by Rev. Mary Gear
Last Saturday was a joyous celebration of the life of this congregation—the past, the present and the future. We gathered together to honor the 70th anniversary of OUUC (formerly the Unitarian Fellowship of Olympia) and you installed me as your minister.
“Weren’t you already our minister?” someone asked. Yes, I was your minister on May 5, 2019 when you voted to call me. And a Service of Installation is the ritual of covenanting between a minister and a congregation. This ceremony is usually done in the first year or two of a new ministry. That this is the end of my third year with you speaks to the unusual time we minister in.
Thank you for inviting me to serve with you. Thank you for covenanting with me to share this ministry.
Below you can view the recording of the event, read the names of those who were involved in planning it, and review the covenant we entered into and share together.
Our shared ministry is evident in the many hands and hearts that contributed to the celebration (with apologies to anyone I might have missed):
Anne Kohlbry
Beth Johnson
Bob Brennand
Brian Trujillo
Connie Ruhl
Des McGahern
Dio Lewis
Don Melnick
Emily Ray
Erik Felch
Frank Turner
Fritz Wrede
Gail Gosney-Wrede
Holly Porter
James Trujillo
Jean Phillips
Jenee Wolfram
Jim Lengenfelder
Joan Martin
Joe Joy
John Tafejian
Joyce Steckler
Karen Jackson
Karin Landsberg
Karmel Shields
Lee Doyle
Lynne MacDonald
Marcia Killam Nunn
Martha Guilfoyle
Martha Nicoloff
Mary Wildenhaus
Melanie Ransom
Michael Kyer
Otto Buhls
Pam Turner
Polly Taylor
Rosalie Melnick
Ryan Baye
Sally Brennand
Steve LeVesconte
Sue Langhans
Tami Black
Tiffany Felch
Tim Ransom
Zoe Myers
The OUUC Choir (you know who you are)
OUUC staff: Marie Arensmeyer, Anissa Bentlemsani, Troy Fisher, Sara Lewis, Jo Sahlin, and Darlene Sarkela.
Thank you all.
Blessings on your week.
Rev. Mary
Minister@ouuc.org
You can view the recording of the full Installation event on YouTube here.
Covenant of Installation:
James: We gather today to install the Rev. Mary Mangione Gear as the settled minister of the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation. In doing so, we rededicate ourselves to the values of this liberal religious community. We are mindful of the Unitarian Universalist Principles and the OUUC Mission that bring us together.
Today’s ceremony symbolizes and strengthens the mutual covenant between the people of this Congregation and the minister we have chosen. Through our words today, we acknowledge and celebrate our commitment to a shared ministry.
Members of the Olympia Unitarian Universalist Congregation, whether you are present in-person or online, we invite you to rise in body or spirit and join together in this Covenant of Installation by reading our parts from the Order of Service.
Please join me in saying our Mission:
Our spiritual principles affirm the worth and dignity of every person, and that we are part of the infinite, interdependent web of life.
We:
Welcome and Wonder
Embrace and Empower
Bridge and Become
James: Rev. Mary, will you join us in fulfilling our Mission? Will you inspire us to more spiritually enriched lives?
Rev. Mary: I will
Rev. Mary: OUUC members, when called to action, will you share in the Leadership of our Congregation as we seek to fulfill our mission? You may respond with “we will.”
Congregation: We will.
James: Rev. Mary, we come to you with our hopes and fears. Will you lead us in building a welcoming religious community, tolerant and appreciative of our differences, loving and compassionate of heart, and courageous in spirit?
Rev. Mary: I will
Rev. Mary: Members of OUUC, will you be honest and truthful with one another and with me, recognizing and appreciating all our differences, our strengths, and the talents we all bring to this community?
Congregation: We will
James: Rev. Mary, will you work for justice with us, helping us find our paths toward making the world better, and supporting us in our struggles?
Rev. Mary: I will.
Rev. Mary: OUUC members, will you share your talents and gifts to fulfill our mission and work for justice? Will you work with me to serve our neighbors, to feed their bodies, their hearts and minds, as we feed our own?
Congregation: We will.
James: Rev. Mary, we ask you to minister to our whole selves; to minister to us in our joys and sorrows, to be with us in our successes and in our brokenness. Will you listen to us, walk with us, challenge us, and dare us to grow?
Rev. Mary: I will.
Rev. Mary: OUUC members, will you accept me as a whole person, recognize my joys and sorrows, be with me in my successes and learning, and challenge me to grow?
Congregation: We will.
James: Rev. Mary, acknowledging this awesome responsibility, will you be our settled minister?
Rev. Mary: With joy and gratitude, honored by the trust you place in me, I will. I commit to serve as your Minister to the best of my abilities, to offer my care, support, and presence in service to our Mission and the commitments of our faith. I look forward to growing, learning, creating, and playing alongside you as we create a religious community that values love, healing, and justice.
I come to lead, and you are leaders, too.
I come to inspire, and you have vision, too.
I come with gifts, and you bring talents, too.
OUUC Members, acknowledging this awesome responsibility, will you join me in this shared ministry?
Congregation: We will.
James: Now we make official our commitment to one another. OUUC members, please join me in the language of installation:
Congregation: We acknowledge the awesome responsibility of this shared ministry. After searching our hearts and finding the courage for commitment, we hereby install you, the Rev. Mary Mangione Gear as the Minister of our Congregation.