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Rev. Bridget Flad’s Call Sermon

Terry Bush’s Remarks:

GOOD MORNING.

I FIRST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND GRATEFULLY THANK THE MEMBERS OF YOUR SEARCH COMMITTEE – MEL POLAREK, LLOYD SCHAEFER, MICHAEL VINSON, KAREN WIRCH, JULIE HARDER, MARLENE LANOUE, JEFF GIBSON AND RAY THOMPSON WHO ALONG WITH OUR MODERATOR, BARB MCCLURE-LUKENS SERVING AS AN EX OFFICIO MEMBER, WORKED DILIGENTLY, PRAYERFULLY AND FAITHFULLY FOR THE PAST 16 MONTHS.

YOU ENTRUSTED US WITH THE TASK OF FINDING AND RECOMMENDING A CANDIDATE TO BECOME THE NEXT SENIOR PASTOR OF UNION CHURCH.

WE WROTE A JOB DESCRIPTION AND CHURCH PROFILE WHICH WERE PRESENTED TO AND APPROVED BY COMMON MINISTRY.  WE RECEIVED AND REVIEWED THE RESUMES OF 27 CANDIDATES.  WHILE THIS WAS A MUCH SMALLER POOL THAN THE 60 CANDIDATES REVIEWED 20 YEARS AGO, THIS GROUP WAS VERY DIVERSE.  AT THE VERY LEAST, ITS DIVERSITY MATCHED THAT OF THIS CONGREGATION.  FURTHERMORE, CANDIDATES HAD EXPERIENCE THAT VARIED FROM THE NEWLY GRADUATED BUT YET TO BE ORDAINED TO THE SEASONED PASTOR SEEKING TO SERVE THEIR LAST CONGREGATION.

WE SELECTED 7 CANDIDATES TO INTERVIEW.  WE QUESTIONED THEM AT LENGTH AND CHECKED THEIR REFERENCES WHILE THE WISCONSIN CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PERFORMED BACKGROUND CHECKS. ONLY ONE PASSED ALL THESE STEPS AND THEN ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION TO COME TO GREEN BAY.

REVEREND BRIDGET MARY FLAD

WE SOUGHT A WELCOMING VOICE THAT WAS COMMITTED NOT ONLY TO ONA BUT WOULD REACH OUT AND EMBRACE ALL THOSE WITHOUT A CHURCH HOME.

WE SOUGHT A SCHOLARLY VOICE THAT WOULD TEACH EVERYONE IN OUR CONGREGATION – YOUND AND OLD – IN NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS.

WE SOUGHT A STRONG VOICE THAT WOULD MARSHALL THE RESOURCES OF UNION CHURCH AND ALL OF ITS MEMBERS TO CONTINUE TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF SOCIAL INJUSTICE, HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS WITH ENDEAVORS OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE.

WE SOUGHT AN EXPERIENCED VOICE THAT WOULD LEAD OUR EFFORTS TO GROW MEMBERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP AS WELL AS MANAGE THE BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF A PROUD, LONG STANDING AND COMPLEX CONGREGATION.

WE SOUGHT A COMPASSIONATE VOICE THAT WOULD SOOTHE US IN TIMES OF CRISIS, TRAGEDY AND LOSS YET BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE WITH US THE HAPPIEST TIMES OF OUR LIVES – WEDDINGS, BIRTHS, BAPTISMS, ADOPTIONS, GRADUATIONS, CONFIRMATIONS, ANNIVERSARIES.

WE SOUGHT A PROPHETIC VOICE THAT WOULD PREACH TO US, ENGAGE US, INSPIRE US AND SEND US ON OUR WAY WITH HOPE, COURAGE AND CONVICTION.

AFTER LISTENING TO HER PREACH, WE KNEW THAT WE HAD FOUND THE PERSON WITH THESE VOICES AND ONE MONTH AGO, REV. BRIDGET FLAD ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION TO GIVE THE SERMON YOU HEARD THIS MORNING TELLING US THAT SHE FELT GOD’S CALL TO COME TO UNION CHURCH.

I PROMISED YOU THAT WE WOULD FIND A PASTOR THAT YOU WOULD BE PROUD OF.  WITH THE UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE DONE JUST THAT.

ON BEHALF OF THE PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE AND AS CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE, I MOVE THIS CONGREGATION CALL REVEREND BRIDGET MARY FLAD TO BE THE SENIOR PASTOR OF UNION CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.

TERRY BUSH

CHAIR

PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE

JANUARY 11, 2015

About the Author
Shaun is the Communications Coordinator and Web Master for Union Church.