Beyond Categorical Thinking

Do you know your biases?

When you think of our new settled minister, do distinct images come to mind? Is it a person of a particular gender, race, or age? Beyond Categorical Thinking is a highly recommended part of the search process for our congregation. In finding the person who would be the best match for our minister, we could potentially let biases keep us from knowing that a particular person would be the best match for us.

Credentialed ministers in our faith who are people of color, bisexual, gay, lesbian, female, transgender, differently abled, young, old, ethnically different, or of a different class often face discrimination as part of the ministerial search process. In our efforts to find the best match, our congregation will host a Beyond Categorical Thinking workshop and worship service on August 17 and 18, 2019. We will have Keith Kron, the Director of Transitions for UUA, come and meet with our search committee, lead the Sunday service, and facilitate a 3-hour workshop, where we will have a chance to examine how we can avoid letting prejudice become a part of our search process.

This is yet another way for us to put our faith into lived experience and learn more about systemic discrimination in our culture. This opportunity also allows the entire congregation fuller participation in the search process. It will allow us to explore our hopes and concerns for a new minister, learn more about the search process, and see how our own history (both personal and congregational) might interfere with our efforts in this search.

Plan on coming on Saturday, August 17, at 9 a.m. for the workshop, and Sunday, August 18, at 10:45 a.m. for the worship service. If you have questions, contact your Ministerial Search Committee.

Submitted by the Ministerial Search Committee