One of the distinct privileges and responsibilities of our Unitarian Universalist polity (“polity” is the term for a governance structure) is in the privilege of congregations to ordain individuals into the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Once a prospective candidate for the Unitarian Universalist ministry has met the specific credentialing requirements set by the UUA’s Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC), a congregation can then decide to ordain an individual as a Unitarian Universalist minister.
During this 2013-2014 church program year, Amy Rowland has served half-time as UUCB’s Ministerial Resident. With her successful completion of her appointment with the MFC in early December, Amy’s position title at UUCB has changed to being an Assistant Minister. Amy’s work this year focuses on helping our Small Group Ministry thrive and prosper, connecting UUCB closer to our partners in the Boulder community in our justice and outreach efforts, and working to strengthen and expand UUCB’s All Church Social Change efforts. In April, Amy will serve as UUCB’s Chaplain on our church’s BorderLinks trip. This BorderLinks trip will focus on the pressing issues of immigration as UUCB members travel to the United States – Mexico border and see, firsthand, what needs to be done to help alter and change our country’s de-humanizing and broken immigration system.
Amy has previously served as the President of the Columbine Unitarian Universalist Church, did her ministerial internship at First Universalist Church of Denver, and was the Mountain Desert District Consulting Minister to the Two Rivers Unitarian Universalist congregation before accepting the Ministerial Resident position (now, Assistant Minister) here at Boulder.
At the December Board of Trustees’ meeting, the request was made that the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder ordain Amy as a Unitarian Universalist minister. Though Amy serves UUCB in a half time position, her influence and work has made a “full time” difference in the programs for which she is responsible for here at UUCB. The Board of Trustees has called for a Special Congregational Meeting on January 5th, to affirm the Board’s recommendation that UUCB ordain Amy Rowland to the Unitarian Universalist ministry. It is a privilege and an honor for our congregation to take this step.
As our congregation has grown in its programs and membership, we have also become more active in our local Boulder Denver Cluster of Unitarian Universalist Congregations and are benefitting from our Cluster’s efforts to be more focused on our congregations’ shared efforts in creating Beloved Community. In February our church will be participating, along with the other Unitarian Universalist congregations, in the ordination of Kierstin Homblette, the Beloved Community Coordinator for the Boulder Denver Cluster. Kierstin has become an Affiliated Community Minister with our Boulder Church as well as an Affiliated Community Minister with the other churches in our area – all in an effort to keep our congregations better aware and informed on the legislative and social concerns that affect us all. From time to time, Kierstin will have information to share in our newsletter, the Clear Light Messenger, as well as on our UUCB website.
Taking part in the ordination process and the ministry of these two fine new Unitarian Universalist ministers is a positive way that our Boulder congregation is helping to insure our faith’s liberal religious future as well as the strong future of Unitarian Universalist ministry.
Howell