Letter from Rev. Ben

From the UUA website:

Because of the diversity of belief within Unitarian Universalism, our ministers undergo a great deal of training before being ordained. The road to Unitarian Universalist ministry almost always includes a Masters of Divinity degree from an approved school, a ministerial internship, many interviews, and final approval from the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC).
The MFC officially approves (fellowships) ministers for Unitarian Universalist ordination, but it is individual congregations, not the Unitarian Universalist Association or the MFC, that vote to ordain candidates.

An open letter to the members of UUP from the Rev. Ben Kocs-Meyers:

Dear friends,

The board has recently received a request from Leland Bond-Upson for the congregation to ordain him into the Unitarian Universalist ministry. Within our association, the power to “invest with ministerial authority” (Webster’s definition of ordination) resides only within the local congregation. Individuals who have invested considerable time and expense in preparation for the ministry do so with a great amount of faith that their call to the ministry will be recognized and deemed worthy by a congregation who knows and appreciates the gifts they bring to the task of ministerial service to the world. Since it is only by congregational vote that ministers are ordained, to confer that station upon someone is a great honor, and one that cannot be revoked by any other body, organization or institution.

Many of you have known Leland Bond-Upson as he has made his singular journey towards this moment through his preaching, participation and support of this emerging congregation. His request of you to formally recognize his ministry by ordaining him is itself a great honor. In many ways, it is a rite of passage for both the ordaining body and the ordainee. It is a mutual recognition of credibility, identity, and commitment which already exists within each of you. It is, in short, a resounding, mutual “Yes” that will have reverberations for many, many years to come.

I am glad you have the opportunity to discern and discuss whether you are ready to give a great gift to ‘one among you.’ It is a gift only you can give. But it is also a gift only Leland can give, as well. I hope you know you are worthy recipients. I trust you both will find the process of giving and receiving to one another incredibly empowering, affirming, and joyful. I wish you well in your deliberations.

Be well,

Rev. Ben