Ministerial Transition

In this section, you will find information about our upcoming Ministerial Transition, as the Rev. Angela Herrera Koren, our Senior Minister, leaves our congregation on June 1.

Here is her letter to the congregation on December 4, 2024.

Dear Congregation of First Unitarian,

With gratitude and a tender heart, I am writing to let you know that I will be leaving my position as Senior Minister at the end of this program year in May.

It has been nearly fifteen years since I arrived fresh from divinity school to join your ministry team. In those years, we have loved, grown in spirit, moved closer to our highest aspirations, and demonstrated resolve and resilience. We have conducted rites of passage and shared many sacred moments that I will cherish always. We have accomplished big dreams, served our wider community, and been a voice for inclusion and justice. It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your minister. I have so much love for the people of this church.

The decision to leave has not been easy. I arrive at it after much discernment and soul searching. Leading a large congregation is complex, often consuming, work. As congregations navigated the pandemic and recovery, congregational leadership has involved new pressures and the need for adaptive— and therefore often controversial— change. Multiple crises beyond the pandemic and the ensuing polarization have increased tension and fostered an air of hostility that touches us all, inside and outside of church. While ministry has also been incredibly rewarding, over the last few years the stresses and pressures of leadership have begun to take a toll on my health. This is not due to any fault on the congregation’s part. Rather, the intensity of these times has required so much of my inner reserves that I find myself too depleted to maintain health.

This reality is also the reason I am sharing this news now. I had hoped to keep my health issues mostly private and power through a while longer, buoyed by the sabbatical I took from August-October this year. Instead, the nearly immediate health impact when I returned to work in November made it obvious that I have no choice but to heed the warnings of my healthcare providers and my body and scale back on some of the most stressful parts of the job.

These changes include being in the pulpit only one Sunday per month instead of 2-3, and delegating leadership of the other Sundays and most other public facing events. I will still be present most Sundays, just not in a public speaking role. I will continue working full time, focusing behind the scenes on pastoral care, administration, supporting the congregation in preparing for this change, and other aspects of wrapping up this long ministry.

I realize this news will evoke many feelings and many questions. When a leader must step down due to health issues, people may experience a range of reactions, from guilt, doubt, anger, or grief, to concern and acceptance. There will also be anxiety and curiosity about what is next for First Unitarian. A change in leadership is a moment both of loss and of

opportunity. The world has changed a lot since I began as Assistant Minister in 2010, and it has changed most rapidly of all since I became Senior Minister in 2017. These changes have greatly impacted First Unitarian. I believe the congregation will benefit from the chance to reflect on its mission and what kind of leadership it needs going forward. The UUA has many resources to help guide the congregation through this change.

Our congregation has an excellent reputation in the denomination. Having served for so long, I can attest that it is matched by the reality of this beloved community. It has been a joy to share ministerial leadership with Bob LaVallee and work together with such a wonderful staff and volunteers. The next clergy person to join First Unitarian‘s team will be very lucky. Though it will be hard to say goodbye to a congregation that has meant so much to me, I have deep faith and confidence in First Unitarian’s future.

In gratitude,

Rev. Angela Herrera Koren