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Rev Dawn Fortune Resigns Their Ministry at UUCSJS
Effective June 30, 2022

January 14, 2022
To the Good People of the UUCSJS,

It is with deep sadness that I informed the Board of Trustees last night that I will leave my position as your minister on June 30, 2022.

I had hoped to postpone this decision a bit longer, but I feel that it is only fair to those who are responsible for planning the annual budget and conducting the stewardship campaign to have an accurate understanding of what the coming year will include.

My time with the UUCSJS has been filled with all that ministry has to offer: moments of great joy and of sorrow, of wonderful success, and deep frustration. It is clear, however, that as long as my presence as your minister continues, there will not be enough financial support to fund a professional minister’s position. I invited the Board and other congregational leaders to examine the systems in play that allowed a small number of large donors to effectively starve the congregational budget to achieve their own goals. Living in a covenantal faith requires that we hold one another accountable for our actions, and to bring ourselves back to right relationship. It is not the job of the minister to police behavior, but of the congregation to lovingly hold members to account. Without the support of the congregation to do that, my ministry here is untenable.

I will remain in my position through June 30, 2022, which is the end of both the fiscal and contract year. I had hoped to postpone having to make this decision, but discussion during last night’s Board meeting made it clear that the financial strings were drawn too tight for things to continue as they are. The finance committee and the stewardship team need as much advance notice of this kind of significant change to make their plans for the coming campaign and budgeting process.

With any leaving, there will come all the stages of grief. There will be shock, denial, anger, bargaining, deep sorrow, and eventually acceptance of the new reality.

As we all move through these feelings, I ask that you remember that each person in this system is a human being and a member of this beloved community. Each of you has feelings and fears and frustrations, and nothing will be served by shouting. Do not treat your neighbors as enemies or villains. Rage and retribution only do damage and make no progress toward the healing that will need to be done.

You are good people and I love you. You are human. And so am I. Let us go forward together in the months ahead to consider what the future holds for this congregation. We have survived the pandemic thus far; we can do good work between now and the end of June to prepare for whatever the world holds next.

In shared ministry,

Rev. Dawn Fortune

July 22, 2009 · admin · Comments Closed
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