Rev. Rebecca is taking a four-month sabbatical from April 25 to August 24, 2025.  Sabbatical is a time of paid personal leave with the intention of encouraging growth and development in the arts of ministry through education and spiritual renewal. This is a benefit to both the congregation and the minister and works wonders in helping to avoid ministerial burnout and high ministerial turnover rates. A sabbatical is a very old concept that relates to a period of rest, usually after four to six years. The root is from the word “Sabbath”, meaning the day of rest after 6 days of labor.  Rev. Rebecca is in her fifth year of ministry with us and this sabbatical is recommended by the UUA as part of what’s considered Fair Compensation.

This is an opportunity for us to use the information gathered in our congregation-wide evaluation of ministry (scheduled for February) to consider the congregation’s next steps.  It will also allow us to move smoothly into the next stage of our development where leadership is accepted by a larger number of members, allowing us to be less centered on our religious professionals.   One of the greatest ways for us to embrace this opportunity is to use Rev.Rebecca’s absence to care well and often for each other.  We can also reflect on our relationship with our minister and how we can best take advantage of her professional skills in the years ahead while meeting other needs ourselves.  And, of course, this is a wonderful time for us to celebrate each member’s work and commitment to our shared Congregational life.     https://www.uua.org/leaderlab/sabbatical

The Rev. Patrick Price was raised in the Christian Churches (Disciples of Christ), on the west side of Fort Worth, TX, where he has a large extended family. He earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Missouri – Columbia in 1984. In 1988, after a variety of jobs he enlisted in the U. S. Air Force where he trained and served as an Orthotic (orthopedic brace) Specialist in Dayton OH. It was in Dayton that he first joined a UU congregation and soon started seminary night school. After finishing his military tour in 1992, he transferred to the UU seminary, Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago. Rev. Price graduated in 1995 with a Master of Divinity and was ordained April 30 th the same year. Rev. Price received his final fellowship with the UUA in 2000. In 1995 he was called to serve as the settled minister to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbia, South Carolina and left in 2004 after nine years. Among other roles, he also served as UU campus chaplain and guest lecturer at the University of South Carolina-Columbia. Serving in the capital of South Carolina Rev. Price also worked extensively on issues such as passage of the SC Religious Freedom Restoration Act; on removing the Confederate flag from the state capitol dome, and he was a selected speaker at the historic “King Day at the Dome” march and rally in 2000, speaking to over 50,000 attendees. Rev. Price served on the steering committee of Partners in Dialogue interfaith and was an invited speaker before the Gay and Lesbian Business Guild and the closing worship of SC Pride. In 2006 he served as the commuting interim minister to the United Unitarian Universalist Church of Mukwonago (now Waukesha) WI. The same year he was next called to serve as the settled minister to the Community Unitarian Universalist Church of Plano, Texas (northeast of Dallas). He was active with interfaith, equality and education issues. He left Plano in 2018 after twelve years. From 2018 to 2020 Rev. Price and his wife, the Rev. Jennifer Innis served as co-interim ministers to the First Unitarian Society of Geneva, IL. From 2019 to 2020 Patrick also served as the half time commuting interim minister to the First Unitarian Church of Hobart, IN. In 2020 he followed his wife to Peoria IL where she is the called minister to the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria. For over two years he worked in the home supporting his wife and their children through the Covid pandemic. Most recently Rev. Price served two years from 2022 to 2024 as the commuting Interim Minister to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities in Davenport, IA. Currently Patrick is pursuing a master’s degree in social work online at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Previously in consulting roles, he worked with congregations in Missouri, North and South Carolina, and Texas. He served as Treasurer on the continental board of trustees of the Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans from 1997 to 2001; and served two years each as treasurer of the Southeast and the Southwest UU Ministers’ Association chapters. Patrick has been married to Jennifer since 2003, and they have two children, Nate, 16, and Abby, 13. He and Jennifer share an interest in Science Fiction, historical literature, and movies.

Following services on the dates listed below, we will celebrate this opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal with cake!   *** April 20th *** All-Ages Easter Service, Egg Hunt, and Potluck Rev. Rebecca’s Bon Voyage  & Rev. Price’s Welcome Party   *** August 24th *** Farewell & Thank You Party for Rev. Price   *** August 31st *** All-Ages Water Communion Potluck Welcome Back Party for Rev. Rebecca