Note:
Rev. Amy Russell, our called minister for the past five years, held her final service with us on Sunday, June 3, 2007. The service was a beautiful commentary on the meaning of community and a reflection on the one we’ve built together at SCUU with her help. She leaves us to join the Miami Valley UU Fellowship in Dayton, Ohio as their called minister. We are especially grateful that she was able to spend the past 5 years with us, knowing that it meant that she had to be away from her husband often, and we are glad that she can now be closer to him while serving her new congregation in Ohio.

We are very pleased that Myron Andes has accepted a position as SCUU’s new Consulting Interim Minister effective September 1, 2007. Myron comes to us from a UU congregation in Evansville, Indiana and is excited to join us and be in the Washington, DC, area to join with his life partner, Shelley, who will be completing an internship with a UU congregation in Northern Virginia starting in September.

Myron was drawn to our vitality, families, and commitment. He says, “My sense is that this is a congregation with skills and experience in ‘doing church,’ that has taken some very important steps that have been successful. Your covenants, 3-5 year plan and so much more in [various documents] tell me that you are being responsible and doing a lot of things right, including having a dynamic vision for the future. I am excited at the possibility of being a part of that growth.”

Myron brings to SCUU a love of children, funny yet spiritual sermons, a caring and compassionate manner, and a commitment to helping us through our interim year. Myron says, “Interim ministry is about guiding and supporting a congregation as it does the work of transition involved in changing professional ministers. The particular needs, opportunities, and challenges will be different for each congregation. The work will certainly include a renewed look at the congregation’s history and its meaning for the present, clarification of the congregation’s current identity, attention to the development of new leadership and any needed organizational changes, strengthening the congregation’s stewardship and readiness for its mission, and preparing to welcome the new settled minister.”

Myron loves music – yet another reason why he is an excellent fit for SCUU -- and prefers to use a significant amount in services. He believes, “Beauty and creativity are of primary value, and are worthy of worship in themselves. Music and other arts make these present in a congregation’s worship, and perhaps in other areas of congregational life.”

Myron describes his theological orientation/method as “skeptical credulity. Skeptical, because it is important for any theological assertions to be analyzed rationally. This includes looking at conscious and unconscious motivations, consistency, and above all moral implications. Credulous, because it is important to take my own and others’ experience seriously. These two techniques, working together, have a chance to produce some mature, exciting, innovative thought.”