Our search is over! This Sunday, May 3, at the congregational meeting, our Paint Branch community voted 147 to 4, a 98% majority, to call Rev. Diane Teichert to be our minister.
This may be the end of our search but it is the beginning of a new ministry at Paint Branch. The excitement around the church is quite remarkable. For the first time in ten years, Paint Branch will be headed by just one minister. It is also the first time in our history that we have called a woman to be our main minister (other than Interim and Co-Ministry).
Diane and her husband, Don Milton, will be spending the summer finding a place and moving their home to Maryland in preparation for the beginning of Diane's ministry in August.
Thank you all for making Candidating Week an overwhelming success. Every gathering was extremely well attended with people interested in meeting our candidate.
Candidating Week started out on Sunday, with a service from Diane followed by an extended coffee hour and then lunch with the Board of Trustees. That evening Diane went to a gathering hosted by the DARTT and DIV teams. During the weekdays she met with individual staff members including our Church Administrator, our Choir Director, our Religious Exploration Director and our Chalice Dancers Director. On Monday evening, she had dinner with Paint Branch residents at Riderwood. On Wednesday, Diane lunched with local UU ministers and had dinner that evening with the Ministerial Search Committee.
During the evenings all week long, Diane met with members at functions hosted by the Religious Education Committee, the Youth Group, the Social Action Committee, the Pastoral Care Associates, the Arts Council, the Choir, the Worship Associates, and the Religious Exploration Committee. At her request, Lowell Owens hosted a "walk in the woods" in our glen. Festive Friday at the church, a potluck lunch on Saturday at Don and Sherry Mitchell's home in Laurel, and Diane's second service on Sunday, finished off an incredibly busy week.
Throughout that week, Diane exhibited the calm poise, sharp awareness, and thoughtful responses that had convinced the Search Committee we had found the minister who is the best fit for our congregation. We eagerly look forward to our future time with Diane.
The members of the Ministerial Search Committee are: Bettie Young (co-chair), Michael Léger (co-chair), John Bartoli, Beth Lyons, Rene McDonald, Muriel Morisey, and Marge Owens.
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