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Embrace the electrifying spirit of the year’s largest UU gathering, where we come together in unity for an awe-inspiring Sunday worship celebration like no other! It’s a vibrant, communal worship experience that promises to uplift your soul and ignite your passion. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary gathering of hearts and minds!
Rev. Dr. Nicole C. Kirk (she/her) is the Rev. Dr. J. Frank and Alice Schulman Chair of Unitarian Universalist History at Meadville Lombard Theological School and a historian of American religious history. She has served UU congregations in Ohio and New Jersey and is currently the Program Minister (part-time) at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She joined the Meadville Lombard faculty in 2012 after serving eight years in the parish and earning her Ph.D. at Princeton Theological Seminary. Her research interests include religion, business, mobility, and material culture in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dr. Kirk’s publications include Wanamaker’s Temple: The Business of Religion in an Iconic Department Store (New York University Press, 2018, 2023) and chapters in several edited volumes.
Dr. Kirk enjoys advising students and assisting them on their formational path(s). Over the years, she has met and worked with many of Meadville Lombard’s international partners in the Czech Republic, Japan, and Transylvania. In 2023, the Religious Society of Czech Unitarians gave Dr. Kirk the Award for Supporting Czech Unitarianism. A popular speaker, she gives lectures and sermons across the United States and internationally.
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A LETTER FROM YOUR BOARD
Dear Members and Friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford:
After the Annual Meeting a week ago Sunday, the current Board and the incoming Board met at Rev Matthew’s request. At that time, we learned of Rev. Matthew’s plan to leave the UU Church of Rockford and follow his calling to serve leaders and congregations across our faith. We were surprised and saddened and yet we were filled with deep appreciation and sincere gratitude for his 17 years as the Senior Minister here at the UU Church of Rockford. We wish him the best as he moves into the next chapter of his ministry. In Rev. Matthew’s new role with the UUA, congregations across the Midwest will benefit from his spiritual insights, managerial savvy, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.
At that meeting, Rev. Matthew made it clear that it is not appropriate for him to have any role in selecting a transitional or interim minister. This makes perfect sense. The Board held a vote designating a team to begin the preliminary steps to plan, identify, and retain an Interim Minister to serve until we begin the process outlined in our bylaws to call a settled Minister. The team will be headed by Vice-President and President-elect Wendy Bennet and will include current President Matt Menze, Vice-President-elect Diane Kuehl, and Board Member at large elect Kendra Asbury. The finance team will be active in this process, and the UUA has been and will continue to be a valuable resource throughout. We will also be seeking advice and input from staff, lay leaders, and a range of others.
As we begin this transition, we are encouraged by several things.
The UUA has an extensive protocol to guide congregations in the transition process. Our church has enjoyed stable ministry over the years; however, the reality is that congregations go through transitions all the time. The UUA is well equipped to guide us through this.
We have an excellent staff and dedicated lay leaders to support and facilitate the next steps.
We have a lot going for us. We are an attractive destination for potential interim and settled minister because of the staff and lay leaders, and because we are a stable, well-funded, and functional congregation.
We are just beginning this transition. This is our first communication, and there will be more to come. Thank you in advance for your patience and your trust. We look forward to working together.
Past Sunday Services
Did you know you can watch past Sunday services anytime? We have them on our website under past worship services so you never have to miss a Sunday! Click here to find a service that you haven’t seen yet! You can also always go to our Facebook and YouTube pages.
The Board of Trustees:
President: Matt Menze
Clerk: Kim Lowman Vollmer
Vice-President: Wendy Bennett
Treasurer: Bob Spelman
Trustees: Clark Logemann, Rebecca Beneditz, Neita Webster
The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford, IL | 4848 Turner St., Rockford, IL 61107 | 815-398-6322 | uurockford.org |
