The Parish Committee — your congregational governing board — is thrilled to announce the candidates for our Settled Minister Search Committee. The full congregation will elect a 7-member committee at the Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, May 3rd.
The Settled Minister Search Committee’s mission is threefold:
- Represent our congregation authentically and compellingly to prospective candidates
- Review applicants and advance selections in accordance with the UUA process
- Present the congregation with a single recommended candidate ahead of the vote to call our new Lead Minister at the 2027 Annual Meeting.
The response from our congregation was truly humbling. Over 125 members were nominated by their peers — a beautiful testament to the depth of commitment and care that defines First Parish. That abundance, while a gift, also made our work extraordinarily difficult. After two weeks of careful, thoughtful deliberation, we are pleased to confirm the following 11 candidates:
Amy Anderson, Anne Ehlert, Anne Quaadgras, Betsy Carlton-Gysan, David Whitford, Genevieve Baldwin, Greg Ruccio, Katherine Fleming, Loren Gomez, Sanjay Newton, and Sarah Quick.
In selecting these candidates, the Parish Committee considered the number of peer nominations each person received, as well as balance across skills, representation of First Parish’s many facets, and a mix of newer and longer-tenured members.
We invite you to meet these individuals in person at a candidate meet-and-greet during coffee hour on Sunday, April 26th. In the meantime, please take a moment to get to know them through their biographical statements. On that page, you can also read an FAQ about the process used to select these candidates.
We are deeply grateful for each candidate’s willingness to serve First Parish in this meaningful way, and we are excited by the unique perspectives and gifts they each bring to this important next chapter.
In Faith,
The Parish Committee
John Anderson, Carolyn Hodges (Treasurer), Marie Meteer (Chair), Susan Moore, Joanna Pushee (Clerk), Amy Speare, Al Tosti, Kate Tranquada (Vice Chair)