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Donna Lynn Caskey leads the congregation in song.
Rev. Dana Worsnop accepts the UUCV congregation’s call to become their minister.
Sunday, May 1, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura voted overwhelmingly to call the Rev. Dana Worsnop as their new settled minister. The 96.4 % favorable vote was the culmination of Candidating Week, during which Rev. Worsnop led services on April 24 and May 1, and met with numerous groups and committees, in order to begin to get to know members of the congregation.
The congregation celebrates the call.
The vote was taken during a special congregational meeting, and tallied immediately after. Following announcement of the 166 to 5 vote, the Rev. Dana Worsnop came to the dais and accepted the call.
Rev. Worsnop expressed her hopes for this shared ministry with UUCV. “Together, we will grow and build this new connection into a tapestry with shining thread, creating the bonds of community with intricate pattern.”
Board Secretary Joe Hutchins announces the results.
Search committee member David Henkel found Rev. Worsnop’s views on collaboration important for the church. “As we were getting to know Rev. Dana early in the process, I was heartened to learn that it has been her practice to collaborate closely with all the paid staff in creating a unified ministry. As she explained, the entire community joins in crafting a ministry that becomes our common identity and each person has a role to play that adds to the sacred whole.”
Rev. Worsnop brings a wealth of experience with her. She has been a parish minister for 13 years, 10 as the settled minister at Atkinson Memorial Church in Oregon City, Oregon and 3 years as an interim minister in Calgary, Alberta and Boise, Idaho.
Rev. Worsnop will begin her ministry with UUCV on August 1st, 2016.
UUCV Board Members tally the vote.
The Reverend Worsnop was chosen by the Ventura church following a nine-month search conducted by a seven-member settled ministerial search committee. In-depth research into the needs and desires of the members of the congregation began the process through surveys and focus groups. By the end of December, over a dozen candidates put their names forward to UUCV. After much scrutiny, three finalists were invited to come to Ventura for a pre-candidating weekend, during which the applicants and committee held deep conversations to determine their compatibility. Rev. Worsnop was notified that she was the committee’s chosen candidate on April 7.
Search committee member Gretchen Buck explained one factor in the decision, “Respect for diversity is critical for a Unitarian Universalist minister, but diversity has many facets. With Rev. Dana, I didn’t even have to ask the burning question ‘Are you a cat person or a dog person?’ because her website told us that she has one of each. I think that’s when I knew she would fit right in with our congregation.”
Rev. Dana hugs Search Committee Member Gretchen Buck after the meeting.
Photos by Neal Ortenberg.