 May 2008 PSD PeopleThe theologian and historian Daniel Patrick McKanan, a member of the St. Cloud (MN) UU Fellowship, has been named the inaugural incumbent of the Ralph Waldo Emerson UUA Chair of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School. McKanan, who has taught since 1998 at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota, will hold the title Ralph Waldo Emerson Unitarian Universalist Association Senior Lecturer in Divinity, as of July 1, 2008. More information is at http://www.uuworld.org/news/articles/105278.shtml Rev. Victoria Safford, minister at White Bear UU Church in Mahtomedi, MN, will deliver the sermon at the Service of the Living Tradition at General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale next month. The Service of the Living Tradition celebrates our professional ministry, recognizing ministers who have received preliminary and final fellowship this year, as well as ministers who have retired or who have died in the past year. It’s an honor to be chosen to give the sermon at this service, and we congratulate Victoria and look forward to hearing her. Also in the plans for General Assembly next month: the Opening Worship on Wednesday evening will feature The Sources, an inspiring cantata setting of the six UU Sources, with text by Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, minister of First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, MN. Those of you who attended the 2007 District Annual Conference will remember this wonderful music, which was performed at the Sunday morning service. Rev. Alan Egly, minister emeritus UU Fellowship Burlington (IA), received the Hope for Humanity Award given by the local Yom HaShoah Holocaust Remembrance Committee (Quad Cities Iowa/Illinois) for his work on behalf of justice. More information is at http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/05/03/news/religion/doc481bed420ad96126175681.txt Lyn Burton will be ordained at Unity Church – Unitarian (Saint Paul, MN) on Sunday, June 8. Lyn is a District consultant and has led strategic planning processes for several small congregations. Rev. Mitra Rahnema was ordained by All Souls UU Church (Kansas City, MO) on May 10, and Rev. Kathleen Baughman was ordained on April 19 at the UU Fellowship of Topeka (KS). Rev. Josh Snyder (Second Unitarian Church in Omaha, NE) and Rev. Nancy Haley (UU Society of Iowa City, IA) have resigned from their respective ministries this spring. In MemoriumMary Hermann, UU Society of River Falls, WI, who with her husband Jay Hermann was a recipient of the 2004 Keeping the Faith Award, died in an auto accident in early May. Their award citation stated “Mary and Jay are the open heart and tender soul of UUSRF. They have shown by example that commitment to and regular caring involvement creates a welcoming spiritual home where all can be an integral part of the larger universe of humankind.” Our sympathy is with her family and friends. PSD CongregationsThe UU Fellowship of LaCrosse (WI) celebrated their Building Dedication on May 4. They purchased a former funeral home a year ago and have done extensive renovations since that time. Seven photos of the building and the congregation are available on District Executive Nancy Heege’s blog at http://nheege.wordpress.com/ On June 1, the UU Fellowship of Eau Claire (WI) will be celebrating the ministry of their minister, Rev. Virginia Wolf, who is retiring this summer. The congregation has engaged an interim minister for next year. |