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(May 9, 2008)
Introducing Lynn (The Reverend Doctor Lynn L. Bujnak)
Acting on the unanimous and enthusiastic recommendation of the Conference Minister Search Committee, the Board of Directors met with The Reverend Doctor Lynn L. Bujnak on April 26, 2008, and, by unanimous vote, agreed to present Lynn to the Conference gathered in Annual Meeting and recommend that the delegates vote to call her to be our new Conference Minister.
Since 2000 Lynn has served in the National Office of the United Church of Christ as Minister for Vocation and Formation with Parish Life and Leadership of Local Church Ministries. In this demanding position, Lynn has been deeply involved in work that helped find ways for individuals to both hear and follow their calling. She has worked with seminaries and seminarians, and coordinated the work on multiple paths to ordination. Lynn has provided consultation and training all over the country to members of Committees on the Ministry and to Conference Ministers and Associations. For example, she conducted the Vermont Conference’s training workshop for fitness review interviewers this April. Lynn’s work has included training leaders for small membership churches and promoting lifelong learning for ministers. She notes:
I have been enriched by being part of a multicultural, multiracial, open and affirming, accessible to all environment on committees, in ecumenical settings, and in times of worship. As a national staff member I have designed programs to help people connect to their sense of call and vocation and to help clergy stay alive, vital and faithful in their daily ministry.
Lynn received her Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1983 and, while serving churches in Maine, received her Doctor of Ministry from Bangor in 1997. Prior to taking the position on the National staff she served both pastorates and interim pastorates in local churches. Her interims included medium, small, and very small churches in Maine. One of the Search Committee’s favorite images in Lynn’s writing was of family fly fishing expeditions when she was a child. She noted that one or the other of the children would inevitably foul the line and that her father would then patiently untangle the snarl. Lynn uses this image to talk of her service as an intentional interim.
I have spent a great deal of my ministry assisting congregations to untangle various snarls of conflict, grief, loss of identity, lack of vision and other factors which often prevent them from hearing God’s voice clearly. But, this ministry has also given me great insight into the happy jumbles of joys and accomplishments as well the surprising places of encounter with God which deserve to be teased out and celebrated.
Another image in Lynn’s writing which caught the attention of the members of the Search Committee was: “Since we already have a shepherd, I think I make a pretty good sheep dog, rounding up the crowd, giving direction, guarding and protecting when necessary and doing so, at least most of the time, with genuine joy.”
The Search Committee, based on their charge, the thoughts expressed to them by many in the Conference, and their own insights recognized that, in a conference with such a small staff as Vermont’s, the Conference Minister could not just be a pastor, or just a visionary, or just an administrator. All of these qualities and abilities were needed in a Conference Minister who could help the Conference develop a vision of being the Conference God wants it to be, and then live into that vision. They, therefore, sought one with a pastoral heart, an administrative mind, and a prophetic vision. They are convinced that they have found such a person in Lynn. And she has a great sense of humor, plays the mountain dulcimer, and knows how to drive in snow.
In addition to Lynn’s experience, the Search Committee found many other essential qualities and traits in her. She has a very strong spiritual life and spiritual discipline. She has a mystical strain, a Celtic resonance and makes use of a spiritual director. Another quality that impressed the Committee was her ability to listen deeply with both head and heart, to understand both the meaning of what has been said and what was behind it, and to affirm the speaker. Listening goes both ways, though, and several of those who contributed references noted that, “when Lynn speaks, people listen.” Listening, affirming, and responding and having something to say that is worth hearing are central to trust building.
Having served local churches and on the National staff and now coming to a Conference, Lynn recognizes the importance of covenantal relationships among the settings and understands the ways in which they can support each other. This is important in maintaining the delicate balance between autonomy and covenant which is at the heart of the polity of the United Church of Christ. The Committee found Lynn committed to seeking ways in which the Conference can help in spiritual revitalization of churches, and committed to maintaining the financial health of the organization, and to social justice causes.
Asked by a Board member for her thoughts about stewardship, Lynn spoke of its importance but then noted that stewardship wasn’t only about money and other resources, it was about spirituality. Asked about dealing with persons in conflict or alienated from the Conference Lynn noted that what was most needed was “to be trustworthy and live together long enough.”
Lynn shares her life with her partner of twenty-three years, Peg Slater, a retired UCC minister. Together they have raised four children. Rob and his wife, Tisha, and son, Justin, live in South Hero, Vermont. Geoff is located in Lake City, Utah. Laurel and her husband, Mike, live in Kathleen, Georgia. Youngest son Mike and his wife, Tara, live in Winooski.
Lynn’s hobbies and special interests include, as noted above, fly fishing and playing the mountain dulcimer. Both of these provide spiritual enrichment. She also enjoys recreational kayaking and reading.
(April 30, 2008)
BOARD VOTES TO ASK THE ANNUAL MEETING
TO CALL LYNN BUJNAK AS CONFERENCE MINISTER
At its April 26 meeting the Conference Board of Directors, by unanimous vote, accepted the recommendation of the Search Committee to present the Reverend Doctor Lynn Bujnak to the 213th Annual Meeting of the Conference with the Board’s recommendation that she be called. The presentation, discussion and voting will be Friday evening, May 30.
A number of Vermonters have attended workshops Lynn has led as a member of the National staff and will have already met her.
Lynn was ordained in 1983 and, until 2000, served as Pastor or Interim Pastor in churches, including small churches (as small as 22 members) in Maine. She has been a member of the National staff since 2000, serving as the Minister for Vocation and Formation. As such she has done consulting and training with Conference Ministers and with Ministry Committees, has played a leading role in national initiatives such the development of alternate paths to ordination, has worked with Conferences and churches in times of crisis, and has worked with both technology and seminaries in encouraging those with a call to enter the ministry.
In explaining to the Board why they had chosen Lynn, Search Committee members stressed, in addition to her experience, her spirituality and groundedness, her ability to listen and really hear, her insight, her concern about relationships, her recognition of the importance of administration and financial management, and her ability to come up with just the right phrase or metaphor to help others to understand.
A more detailed biographical sketch will appear on this page soon.
(March 21, 2008)
The Conference Minister Search Committee has carefully and prayerfully studied the Profiles, references, and the written answers to questions of 13 candidates for the position. Several of them are quite attractive. The Committee has selected four of them to interview.
The interviews will be conducted April 7, 8, and 9.
It is the Committee’s dearest hope that, supported by prayers from the Conference, their minds and hearts and the guidance of the Holy Spirit will bring them to the selection of a candidate to present to the Board of Directors April 26 and for that Board to present to the Annual Meeting.
David Durfee, Chair
(October 24, 2007)
The Conference Minister Search Committee continues to meet regularly as we go through the necessary steps of the process of the search.
The advertisement of the opening has been placed in the United Church Employment Opportunities publication, and will also appear in the next issue of United Church News.
Conference profiles will be sent to all those who enquire, and we will be accepting and considering profiles and applications from candidates between October 15 and January 15.
Every Association is represented on the Search Committee, so if you have questions or thoughts to share with the committee, contact your Association representative. Also, please be sure to add the Search Committee to your church's prayer list, as we seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this process!
The mission of the Conference Minister Search Committee is, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to present, in timely fashion, to the Board of Directors for recommendation to the Conference assembled in Annual or Special Meeting the best possible candidate to be called as our new settled Conference Minister.
The primary tasks involved are the gathering of thoughts and information from as wide a range of the Conference as possible, to prepare a Conference Profile that will be accurate, concise, complete, and attractive, to advertise for and receive applications, to review applications, checking references, to interview the most promising candidates, and to make a choice.
Committee members have set aside every second Tuesday for meetings beginning at noon and ending at 3:00. Lorin Cope, who is the National Setting person overseeing Conference relations, attends most meetings.
Throughout the summer, the Conference Minister Search Committee has been hard at work on the arduous and exciting task of pulling together a great profile with which to attract excellent candidates to the Vermont Conference. We have focused on preparing text that honestly and lovingly presents the Conference and hopefully calls forth a strong field of potential leaders. With the generous help of photographer Bob Eddy and designer Julia Pattison, we have created a stunning document, which will be inspected by the Board of Directors at their next meeting.
While the Committee awaits the Board's approval of the profile, we will continue to meet, crafting an advertisement and gaining insights from Lorin Cope on how to read and interpret candidates' profiles. We expect to receive profiles from interested ministers between October 15 and January 15. We welcome the prayers of our church family as we seek to follow God's path for the Conference in this project. What an exciting time for our Vermont Conference!
Committee members are: Mr. David Durfee (Chair), Rev. Harvey Bartlett, Rev. Adrianne Carr, Rev. Kathy Eddy, Ms. Carline Murray, Mr. Gary O’Gorman, Rev. Susan Webster-Tolino, Ms. Arlinda Wickland, Rev. Judy Waible.
