Trusting the Process

I'm in the middle of a strange journey. I resigned as minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester, quite sure that my ministry with that congregation had reached its conclusion. June is my last month with them. At the same time, I face a really challenging market as I look to move into intentional interim ministry. I've been trusting the process, and it has become a long, strange trip. A ministry awaits, of what kind, in what location, I am not quite sure. Will it be the interim ministry I set out to find? or something else?

It began gradually about twelve months ago, and went into second gear around January. But no real information was available until April, and no real action was possible until the last week of that month. I had rounded up resources to help me get through it: an interim minister who was not going to be searching this year to serve as a coach, a friend from seminary to serve as confidante, a shrink, just to be on the safe side. And I went to an expensive intensive session of career counseling to get clear about my inner and outer strengths and challenges.

The final list of congregations arrived for Round One, and I did my best to pick congregations that would not be wildly popular with everyone else while at the same time being more or less up my alley. Since this was my first time doing it, I went mostly on guesswork. I have some ideas about advance preparation for next time.

My coach came back from the conference of professional interim ministers with the word: "If you want to work this year, you need a website." I had thought it was an option to do it the old way with a portfolio of documents that could be express-mailed to interested congregations, so I set about to get online. I called a member of the congregation who has been helpful with IT stuff. He showed me the way to a site where a domain name and a website could be set up. "Website tonight!" it called itself, but it took me all weekend and a lot of intense concentration to get a reasonable facsimile of a job search website up and running.

That Monday, we found out which congregations had gotten our records. I took a chance and emailed their contact people to let them know my web address. And waited.

Soon, one congregation called to say I didn't look like the minister they were looking for. But soon after that, others called, and we set up telephone appointments for interviews. I had three nice interviews with three congregations that all looked as if we could make beautiful music together, but ultimately, as Round One was ending, they all called to say they had picked someone else. Deep breath and wait for round two. And start thinking about Round Three, the alternatives to Transitions Office facilitated interim ministries. A nicely-situated half-time ministry. Overseas temporary ministries. And pretty soon, three more listings from Transitions. One quick response and another good interview, but no, I was not their final choice. And now the pace has slowed. One of the new ones is really looking for a consulting minister who might stay. So is the half-time prospect. And the last one hasn't been in touch yet.

Maybe this is my chance to do something really different -- volunteer with some organization that saves the world's forests? -- and so I have begun my inquiries into that. The overseas possibilities are still alive. A friend is interested in one of them for her sabbatical, so maybe I should just chill on that one. A few more pictures on my website, but will anyone be looking at it? It will be perfect just in time for the market to close. My confidante's telephone ear is getting tired, but she's happy to encourage me. My references are eager to speak yet again about my sterling qualities. My coach continues to be helpful.

My little team and I are trusting the process. One of my reference people from inside the congregation said it today, "it will come, and maybe from a completely unexpected place." Tonight, I'm taking a deep breath, looking at the new crescent moon, and remembering to trust. Trust and do my footwork. Along with so many others in this little market and so many others in this big world of recession. The right thing is out there, coming closer. May it be so.