Past Search News

Congregational Survey

Our period of Self Study is coming to an end.  We are in the last phase: THE SURVEY.  The survey is designed to generate a very specific profile of our congregation and the minister we seek.  Your survey responses are confidential.

Thank you to those who have completed the survey -- we are pleased and filled with gratitude for all of the responses we have received thus far.  Nevertheless, we would like hear every voice, so we are holding the survey period open for one more week through Sunday November 9th at 5pm.

Please take the Online Survey or print a PDF format survey and return it to the church by Nov 9th.

While we tabulate results of our survey, we continue to work on the Congregational Record and Packet.  We will take the information and use it immediately in crafting our writing of these documents.  We hope to have our record online for ministerial candidates to review by mid November.  We will keep you posted on our progress. Thanks to all for your continued commitment to a successful search!

Planned* Cottage Meeting Dates

The Ministerial Search Team invites you to a “cottage meeting” to share your vision for FCU and our future minister.  In small groups of 8-10, we’ll discuss “what is the soul of this church?”  This is a not-to-miss event – register early!  Light refreshments.  Child care is available with advance notice.  To register or for more info, contact search@fculittle.org.

Date	Location	Time	Status
Sunday Sept 28	FCU Alliance Room	12:30pm - 2:30pm	Completed
Monday Sept 29	Westford home	1:00pm - 3:00pm	Cancelled
Monday Sept 29	FCU	7:00pm - 9:00pm	Cancelled
Sunday Oct 05	FCU Emerson Room	12:30pm - 2:30pm	Completed
Wednesday Oct 08	Groton home	7:00pm - 9:00pm	Completed
Thursday Oct 09	Acton home	9:00am-11:00am	Completed
Sunday Oct 12	FCU Alliance Room	12:30pm - 2:30pm	Completed
Saturday Oct 18	Chelmsford home - Lesbian Potluck Group	6:00pm	Completed
Sunday Oct 19	FCU - Senior Youth Group	10:00am - 11:00am	Completed
Sunday Oct 19	FCU - Men's Group	7:00pm - 9:00pm	Completed
Sunday Oct 19	FCU	7:00pm - 9:00pm	Completed

*Note: these are meetings are designed as group discussions requiring a minimum of 8 attendees.

FCU Self-Study Begins

We had our Ministerial Search Team retreat in late August and reviewed the major phases and timing of this exciting process:
•    Self-Study – September-October
•    Congregation Record  (an extended resume used to "apply" for a minister) – late November
•    Information Packet (portfolio) – late November
•    Selection of Pre-Candidates – December/January
•    Neutral Pulpits & Interviewing – January/February
•    Selection of Candidate (only one) – March/April
•    Candidating Week – April/May
•    Congregational Vote – April/May

We have had several planning meetings and we are ready for your participation! We encourage all members and friends of FCU to participate in our ministerial search self-study process. Through this process, we hope to become clear about who we are as a church community and what kind of minister we seek. We want 100% participation to achieve this goal.

We request your participation in these three key ways:

Sign up for a small group meeting to share your vision with others.
We will be conducting our small group “cottage meetings” at FCU and private homes between September 28th-October 19th. These meetings will involve a facilitated brainstorm discussion to help us answer what Rev. Marta asks, “what is the soul of this church?” We will have 7 different dates so please pick a day and time that suits you best. Keep checking this page for the latest confirmed dates. Sign up in the vestry after services or contact search@fculittle.org to attend one of these important meetings.

Complete the ministerial search survey. 
Watch for the survey launch period during early October. We will be using an online survey tool as well as paper copies for your convenience. We will let you know when the survey can be completed.

Speak to a search team member and share your vision.
Speak to any search team member at any time about your hopes and desires for our church and future minister. Your voice counts! Thank you in advance for your commitment to making our search process a success.

During this period of self-study, the Search Team will be hard at work on the Congregational Record and Packet. Your contributions during self-study will help us with these documents as we represent who we are as a church and what we seek in a minister to prospective candidates. Stayed tuned for more details on our progress through the upcoming phases.

Greetings from the Ministerial Search Team

Friday September 05, 2008
It is with a profound sense of joy and anticipation that I write to you as leader of the Settled Minister Search Team. My fellow members and I have been hard at work this summer preparing to engage you, our members and friends of FCU, as we work to call a settled minister next spring. The Search Team has met several times and completed an all-day team building and planning retreat. This retreat and our path through this effort is guided and supported by the UUA.

Our most important task is knowing who we are as a church before we can know whom to call. We wish to be able to say “With all voices heard, this is the minister we need to lead us on our path.” We are hoping for 100% participation in this phase of the search. There will be many opportunities for each of you to let us know what kind of minister you are looking for, including a survey and small group meetings. One of the best ways is to approach any member of the team, ask us what we are up to, how it is going, and talk to us about your ideal minister.

In your discussions with us, please keep in mind that much of the personal information regarding "pre-candidates" will be kept confidential. We will post a bulletin board in the Vestry with a photo so you can easily identify us. We are honored and excited to be representing you in this search. Your support and contributions will allow us to call the best minister possible.

-- The Ministerial Search Team