May 17, 2019

Dear TJMCUU,

I am writing to share important news that will impact every member of the TJMCUU community.

The last several years have been challenging ones for our church. Our congregation has been split around fundamental issues, many of which have impacted our vision of what we want from our Lead Minister Erik Wikstrom. Some of us continue to feel that Erik leads us to important places where our church needs to go; others feel equally strongly that this is not the case.

At the same time, as we have wrestled with white supremacy in our congregation and community, our Director of Administration & Finance Christina Rivera has experienced both implicit and overt racism directed at her to the point that her health and safety have been compromised.

Several months ago, Erik and Chris approached the Board to discuss negotiating their resignations. Erik feels that our divided church will not be able to move forward with him continuing to serve as Lead Minister, and Chris has concerns for her well-being. The Board of Trustees recognizes these realities and has worked with Erik and Chris to agree on terms. As a result, Erik will be ending his ministry here at the end of June, and Chris at the end of August.

There is a lot of information to convey, and a lot of processing, grieving, and planning that needs to happen around these transitions that cannot be captured in this short letter. There will be time to tell our stories and say our goodbyes over the coming months. For now, the Senior Staff and Board want you to have a few important pieces of information:

This Sunday, Erik will be discussing his transition as part of his Sunday sermon. After each service, there will be small group sessions to give us an opportunity to share our immediate feelings. Childcare will be available during these pastoral sessions.

We’re working to schedule opportunities later next week to discuss details and allow you to ask questions. Please watch the Friday email, web site, and Facebook page for more information.

The terms of Erik’s separation agreement must be approved by the congregation. These terms will be presented for approval at the June 2nd congregational meeting, and we will be discussing them in the informational sessions.

Moving forward, there will be additional pastoral sessions, as well as events to celebrate what Erik and Chris have meant to our community.

Please know that staff and members of the Board of Trustees join you in needing time to grieve these transitions, and future plans will need time to take shape. But also know that transitions are part of church life, and we have resources within our community and at the UUA to help us navigate these changes.

May we keep our attention on our spiritual values and continue to care for one another in the coming weeks and months.

Faithfully,
Adam Slate, President, on behalf of the Board of Trustees

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TJMC Covenant Statement
In order to create the beloved community we all desire for ourselves, we, the Congregation of Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church Unitarian Universalist covenant to:

Communicate with compassion and respect, especially when we disagree,
Celebrate diversity and nurture our inclusivity,
Promote social justice within our congregation and the larger community,
Generously support the ministries of the church with time, money and enthusiasm, and
Lovingly call each other back into covenant when we have fallen short.