FAQ on how we’ll call our new lead minister

We’re excited to announce that WBUUC’s Ministerial Search Committee has chosen a candidate for our new settled lead minister! Now we’ll bring forward Rev. Jessica Clay to our congregation for approval. Go to Ministerial Transition page to meet the candidate and learn more. 

Rev. Jessica will spend a week with the congregation from April 29 to May 7, including two Sunday worship services. You can also meet Rev. Jessica in person during this time. See the full Candidating Week schedule and sign up forms!

On Sunday May 7, we’ll have just a single service (10am) followed by a special congregational meeting (in-person and on Zoom) at 11:30am. During this meeting, WBUUC members can vote to call Rev. Jessica to enter into ministry with us. Please RSVP for this meeting today as it will help us determine if we will reach the quorum required for the meeting. RSVP HERE: https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/Special

Given the trusted process, the months of congregational input in the fall, the Ministerial Search Committee’s commitment to the congregation and our excitement about the candidate, it would be extremely surprising for our congregation to vote no at this point. We expect that candidating week will feel like a celebratory and joyful homecoming.

Still, we know it’s important to understand the full process and why it’s set up this way. Here are some answers to questions we imagine you might have. If you have other questions, please reach out to our team at search@wbuuc.org or to Rev. Roger at revroger@wbuuc.org.

  1. When can we know who the candidate is?
  2. Why is just one final candidate presented?
  3. Who can vote at the congregational meeting on Sunday, May 7? Can non-members attend?
  4. I want to be a part of this exciting moment for our church! Can I become a member in time for the vote?
  5. Will we need a quorum at the May 7 congregational meeting in order to call the vote?
  6. How high must the percentage of approval be?
  7. Why is the percentage so high?
  8. What happens if the motion to call isn’t approved or if the percentage of vote isn’t high enough for the candidate? 


When can we know who the candidate is?
We released information about our candidate, Rev. Jessica Clay, on April 9. You can see her video, read her letter, and read the search team’s thoughts on what stood out about Rev. Jessica here.

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Why is just one final candidate presented?

To ensure a fair and equitable process, the discernment phase was confidential, held and moved forward by your Ministerial Search Committee to arrive at our candidate. The committee brings forward just one candidate to set the stage for a healthy relationship between our future minister and our congregation. Presenting only one candidate ensures no congregational division erupts over options.

Rest assured, the search team kept all we heard last fall in mind with every decision we made. From our pool of applicants, we chose the candidate that best aligned with our needs. See Congregational Record Summary

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Who can vote at the congregational meeting on Sunday, May 7? Can non-members attend?
Only members can vote at the congregational meeting, but non-members are welcome to attend. Speaking of which…

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I want to be a part of this exciting moment for our church! Can I become a member in time for the vote?
Yes, and here’s how. The WBUUC bylaws state: “The membership shall be open to any person sixteen (16) years of age or older who subscribes to the purposes of this Church, signs the membership book, and who will, to the extent that she or he is able, make an annual financial contribution to the general operating fund.” If you’d like to join and vote at the congregational meeting, we recommend doing so by May 4 so there’s time to update church records. Contact Rev. Jack (revjack@wbuuc.org) to set up a time to sign the membership book or for more information.

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Will we need a quorum at the May 7 congregational meeting in order to call the vote?
Yes, so please come! This congregational meeting, like our annual meeting last year, will be multiplatform so members can attend in-person or on Zoom. Both ways of attending count toward the quorum and online attendees will be able to participate in the written vote.

RSVP now for this special congregational meeting: https://wbuuc.breezechms.com/form/Special.

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How high must the percentage of approval be?
Our bylaws state that approval must be 80% of voting members present at the congregational meeting. But many ministers will not accept a call if approval is below 90%.

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Why is the percentage so high?
Most ministers are not eager to enter into covenant with a congregation if more than 10% of its members don’t approve of their ministry before they begin their work.

Any no vote is also a message of no confidence in the search committee. It’s difficult for a congregation to fully get to know a candidate in one week. Fortunately the UUA process allowed your search committee representatives months to review materials, watch sermons of the 16 ministers who applied to WBUUC, interview many, and spend weekends and attend worship services led by three finalists.

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What happens if the motion to call isn’t approved or if the percentage of vote isn’t high enough for the candidate?
If the congregation votes no on May 7, we would enter into another full year of search. This would be a tough scenario for WBUUC, extending our period of transition and introducing more challenges. We would need to find a new interim minister, since Rev. Roger is not available to steward us through an additional year. And since many interim ministers will already be matched with other congregations by early May, finding someone could be difficult.

The search committee and the board would also need to discern whether current search committee members would continue or if a whole new team would need to be elected. This team would then need to begin again in the next search cycle, conducting another survey, holding more cottage meetings, and revising the congregational record before opening up to applicants in the spring of 2024. We also know that a congregational no vote could fracture our church community, requiring deep healing work in the aftermath.

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