From Our Minister

Dear Prospective New DRE at White Plains,

I'm really excited about getting to meet you!

I was called to CUUC in 2013. I'm a huge believer in our children and youth, and I was attracted to this congregation because it so manifestly is also committed to RE and to the kids. The congregation began in 1909 as a Sunday School. As the congregation developed in its first decades, I think it's fair to say that, while the leaders were thinking about their own religious growth and development, they were thinking even more about their kids. That emphasis on the spiritual nurturing of our young continues today, I am delighted to say.

I was born and raised Unitarian Universalist -- so I know personally how valuable the UU experience can be for our young folks.

Biographically, here are the basics on me:

• Raised UU in an academic family: both parents were professors (Dad, Enlgish; Mom, chemistry).
• Started out following the family tradition -- academia -- and earned five degrees in four different fields:

BA, philosophy, West Georgia College, 1979,

BA, English, West Georgia College, 1980,

MA, communication studies, Baylor University, 1985,

MA, philosophy, University of Virginia, 1991,

PhD, government: political theory, University of Virginia, 1992.

• A daughter, Morgen, was born in 1980 and a son, John, in 1982.
• Served in lay leadership in several UU congregations while in grad school, including:

President, UU Fellowship of Waco, TX (mid-1980s)

Board member and then Vice-President, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist, Charlottesville, VA (early-1990s).

• Taught college as an assistant professor of philosophy at Fisk University (1992-96).
• Wed LoraKim Joyner in 2000, and began seminary a few months later.
• Entered fellowshipped as a Unitarian Universalist minister and was ordained in 2004.
• Served as co-minister with LoraKim in El Paso for two years (2004-06), during which time served solo as half-time minister in Midland, TX for one year (2005-06).
• Served as co-minister with LoraKim in Gainesville, FL for 3.5 years (2006-2010), during which also served stints as consulting minister to UU congregations in Tarpon Springs and Marion County, FL.
• Beginning in 2010 January, when LoraKim moved into community ministry, served as the Gainesville UU's full-time Senior Minister for 3.5 years until 2013 June.

I'm an experienced minister, have come through UU RE myself, and have raised a daughter and a son through UU RE. Through the years I've worked with a number of DREs and always have enjoyed the relationship. You'll get a high level of trust from me, and I don't expect to tell you how to do your job. I'll expect to meet at least weekly with you -- to chat, get to know what's going on and how I can be supportive. I rarely give orders, but I often have brainstormed with my DRE about how to handle various issues that arise. Depending on the DRE's orientation and needs, these weekly meetings have often been more about mutual pastoring and spiritual companionship than supervision.

Our governance model puts me as "head of staff." I'd be your supervisor, and in that capacity I'll work hard to make sure you know where you stand. You'll get formal feedback at scheduled quarterly reviews -- and informally, as mentioned, I'll reflect with you about how things are going at least weekly. The congregation's Board of Trustees makes all hiring, firing, and compensation decisions.

One of the ways I model lifelong faith development is by being very open about my own -- both within and without UU contexts. I'm also big on Social Justice , and I'll look forward to working with my DRE to plan Social Justice activities that involve children and youth as well as adults.

I think you'll like it at CUUC. I do! I also think, if you're selected, you'll like working with me. I look forward to that.

Yours Faithfully,
-Meredith