By Pam McIntire

Sometimes in these hard times I struggle among despair, rage, and just feeling befuddled. I find that I am expending large amounts of energy trying to stay calm and centered. Sometimes I feel very alone.

And, then comes the TJMC Wednesday email, the Friday email and the Sunday service. I remember that I am not alone and I remember the power of love and kindness. I am so very grateful to be in the TJMC community and I am especially grateful to our terrific staff, Alex, Caroline, Leia, Scott and Sean, for holding the space for us to be together. I am repeatedly amazed at their vision, dedication, wisdom and hard work.

In that spirit of appreciation, I also want to talk for a moment about our beloved Director of Faith Development, Leia Durland-Jones. The more I have become aware of the workings of our church, the more I am amazed and appreciative of Leia’s role at TJMC. For 27 years she has remained steadfast in her dedication to our community and in the last months she has carried an enormous weight in nourishing our need for connection and hope.

In the early years, I saw Leia solely as the Director of Religious Education and I was grateful for guidance she gave in providing excellent religious education for us all. However, as I got more involved in our church, I saw how she is a leader in all aspects of our church and how she is a minister at TJMC. She brings her wisdom and deep understanding of Unitarian Universalist values and principals to every aspect of our church life: administration, pastoral care, stewardship, worship, spiritual development, rites of passage, senior leadership and overall care for our congregation.  She is, in fact, a minister in TJMC.

Leia is wise and she is experienced. She is recognized in the greater national and regional UU community as a skilled, knowledgeable leader. Throughout the decades, she has led us with integrity, wisdom, perseverance, tolerance, kindness, and a steadfast commitment to living according to our UU principles.

We have been through some very hard times at TJMC in the last few years, and we are now going through even harder times in our world today. In low moments, when it seems clear that many of our governmental leaders do not respect the inherent worth and dignity of all people, Leia’s ministry has called me to see the beauty, joy and hope in the world. Her ministry reminds me that the love we share is powerful, our actions are important and meaningful, and that we can each work for justice and make a difference. I am so grateful to be able to lean into our UU values and principles as I try to make sense of the world today.

At our Congregational Meeting on August 23, we have the opportunity to vote on the question of ordaining Leia as our Minister of Faith Development. A vote of yes will formally recognize Leia as a minister in our church, it will acknowledge the role she has played in TJMC these many years, and it will empower her to continue as one of our ministers. We will vote on the motion “Should TJMC UU ordain Leia as our Minister of Faith Development with the title of Reverend Leia Durland-Jones?” Please come to the meeting and vote on this critical question.

Thank you,
Pam McIntire