Thanks to our wonderful Interim RE Search Committee, Kay Inskeep, Melissa Dunlap, Chad Inman, Katie Kpaeyeh and myself, I would like to introduce you, or reintroduce you, to our Interim Religious Educator. We had some great applicants and are hopeful some will apply for the settled position when we get to that point. The committee did an amazing job and found a very qualified candidate that was recommended to and approved by the Board of Trustees. Karen Hager will be our Interim Religious Educator from January 1 through June 30, 2021. Karen got her start in religious education leadership right here at Heritage, where she, her husband Monte, and their son Ben were members from 2007 through 2009.

Karen and her family moved to Blacksburg, Virginia in the fall of 2009. Karen was quickly hired as the Director of Lifespan Faith Development at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Blacksburg, Virginia. She is a UUA Credentialed Religious Educator. Over her 10 years with UUC she has doubled the number of participants in the program through a combination of new curricula, family and multi-generational activities, and widespread support from her congregation. Karen has also written and published numerous religious education curricula for various preK-12 age groups which are used by hundreds of congregations across the country. Karen also trains other religious educators in the UUA Renaissance Module. Karen’s leadership has maintained children and youth participation levels at UUC through virtual religious education programing since March of this year.

In 2016 and 2017 Karen was a consultant, acting in an interim capacity, for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Roanoke, Virginia. In that capacity, Karen helped them through a transition and helped them grow their religious education program participation exponentially. Karen helped them, as she will here, to find a settled Director of Religious Education. Karen has continued to serve in a mentoring capacity to their settled Religious Educator and would be available for potential mentoring at HUUC if desired in the future. Karen looks forward to this opportunity to help HUUC, her old congregation, with our transition to a new Religious Educator.

Please join me in welcoming Karen back to Heritage!

Tamilyn Moore
Board President

Heritage Universalist Unitarian Church

Overview

As authorized by the Heritage Church Board of Trustees, our Senior Minister, Rev. Bill Gupton, will resume his sabbatical – which was abruptly interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic – on December 1, 2020. The sabbatical period will cover four months, December through March, and end on March 31, 2021.

It is acknowledged that this sabbatical will be taking place during a time in which multiple changes and challenges will be confronting the congregation: the retirement of our Assistant Minister for Religious Education, Rev. Leslie Woodward (on December 31, 2020); the impending retirement of Church Administrator Denise Martinez (no later than June 30, 2021); an ongoing pandemic; uncertainty related to when the congregation will resume in-person worship and other gatherings; any national / societal issues related to the election of 2020; and even possibly other unforeseen events. Yet the Board and the Committee on Ministry agree that allowing Rev. Bill to resume and complete his sabbatical will serve not only his own physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being, but also that of the church. With a successful, restful sabbatical, Rev. Bill will be able to return to his ministry with us in the spring of 2021, ready and prepared to take up the challenges of transition that we will be facing.

It is important to note that during this sabbatical, Rev. Bill will have some limited interaction with certain members of the church in his continuing work as President of Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary. However, non-Heritage Acres communication with church members, or involvement in the life of the church, will be set aside throughout the duration of the sabbatical.

In recognition of this unique time in our history, and this unique period of sabbatical renewal, the Board of Trustees and the Committee on Ministry have entered into the following understanding with Rev. Bill, which will serve as a guide for our mutual, shared ministries during the sabbatical period December 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021.

Guidelines

1. A Sabbatical Committee will be formed and appointed by the Board of Trustees, composed of no less than five persons, including one representative each from the Worship Committee, the Board, and the Committee on Ministry. This Sabbatical Committee will meet regularly, discuss developments and decisions taking place within the congregation, and serve other functions as described in these guidelines. The Sabbatical Committee consists of Michael Wilhite, Lisa Prantl, Robin Wickett, Bob Booth and Julie Kane.
2. It is crucial that the lines of communication between the following four groups – the Board, the Committee on Ministry, the Worship Committee, and the Sabbatical Committee – remain open, transparent, and mutually supportive. Although composed completely of volunteers, these groups will be carrying the bulk of the load of church work during this period.
3. Throughout the sabbatical, both the Committee on Ministry and the Sabbatical Committee are charged with keeping their “fingers on the pulse” of church life, reporting any concerns or issues that they may become aware of back to the Board of Trustees.
4. The Committee on Ministry will provide a forum for conflict resolution if needed. The Committee on Ministry will also reach out to any church members whom it deems have been “missing” or inactive for some time, to let them know that the church community misses them and is thinking about them, and to offer to connect them with appropriate groups and activities within the congregation.
5. The Committee on Ministry will continue to hold its regular monthly meetings, during which it will share thoughts and insights about congregational life, and consider any concerns, issues, or needed actions related to the shared ministry of Heritage Church.
6. The Committee on Ministry and the Board of Trustees will meet jointly at least once during the sabbatical, for discernment and to reflect together on the ongoing life and ministry of the church, the transitions taking place, and “how the sabbatical is going”.
7. The Committee on Ministry and the Board will collaborate with the Worship Committee in creating and leading the worship service on Sunday, April 11. This service will serve the purpose of summarizing the sabbatical period – both for the congregation, and for Rev. Bill – and include updates on developments and decisions made that affect the future direction and shared ministry of the church, similar to a “State of the Church” service.
8. The Executive Committee of the Board (consisting of the Tamilyn Moore, Michael Wilhite and Jim Nolan) will make any necessary executive decisions during the sabbatical, and will represent the supervisory function for staff in regard to decision-making.
9. The Board of Trustees as a whole will be ultimately responsible for staff, including making compensation recommendations during the normal annual budgeting process.
10. Pastoral care needs will be handled by the Caring Circle, and by persons they designate.
11. In the case of a serious pastoral care situation, the Board President will determine whether or not to reach out to the On-Call Minister, after consulting with the co-chairs of the Caring Circle (Michelle Kelly and Barb Beezley).
12. Rev. Bill will arrange with other Unitarian Universalist ministers, as has been the case during previous sabbaticals, to be On-Call Ministers if needed throughout the sabbatical. They will serve only as a last resort support system should the lay leadership as outlined throughout this document determine that a professional minister is absolutely needed in any given situation. On-call ministers are: Rev. Doug Slagle of the Gathering at Northern Hills (December), Rev. Kellie Kelly of Miami Valley (January), Rev. Mitra Jafarzadeh of St. John’s (February), and Rev. Alice Diebel of the Dayton area (March).
13. In the case of a true emergency within the church community, either the Board President (Tamilyn Moore) or the Church Administrator (Denise Martinez) shall contact Rev. Bill to advise him of the situation. Rev. Bill will then consult with the Board President and any relevant UUA officials to determine if matters are serious enough to break the sabbatical. Examples could include the death of a church member, immediate termination or resignation of a staff member during the sabbatical, or crises related to the church building (e.g., fire, vandalism, etc.). Note, however, that because this sabbatical was already interrupted once by the pandemic of 2020, all parties will make every effort to avoid another interrupted sabbatical. It will be communicated clearly to the congregation that, due to the circumstances of the previous, interrupted sabbatical, Rev. Bill will not be available from the beginning of December through the end of March unless it is deemed absolutely necessary by an agreement of the Committee on Ministry, the Board, and Rev. Bill.
14. Board President Tamilyn Moore and Vice-President Michael Wilhite shall maintain close and regular communication with the Church Administrator, Denise Martinez, to assure that the office and all administrative aspects of church life continue to function smoothly. This will also keep channels of communication open so that the Church Administrator remains apprised of all that is happening in the church, while giving her an avenue for providing feedback to the Board.
15. Anyone who wishes to join the church and become a member of Heritage during the sabbatical should indicate that desire, in writing, to the Board President. She or her designee will arrange with the Worship Committee for appropriate acknowledgement during an upcoming Sunday service.
16. Rev. Bill may, at his discretion, be available to perform funeral ceremonies for church members during the sabbatical.
17. The Worship Committee shall have complete and final responsibility for any and all worship services conducted at or by HUUC during the sabbatical. The Co-Chairs of the Worship Committee are Regina Pugh and Kathy Wade.
18. Rev. Bill’s contract states that “the congregation agrees to take no action on ministerial tenure during sabbatical leave” except in cases of gross misconduct.
19. Similarly, no action shall be taken regarding termination of employment of any Heritage staff member during the sabbatical, except in the case of gross misconduct. In such an instance, Rev. Bill will be contacted in the manner outlined in item #13 above, and shall be involved in the decision-making process. No new staff hires shall be made during the sabbatical unless they are approved by Rev. Bill.
20. Given that the sabbatical begins during Rev. Leslie Woodward’s final month of service prior to her retirement from Heritage Church, she will not be called upon to perform any ministerial functions during the sabbatical (with the exception of preaching her farewell sermon on December 13).
21. Any of the items included in these guidelines that affect or apply to specific staff members or church committees should be brought directly to the attention of these individuals or groups well prior to the beginning of the sabbatical.

HUUC Board of Trustees:
Tamilyn Moore, President
Jim Nolan, Past President
Michael Wilhite, Vice-President
Mark Buckley
Kay Inskeep
Barb Lyon
John Sandman

Committee on Ministry:
Ellie Lamb
Ann Roberts
Robin Wickett

Worship Committee:
Regina Pugh, co-chair
Kathy Wade, co-chair
Bob Drake
Bill Lyon
Lisa Prantl
Laura Rue Shaw
Steph Tacy

Caring Circle:
Barb Beezley, co-chair
Michelle Kelly, co-chair

To My Heritage Family:

It is with mixed emotions that I write this.

On August 20, 2020, I submitted my resignation and announced my retirement to the Board of Trustees. I will be retiring no later than June 30, 2021. It is with great pride and appreciation that I will have served as your Church Administrator for nineteen years.

I had planned on retiring at the end of this calendar year. But, when the COVID pandemic hit us, I felt compelled to stay a little longer. I wanted to do my part to help Heritage adjust to the new normal. With the continued dedication, determination and imagination of this amazing congregation and its ministers, you are adjusting beautifully.

In the next 10 months that lie before us, I will continue to take care of the business of the church to the best of my abilities. Just as important, perhaps even more, I will continue to be there for you.

With much gratitude,

Denise

In the midst of making phone calls, delivering soup, and grocery shopping for those who are home-bound, our Caring Circle has also been organizing for the long haul.

Over 60 people completed our online Heritage Needs and Gifts survey and the vast majority also volunteered to help keep Heritage connected while our church building is closed. Volunteers are being divided into teams that will expand the reach and efforts of our Caring Circle and be sure that all church members and friends are contacted and their needs met to the best of our abilities.

You’ll hear more about our Heritage Caring Network teams in the near future. For now, if you receive a voice mail, email or other message from someone identifying themselves as a Heritage Caring Network member, please call them back! We just want to be sure you are ok and that you know how to reach out if you need us.

If you want to get in touch with the Caring Circle, send email to Michelle Kelly and Barb Beezley at:

If you are a Heritage UU Church member or friend, please click on the following link and complete a short set of questions for our Heritage Needs and Gifts survey.

https://forms.gle/3P4YB4on6PfoCRoM8

This set of questions (1) asks how you are doing; (2) asks if you have immediate needs, and (3) lets you indicate what help, if any, you can offer our Heritage community.

Some people have said that this time of social distancing is a marathon, not a sprint. Here is a different metaphor — this is not a sprint or a marathon, but rather a relay race. Those of us with the energy and means to help now might not be able to help later, and vice versa. We all will do what we can, when we can, and that will be enough. Together we will create a network of care that reaches out to all.

Some additional information:

• You can go back and complete the survey again if your circumstances change. The program will automatically update your responses.
• It would be most helpful if everyone connected with Heritage in your household, age 16 and over, would complete the survey separately.
• Some workplaces will block access to Google forms while you are at work.
• The survey works best on a computer, laptop, or tablet. It’s difficult to complete on a phone.

Don’t hesitate to reach out by telephone! Call Rev. Leslie at 937-478-1031 if you need help or just a listening ear. Don’t wait!

Posted 3/19/2020.

As we continue to be mindful of the safety and security of our members and friends when they are in the Heritage building, we’ve discovered that information for many of our families is incomplete.

Security professionals have urged us to have emergency contact information for everyone who attends programming in our church, especially on Sunday mornings. In January and February, you may receive an information form via email. We urge you to fill it out as completely as possible and assure you that all information collected will remain safe and secure from hacking or other unauthorized access.

Paper forms will also be available at the Religious Exploration recruiting table on Sunday mornings.

Please help us ensure the safety of our Heritage children and youth!

January 2020.

In response to discussion at our annual congregational meeting in June, Heritage UU Church has started placing its financial statements on a password-protected webpage on the church website.

To go to the financial statements, on any church webpage find the main menu bar, point to CONGREGATIONAL LIFE, then point and click on MEMBERS’ AREA. On that page, scroll down and click on the Financial Statements link. This will take you to the Financial Statements page.

You will need to enter the members’ area password if you have not entered it recently. If you do not know the password, please talk with the Church Administrator either in person or by phone.

If you have questions about the content of the financial statements, please talk with Reid Hester, or email him at:

September 2019.