Dear WUUC community,
June 24 will be my last day as minister of the Woodinville Unitarian Universalist Church. Starting Aug. 15, I will serve as the Developmental Minister at the Eugene UU Church in Oregon. For me my ministry has come full circle as I began my ministry there in 1981 in campus ministry. I hope to end my ministry there after 4 years.
There are protocols that need to be adhered to when a minister leaves the congregation they are serving. These protocols have to do with making room for the new minister(s) to do their work without interference or comments from the ministerial peanut gallery. Most importantly what you need to know is that as of June 24 I am no longer your minister and cannot function in that capacity. I will need to delete all of you who are in the WUUC community from my Facebook account. I am not to have contact with any of you via phone or social media or in person for at least two years. This is all part of collegial ethics that UU clergy covenant to uphold. It may seem harsh but I have come to understand the wisdom of this protocol.
And yes, there are always exceptions. As in former clergy performing a ministerial role (such as a memorial) for a former congregant but they are rare and would need to be negotiated through the interim or called minister of WUUC. These guidelines allow for clean endings and beginnings in ministry and allow congregations to grow with their current minister.
So, my gratitude for the 8 years we have had together. It was its own era that needs to be contained and appreciated for what it has meant to me as your minister and WUUC as a congregation.
Peace, Shalom,Salaam,
Rev. Lo