Mount Vernon Unitarian Church Ministerial Search

From the Ministerial Search Committee

We've been busy as bees reading ministerial packets, interviewing candidates, calling references and attending meetings on a daily basis! It is all worth it in the end when we have confidently chosen our pre-candidates. These candidates will each be invited individually to Alexandria for a weekend and personal interviews with the MSC. We have arranged neutral pulpits for each of the pre-candidates to give a Sunday sermon at a church in a neutral area. Once all of the pre-candidating weekends are finished, the MSC will be tasked with deciding which of these candidates best matches with our congregation. Please feel free to share with us any questions that you feel are important to ask candidates. We are humbly your MSC, Kathi McNeil, Jane Nelson, Marty Bredeck, Pam Tinker, Omran Hasan, Sandy Peterson, and Vince Patton.

The Interim Minister is Coming

The Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church's Board of Trustees has announced the selection of an interim minister. The Reverend Don W. Vaughn-Foerster will join us in August and take the pulpit at the beginning of September 2007. Rev. Vaughn-Foerster was chosen from a group of five accredited interim ministers that were submitted to MVUC by the Unitarian Universalist Association, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

The interim minister search team – consisting of Board of Trustees (BOT) chair Jim Potter, BOT secretary Lisa Guide and new BOT member Bill Clontz said Vaughn-Foerster has the right combination of experience and skills to lead our congregation at this time in our history.

“By all accounts, Don Vaughn-Foerster is a solid and steady leader to help MVUC flourish during this interim period,” Potter said. “He is a thinker, and he is a doer. His vast experience, and the wisdom that his experience brings, will be a positive and stabilizing force for our staff and congregation in the coming months.”

“Don was universally praised by all we spoke with for his broad and deep engagement in congregational life,” said Bill Clontz. “As we listened to his services, reviewed his materials, exchanged emails, and spoke with him, we were all struck by his wisdom, flexibility, intellect, and sense of humor. This feels to us like the right minister at the right time.”

“We now have a dedicated and talented Director of Religious Education in Meagan Henry. We have an energetic and passionate new Director of Music in Melodie Feather,” said Lisa Guide. “And with the addition of Don Vaughn-Foerster, we have a first class team of professionals to inspire and care for our congregation.”

Vaughn-Foerster is currently interim minister at the UU Church of Sarasota, Florida. He has served as settled minister in five UU churches, and interim minister in six. He and his wife enjoy the excitement and energy of the interim ministry experience.

Here are a few quotes from Rev. Vaughn-Foerster’s references:

“He has truly done the job he came to do—provide support for us and be a bridge between our former settled minister and the new one who will take office in September. He is relaxed, friendly, thoughtful and well trained and focused on the task at hand. “

“This marvelous minister just came to the congregation when the 9/11 attack happened. He was a tower of strength, kindness and wisdom for the congregation as all of us struggled with the trauma. His suggestions, presence and grace comforted all of us.”

“His sense of humor, wit and intellect combined with a genuine love of people has given to our congregation a great boost… his visitation schedule to the ill and handicapped has been incomparable as well as his support of all committees within the fellowship.”

“Don’s appeal goes beyond himself. His wife, Peggy, is always by his side and always taking a welcome part. Her warmth can lift the saddest heart.”

The interim minister search committee would like to thank Rev. John Weston of the UUA Transitions Office for all his constructive assistance with this process. Weston and his assistant Emily spent significant time with our search committee, walking through an unfamiliar process and offering advice and encouragement. Also, the search committee would like to thank the entire Board of Trustees and the rest of the MVUC staff for their supportive and thoughtful input during the search process.