Can Vote?
• Our Covenant with the Ministerial Candidate

What Does It Mean to Call a Minister?

When a congregation calls a Minister, it is much more than a job offer. We are extending a sacred invitation, for them to lead, and to walk with us, on our religious journey. Ministers accept a position when they feel a strong spiritual calling to serve a specific congregation. The bonds that ministers and congregations build together result in a relationship that is uniquely special in today’s world. Therefore, it’s crucial that we agree that this person is ideally suited to lead us into our future of shared ministry.

When voting to call a minister, the question to ask is not just whether this minister is right for me, but is this minister right for the congregation as a whole. Do they have the qualities we said we wanted through our survey, focus groups, sharing circles and workshops? Does this person share our vision and purpose? Can they bring out the best in us?

What Happens During Candidating Week? (April 19 to April 26)

Candidating Week is an intense process in which a minister and an entire congregation explore their potential to build a satisfying long-term ministry together. Candidating Week is about two things: getting to know each other as individuals and showing them who we are as a congregation i.e. our committees, practices, operating structure, etc.

The MSC will provide as many opportunities as possible for members to get to know the Minister, but we must also be mindful not to exhaust them. We will make sure they have time to digest what they’re learning about us, to rest and to prepare for Worship.

We have arranged the schedule to include meetings with: the Board, Staff, Past Presidents and key groups/committees so that areas of interest can be discussed in a focused way. In addition to the leader’s meetings there will be windows of time that are open to everyone who wants to interact with the Minister, (see below). We encourage you to participate in at least one gathering so you are prepared to vote in the Congregational Meeting on April 26.

The Congregational Meeting is the culmination of Candidating Week, when the members of the congregation will vote to confirm the Candidate as our minister. The meeting will be held following the worship service (after the Minister has left the building) on April 26.

Schedule for Candidating Week

Our current ministers (Rev. Linda and Rev. Victoria) will not be present during this week. Rev. Alex will be our Acting Minister.

The Congregational Meeting

The special Congregational Meeting to “Vote to Call” the Reverend Alex Jensen as our Settled Minister will be held after service on Sunday, April 26. It will be hybrid: in-person at 473 Oakwood and on Zoom.

Registration starts at noon. The meeting will start at 12:30 pm. A pizza lunch & child care will be provided. The Zoom link will be provided in First Light.

All votes must be cast in person or online during the April 26th meeting.
Our by-laws do not allow for proxy votes.

Friends of the congregation who are not eligible to vote are welcome to attend the meeting as observers.

What Will We Be Voting On?

On April 26, members of the congregation will vote on whether to confirm the Ministerial Search Committee’s recommended candidate as our new Settled Minister. This is what you need to understand about the vote.

We will be voting on

• Whether you affirm the search team’s comprehensive, inclusive, collaborative, transparent process to find the candidate.
• Whether the search team listened to the congregation.
• Whether the search team accurately represented the congregation.
• Whether you believe the search team saw the gifts of ministry which the congregation needs in a minister.
• Whether the congregation is willing to move into a shared ministry partnership with the candidate whom the search team identified as a good match for the congregation’s needs.
• What is best for the whole congregation.

We will NOT be voting on

• Whether you think you would have chosen the candidate who was identified by the search team on your own, given what you know about the congregation.
• Whether you think, based on two sermons, that every sermon the candidate preaches will or will not speak perfectly to the hearts and minds of every single member every single time.
• Whether there might be a better match out there somewhere.
• Whether the candidate is the perfect minister. Ministers come with different skills in worship arts, pastoral care, administrative/organizational work, and social witness presence. No minister will have a high level of skill or interest in ALL of those elements of the ministry. The shared ministry of the congregation will and should shift with the skills and interests of the new minister.
• What is best for a particular person/group in the congregation.

The Results of the Vote

Given the nature of the relationship between a minister and the congregation and the intensity of the commitment, it is recognised, both in our denomination and others, that in order to establish a long-term successful ministry, the minister accepts a position with a congregation only if the vote is at least 95% in favour of the call. By the time of the vote everyone will have had a chance to meet the Candidate and to decide for themselves if they are the right minister for this congregation.

The minister needs very strong support at the outset of the ministry in order to build the connections and the goodwill that is needed to do the work. Overtime it may erode, but if it erodes from such a high percentage, you are still in a good position to have a strong ministry together.

Note: There are no alternate candidates in the wings. If the congregation doesn’t vote at least 95% in favour of calling this Minister, we will have to elect a new search committee and start the process all over again next year.

Who Can Vote?

According to our by-laws, at least 10% percent of the members of the congregation who are eligible voters must be present at the meeting in order to hold the vote.

A member is eligible to vote if the member:

• is 14 years of age or older,
• has been approved by the Board,
• has signed the membership roll in the presence of the minister or president,
• has been a member for at least 45 days before the date of the meeting to vote,
• has made an identifiable financial contribution in support of the budget in the immediately preceding 12 months. (Donations made in loose cash or by tap machine are not identifiable financial contributions.)

Right Relations with Our Ministerial Candidate

As we gather during this special week to discern our shared ministry, let’s welcome the ministerial candidate warmly by exchanging stories about who we are and what matters most to us. This is a chance to connect through shared experience and to get to know one another better as we consider how we might walk together in ministry.

The candidate will be our acting minister for the week and their schedule will be packed, so please be mindful of their energy.

Rooted in UU Principles of human dignity and justice-filled community, let’s covenant to nurture a safe and sacred space during this visit.

Please commit to:

• Listening actively: Ensuring all voices are heard; avoiding interruptions; assuming good intentions; and stepping up/stepping back for equity.
• Respectful dialogue: Engage with kindness, authenticity, and compassion.
• Asking only what you would be comfortable sharing.
• Mutual support: Honour this covenant together; address any breaches with grace and direct communication.
• Bringing your best self.

We pledge honesty, fairness, and right relations throughout this process.