My heart is swelling with gratitude for all the people in our community who helped to make our day of the Installation so meaningful. By the way, if you had to miss it, you can watch in now on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/live/OQrxFxFAlN0?feature=share&t=552

On Sunday, we covenanted with one another – me, your new Senior Minister, and you, the members of this great congregation. Led, by our Moderator, Ryan Deibert, we made promises to nourish and uplift this shared ministry, which belongs to us all. We, the members and friends, the ministers and staff, co-create who we are and what we do together as a spiritually alive, radically inclusive, and justice centered community.

On Sunday, we were also charged by visiting colleagues from around the globe. Rev. Joseph Santos Lyons shared a reading about the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, about our collective call to heal the world. (This story is a touchstone for my ministry.) Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt shared a sermon that invited us to reflect on what it means to offer a “Faithful Presence” of Unitarian Universalism in our city and our world in these times. Cassandra Scheffman shared a charge from our children and youth about their hopes for our shared ministry, then Rev. Kim Mason charged me, and finally Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson charged you.

May the words we shared and heard propel us forward on a path of building on our historic foundations and embracing the changes needed for the future.

There are so many people without whom the day would not have been possible.

Most of all – every one of you who called me and all who have shown up since that day until now in our new ministry in myriad ways on Sunday mornings and beyond – both online and in-person. During the prayer and laying on and outstretching of hands, led by Rev. Monica Jacobson-Tennessen, I could feel all of you – my family, our members and friends of all ages, our whole staff, and even our newcomers – sending all your love, energy, and passion to fuel what is possible. 

There are some people who worked especially hard to fill the day with joy and meaning. Thank you to the installation team – Mabsie Walters (chair), Rev. Tom Disrud, Kathryn Estey, Ruth Lewellen-Dix, David Livermore, Kathy Ludlow, Leslie Pohl-Kosbau, John Rosette, and Saranna Weller-Filz. They helped to think through and coordinate all the details leading up to and on the day itself.

Thank you to everyone who made the service so special. Thank you to all our speakers, including guests who traveled from nearby and as far away as from the Philippines – as you heard during the service, our faith is located in 30 countries. Thank you to all of our musicians, including our choir members led by DeReau Farrar, and our keyboardists, Signe Lusk and Joe O’Donnell. Thank you to our Audio-Visual Team who broadcast the service in the room and online. Thank you to our photographers of the day, Keith and Jeff Iding. And, thank you to our ushers, led by Dev Dion.

Thank you to all those who joined the processional, including the many Pacific Northwest religious professional colleagues both ordained and lay, the former Moderators, Board of Trustees members, and the Ministerial Search Committee. Lynne Bacon, deserves big thanks for serving as our Marshal – organizing such a large group of religious professionals and lay dignitaries in our congregation can be like serving as a shepherd to a flock of cats!

Thank you to all who helped support the festive party following the service, including the Installation Team members listed above, Jason Chapman and our sextons, and many additional Alliance members: Bob Bonner, Linda Craig, Sherwin Davidson, Margie Foster, Dori Goodman, Annette Guido, Laura Jones, Suzanne Kosanke, Mary Kuster, Maxine & Rick Lathrop, Lena Lee, Laurie Lester, Susan Little, Robin MacRae, Penny Moody, Jamie Marucha, Barbara Morrison, Linda Nelson, Pat & Tony Obst, Carolyn Ofiara, Jean Omelchuck, Nancy Panitch, Susan Pryor, Wendy Rankin, Harriet Shaklee, Sally Shorr, Eric Terrell, Arliss Ungar, Kathleen Vinson, Marti Yoder, Ron Yoder, and Ann Zawaski.

I will carry the milestone of last Sunday, of our moving from the intention of call to the action of covenanting and installation, with me in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. Let us move forth knowing that we are charged with tending the roots and the shoots of a life-giving shared ministry that our world has great need of in these times.

In faith,

Alison