The purpose of our Search Team is to seek a settled minister for the First Universalist Society in Franklin. The Search Team was formed with congregational nominations and was then Board appointed in April 2024 to create a balanced and diverse group to represent our community. The Team underwent two different UUA training sessions during the summer of 2024. The Team is responsible for:

• Determining the needs and desires of the FUSF community for our next ministry
• Collecting data and preparing a detailed packet about our community
• Preparing a financial package for potential candidates
• Educating ourselves and the congregation to address potential biases in hiring
• Conducting initial and secondary interviews
• Selecting a final candidate for the congregation’s consideration

Search Team Members

Donna Williams (she/her) (Co-Chair)

Donna is excited to be serving FUSF on the Search Team for our soon-to-be Settled Minister. A lifelong UU, she has been a member of FUSF for over 20 years. During that time, Donna has worn several hats including Religious Education Chair, Stewardship Chair, and Board President. Currently, she is active on the Communications Team. Outside of church, Donna is a retired educator, wife, mother of three grown children (all who attended FUSF’s RE programming), and grandmother to three (soon to be five!) grandchildren. She enjoys time with family, traveling, reading, visiting the beach, and being with friends. Donna appreciates the trust you have put in her to represent this special community.

Drew Bogner (he/him) (Co-Chair)

Drew began attending FUSF in March of 2023 along with his spouse, Karen, who is also active in the church. Drew has served as a worship associate and currently serves on the Stewardship Committee and is active in the Choir. Drew is President Emeritus of Molloy University where he served for 20 years and is Professor of Education currently teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion courses in the EdD program at Molloy. In July, he published his second book, entitled Letters to Students: What It Means to Be a College Graduate. Drew holds a PhD from the University of Kansas in History and Philosophy of Education.

Nicole Harter (she/her/hers)

Nicole Harter began attending FUSF in September of 2019 with her spouse (Tim) and two youngest children. Prior to attending, she was involved in some social justice work at the church, and then later served on the Social Justice Committee. Prior to coming to the UU faith, Nicole was raised Catholic, and attended a local Christian church from 2007-2019. Outside of church, Nicole is a licensed clinical social worker in a small group private practice, and has a history of involvement in DEIB and Board of Trustees at the Benjamin Franklin Charter School where her kids attend/ed school. Nicole is a mother of three, while one is grown, two are actively involved in the RE program at FUSF. Nicole is a very social person, loves the ocean and being near water, enjoys reading, cooking/baking, traveling, pilates, walking, and practicing Krav Maga.

David Kassay (he/him)

David was raised in the Episcopal Church but has been a member of FUSF since around 2000. In that time he has served in a variety of capacities in the church, including treasurer, Ferry Beach coordinator, Sexton, on the RE team, leading the Coming of Age program, Worship team, and Stewardship team. David was attracted to the church initially by the then active partner church program. He traveled with the minister and a group of congregants to Transylvania in 2004. David is a professional software engineer. He lives in Norfolk with his wife and 13-year-old daughter. In addition, David has two adult children. They were all active in the FUSF RE program in varying degrees of involvement. David enjoys music, attending concerts, outdoor recreation, golf and reading.

Andy Majcher (he/him)

Andy Majcher began attending FUSF in November 2019 with his wife, Laura Minnichelli, and their daughter, Julia. Andy has been involved with the Worship Committee and has assisted with technology at FUSF. Before becoming a UU, Andy was raised as a United Methodist and took a 15-year hiatus from organized religion before joining FUSF. Outside of church, Andy works as an Information Professional at a higher education institution. He is a proud father of Julia, who attends the FUSF RE program. Andy enjoys spending time with his family, physical activities, especially running and lifting, and is a lifelong learner.

Pat Morse (she/her)

When Pat first came to FUSF she knew it was her spiritual home. She grew up in Franklin in the Federated Church. Pat has been a member of FUSF for over fifteen years.  She has served as a Lay Minister for over ten years and is chair of the Congregational Relations Committee. Pat is a semi-retired Licensed Mental Health Counselor working in the field for the past thirty-five years. She has a grown son, a grandson, and lives in Franklin on the family farm. Her interests are gardening, history, and travel. “I am pleased to be on the Search Committee and will work hard to help find a good match for FUSF.”

Ann Gillette Parsley (she/her)

Ann began attending FUSF in March of 2019.  As a lifelong atheist, she was delighted to be welcomed into the fascinating theological diversity of the FUSF congregation.  She has served on the Worship Committee and the Nominating Committee.  She jointly led an adult RE class on writing your own credo, with Rev. Eric Cherry, and a series of conversations on Walden, with Bobbi Gerlits.  She also volunteers at the Circle of Friends Coffeehouse.  Prior to becoming a UU, she was a practicing Wiccan for over 20 years.  Ann has been an ESL teacher for the past 27 years, but is currently in the process of starting her third act; she is about to begin a Master of Divinity program at Meadville Lombard and aspires to become an ordained UU minister.  She enjoys reading, writing, baking, canoeing, and walking in the woods.  Ann is married to Don Parsley; they live in Franklin and have one adult child.

Search Timeline: What’s Happened and What’s Ahead

April 2024: Select Search Team (congregation) DONE!

June/July 2024: Search Team Training (Search Team and Board of Trustees) DONE!

August-November 2024: Prepare Documents Packet for Potential Candidates

September 2024: 

• Congregational Survey (congregation) DONE!
• Congregational Conversation-9/15 DONE!

October 2024:

• Cottage Meetings (congregation) 10/20, 10/23, 10/27, 10/28 DONE!
• Ministerial Contract Development (Internal Search & Board Team)
• Collection of Relevant Documents of the Society (Search Team)
• Break Barriers/Build Beliefs Survey (Congregation) DONE!

November 2024:

• Break Barriers/Build Beliefs Workshop (11/2) & Sunday Service (11/3) (Congregation) DONE!
• Assemble and Review entire packet (Search Team, Minister, UUA)

December 2024:

• Congregational Conversations (12/1) (Congregation)
• Submit our Congregational Packet to the UUA (Search Team)

January 2025: Online initial interviews with interested ministers (Search Team, Ministers)

February 2025:

• Congregational Conversations (Congregation)
• Reference checks (Search)
• Prepare for pre-candidate interviews (Search Team)

March 2025: Interview weekends with pre-candidates (Search Team)

April 2025:

• Congregation/Minister “Matching” (Search Team/UUA)
• Potential Contract Negotiations (Internal Search & Board Team)

April 26 – May 3, 2025:

• Meet and get to know our potential minister (Congregation)
• Vote to call our new settled minister! (Congregation)

What’s Happening Now

November/December 2024:

We are preparing for the Break Barriers, Build Beliefs (B4) workshop on November 2nd, which addresses the inherent biases we carry into calling a new minister. The Search Team is busy completing the Congregational Record and Negotiations Packet to be submitted to the UUA. We have been reviewing all the data collected from both the survey and cottage meetings. This data will be shared with the community at a Congregational Conversations following Sunday service on December 1st. In December, the Committee will be preparing for initial interviews to be conducted in January.