Earlier posts reported on three ministers recently called to Settlements in PNWD (Anchorage AK, Moscow ID and Shoreline, WA), and 3 ministers starting Developmental Ministries (Bremerton, Wenatchee and Vashon, WA).
Now, here are 3 more ministers, who will serve one or two year Interim Ministries beginning this August.
The Rev. Leland Bond-Upson (Lee Bond), at left, will join the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship (WA) in August as Interim Minister, following the Rev. Doug Wadkins.
Rev. Bond describes himself as “a child of the Unitarian Fellowship movement” who is “a rational religious Humanist progressive Unitarian with affection for Universalism, Buddhism, the Society of Friends.” He was active in LRY (Liberal Religious Youth), and is a graduate and former board member of Starr King School for the Ministry.
Rev. Bond is looking forward to returning to the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in Richland, WA, and attended the University of Washington. He has just finished an Interim Ministry at the UU Fellowship of Fayetteville, AR.
The Rev. Don Rollins, Accredited Interim Minister (AIM), at right, will serve the UU Church in Eugene (OR) beginning this fall. He is moving from Raleigh, NC, where he has just concluded an Interim Ministry.
UUCE has chosen to continue in interim ministry as they settle into their much larger new building near downtown. The congregation has just completed two years of Interim Ministry with the Rev. Alicia Forsey, and they recognized their building purchase, renovation and move required so much attention during that time that they could not adequately prepare for a settled ministry search.
The congregation is looking forward to Rev. Rollins’ long experience, calm presence and love of music as they begin this phase of transition!
The Rev. Alex Holt, at left, will be Interim Minister at the UU Fellowship of Central Oregon (Bend) as of August 1st, expected to serve for the next two years.
Rev. Holt is originally from Northern New England and grew up on a farm in Maine. He has primarily studied liberal arts with several degrees including a M.Div. from Starr King School for the Ministry. He is a long time Zen Buddhist student of teachers at Great Vow Zen Monastery in Oregon. Until recently, he was co-chair and a founder of the UUA Addictions Ministry Team – a national group that provides support, resources and assistance to congregations and individuals who suffer from addictions of substance or behaviors. He also was the first coordinator of the PNWD Addictions Ministry Program.
Rev. Holt has been accepted into the UUA’s Accredited Interim Ministry training program, and has held interim ministry positions in a number of UU fellowships, most recently with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, South Carolina. He has served several PNWD congregations previously, including the UU Church of Yakima, Woodinville UU Church and Evergreen UU Fellowship, all in Washington State.