As many of you know, Tara and I will be welcoming our third child in early May. In anticipation of my leave, the Board of Trustees, Personnel and Finance Committees have approved hiring a part time Contract Minister to cover the 12 weeks of worship and pastoral care during that time.

We hope to conclude our search by the end of March and introduce this minister to you all shortly thereafter. All candidates will first be interviewed by a team of 5 lay leaders representing the Board, Personnel, Worship Associates and Pastoral Care: Sue Saddlemire, Scott Drew, Scott Cullen and Denny Rogers, respectively. Following the first interview and recommendation, the candidates will be interviewed by the staff: Robin Pugh, Caryl Tipton, Susan Irgang and myself. While I have the authority and responsibility to make this decision, the minister will be hired through a collaboration of these voices and representations.

I am sharing with you (below) the job description, so you have a sense of how I introduce our congregation to our candidates, and to make clear what this person’s responsibilities are (and what they are not) during this time.

On a personal note, I want to express my gratitude for all of you and for the leadership of this congregation who have unflinchingly supported my family and me this year. It was already a collectively challenging and traumatic year; you have honored my personal loss and need for life and love in ways that could never be erased from my heart.

With care and gratitude,
Rev. Kim

Job Description

The Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing serves nearly 400 adult members, friends, and ongoing participants, and over 100 children of all ages. Though we reside in Titusville, NJ, 50% of the congregation lives and works in New Jersey, while the other 50% in Pennsylvania. We are a relational, justice-oriented congregation claiming our history as one of the first Welcoming Congregations, and more recently, one of the first congregations to adopt the 8th Principle.

Rev. Kim Wildszewski has served UUCWC since August of 2014. From January – April of 2020, Rev. Kim took her first sabbatical. A week after returning, her 2-year-old son, Malcolm, unexpectedly and suddenly died, whereupon Rev. Kim took an 8-week Bereavement Leave. UUCWC navigated Rev. Kim’s sabbatical, the move to virtual church due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and our shared grief with steadfast commitment to one another and the ministry.

This contract position serves to cover Rev. Kim’s 12-week Parental Leave, April 26th and concluding on July 18th, and is limited to providing Sunday services for 9 out of 12 weeks (dates to be negotiated in advance), and 2 hours per week for limited pastoral or organizational business.

For these services, UUCWC will pay the UUMA Fair Share honorarium, plus a monthly stipend to provide up to 8 hours per month of pastoral response or meeting time. The stipend is provided whether the time is used or not. Any additional time must be approved in advance by the Board of Trustees.