To All Souls Community Church:
This letter is to tell you that
after a three month period of intense discernment I have chosen to
withdraw my name from consideration for the Called Minister position
which you are currently pursuing. While I am
contracted with you as your Consulting Minister through
July 2010, and will remain to fulfill that contract, I am
confident that it is time for me to pursue ministerial opportunities
in a new way. I am also confident that in our
time together we have re-established our faith tradition -
Unitarian Universalism - and its unique religious role – of
liberating and cultivating the human spirit – in this church such
that spiritual freedom can again thrive in
Grand Rapids.
I have loved my time building
this church with you. We have done great work
together. In a larger sense what we have done
together was not for me or for you, but for a noble idea, freedom,
and a way to create, sustain, and deepen freedom in community.
You started this congregation in the fall of 2001 two days
before that fateful 9/11 day. In our almost
eight years together now you can see how Grand Rapids needs a
congregation and faith tradition that will stand up for the
separation of church and state, for excellence in public education,
for healing racism and homophobia, and for science and reason and
rationality as spiritual aims, not smothered by
church doctrine
or diminished by a hollow secularism. You can
see how Grand Rapids
needs the enduring presence of an historic, long standing faith
tradition that BELIEVES in the human spirit and human personhood as
a great and grand thing, and not despise it as depraved.
You can see how Grand Rapids needs the presence of a strong
spiritual community that ACTS WITH A TRUST in the future, and holds
that humanity working together, in fellowship and affection and
freedom, will make the promise of a better life a real thing.
This is what is embodied in All
Souls. It has been my privilege to walk with you
since January 2002 on this remarkable journey.
But when my contract as your Consulting Minister comes to a close
next July 2010, it will be time for us to take different
paths. You have able leadership to keep your
congregation moving forward, and an outstanding Search Committee
which will find the minister to lead you in your next stage of
formation and growth.
This Sunday,
September 27, I will preach a sermon entitled, “Why
I Am Being Called Elsewhere,” which will give the reasons why I
have chosen to withdraw my name from consideration for your Called
Minister position. I hope to see you in church
so that you can hear from me directly about this.
In Faith and Freedom,
Dr. Brent A. Smith