Geneva church welcomes interim minister team

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva recently announced an interim minister agreement with the Revs. Patrick Price and Jennifer Innis. The co-ministry will begin on Aug. 1, following the June retirement of the Rev. Lindsay Bates.

The couple come to the Geneva church from the Community Unitarian Universalist Church in Plano, Texas. Rev. Price has served as minister since 2006 and Rev. Innis serves as the interim director of religious education.

Rev. Price earned his Master's in Divinity from Meadville/Lombard Theological School in 1995. His theological journey has encompassed contemporary paganism, humanism and historical Jesus studies. "I understand Unitarian Universalism to be a pluralist faith learning to practice grounded openness," wrote Price. Additionally, he is a certified shamanic practitioner and a certified hypnotist. He has particular strengths in strategic planning, governance and administration.

Rev. Innis earned her Master's in Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. Her area of expertise is religious education. The Geneva church's religious education program has been run for years strictly by volunteers, therefore her role is much anticipated. Rev. Innis writes, "(Patrick and I) believe that all people, whether ordained or not, bring unique gifts and perspectives to congregational ministry. Just as our liberal religious tradition values the voice of the people when making decisions, it is the committed involvement and leadership of the congregation - the sharing of gifts and perspectives - that makes truly transformational ministry possible."

Co-ministry is an arrangement where two ministers share responsibilities and rewards of a single position. Some advantages include:

• Complementary strengths and opinions;

• Increased variety of sermon styles and topics;

• Combined experience, training and skills of two people.

Rev. Bates served the Geneva church for 40 years prior to retirement. The norm for a Unitarian minister is seven to 10 years. "When I first arrived, they asked me to stay for five years," Bates, 66, said. "And I kept that promise. After five years, I just stayed put. (But) it is time for me to be doing something else."

About UUSG

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, established in 1842 and the oldest church in Geneva, is a diverse, welcoming community that endeavors to make its covenant a living reality. They provide religious education and opportunities for spiritual growth. They encourage individual and mutual responsibility as together we work to be a liberal religious voice in the community and a force for compassionate social justice. For more information, visit www.uusg.org.