Ministerial Search

Time to Celebrate!
we have unanimously elected Jenna Crawford as our next settled minister

Her name is Jenna Crawford. A Unitarian since adolescence, she is currently serving as an Intern at the Needham UU church having previously completed her Masters of Divinity at the BU School of Theology. A previous internship was as Chaplain at the Brigham and Women's Hospital

When I read her resume in the packet we received from the UUA, I wrote the following notes in the margins "New, but deeply thoughtful person." "Many of her ideas align with our goals". "Environmental interests".

I look forward to having you meet her during Candidating Week!

While we are on the subject....Candidating Week is from April 24th to May 1st. She will be preaching at both the Sunday services that week, in addition to meeting with many of the groups and committees of the church. We hope you will be sure to attend those services and get to meet her in person. As a member of the church your vote is essential to completing our work together as a community. It is recommended that a candidate get a 90% positive congregational vote to accept a call to the Ministry of a church.

Look for more and another picture in an email soon!

Carolyn Corzine for the Search Committee including Michael Austin, Alisa Manning Jay Morrison, and Marlaine Potter

Message from Rev. Jenna Crawford

Beloved members of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead,

I am so delighted to be your candidate for settled ministry. Over the course of the last three months, I have been getting to know your prophetic, caring community at UUCM through your Ministerial Search Committee, as they have been getting to know me. I was impressed by so much of what I learned - your resilience, your deep commitment to each other, your love of the arts, your thirst for new ideas - and what stood out to me in particular was your congregation’s proven track record of public witness around things that matter, even when the stakes are high or the belief is unpopular. And, the truth is, the weight of the world (...of pandemic, of war, of systematic oppression and exclusion) is heavy right now. I’m reminded often of Melanie Davis's words, "If ever there were a time for a candle in the darkness, this would be it." This is all to say that I know our community’s ministry in the coming years will take a mighty combination of spiritual mutual accompaniment and daring justice ministries–as we find our ways through and beyond this pandemic and continue to build a more just world on the other side–and it has become clear to me that your beloved community is poised to do that hard and holy work. I cannot wait to meet you all.

To briefly introduce myself, I currently serve as the ministerial intern at our UU church in Needham MA, after having completed my Masters of Divinity degree at Boston University School of Theology last May–the seminary that was the hub of the social gospel movement for decades. Between college and seminary, I was a trip leader and outdoor educator in the American Southwest, where I led kids and youth on backpacking and climbing trips, developed my strong environmental ethic, and fell in love with redrock country. I’m so energized then by the work that UUCM is engaged in around environmental justice, as you might imagine. If you’d like to learn a little bit more about me or my ministry before Candidating Week, I invite you to visit my website jennacrawfordministry.com.*

It is with great excitement that I look toward Candidating Week with all of you, from April 24-May 1. During Candidating Week, we will be able to get to know one another, worship together, and chart a path forward amidst the turbulent waters all around us. With many thanks to the Ministerial Search Committee for their thoughtful and detailed planning, it will be so good to be together.

In faith and hope,
Jenna Crawford

*If you are having trouble opening my website, try using a different browser, as Wix is only compatible with specific updated versions of certain browsers.

blessings,
Jenna Crawford, MDiv (she/hers) | LinkedIn | Facebook

Congregational Survey

Results Summary

Result Detail

UUCM Ministerial Search Team

(left to right) Carolyn Corzine (Chair), Jay Morrison, Marlaine Mahady-Potter, John Butler (resigned), Alisa Manning, Michael Austin

Committee Member Bios

Michael L. Austin moved to Marblehead in 1988 and has lived back and forth between Marblehead and Salem since then. He was born and raised in Louisville, KY. After a strong upbringing in the Southern Baptist and Church of Christ denominations, he attended Campbellsville College where he studied music education. His goal was to complete a masters program at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with emphasis in church music.

After receiving his bachelors with a teaching certificate K-12, he discovered that he was probably not in the best position to continue a career in a fundamental Christian denomination so he taught school in the Roman Catholic parochial school system. His musical abilities were utilized in many ecumenical Christian churches in the area.

In 1987, Michael was hired as a Flight Attendant with American Airlines and moved to the Chicago area and then to New England.

Education, music, and the search for truth away from his Baptist upbringing brought him to Unitarian Universalism. He has found a home at UUCM.

Carolyn Corzine (Chair) has been a member of UUCM since the 1970s. She grew up in NYC as a Presbyterian, and went to Macalester College as a history major with the idea that she would become a DRE. She spent her Junior Year Abroad at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon and got to know many Palestinians amongst the international student body. After a number of academic twists and turns she eventually went to Social Work School at BU and practiced Psychotherapy in Private Practice for 30 years. At UUCM she has occupied many roles; singing in the choir, working at the Me and Thee Coffeehouse, serving on many of the church's committees and boards over time, and currently chairing the Social Action Committee. Carolyn is remarried and with her husband Gordie has brought up a combined family of six children, including an adopted Korean daughter. They now have nine grand-children.

Marlaine Mahady - Potter has been a Unitarian Universalist since her early elementary school years and joined our church community in the mid 1980s. She has been active in the Religious Education Program both as a teacher and an RE Committee member when her family was growing up. She has served two terms as a trustee on the church’s Board, has volunteered at the Red Bow Fair and has chaired the Fair for a number of years. In addition, she is currently serving as a member of the Nominating Committee. Also, Marlaine co-coordinates the Me & Thee Music’s kitchen and serves on its Board. Moreover, she has attended a conference at Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center for approximately thirty-five years. She continues to attend the conference as a member of a three generation family. Marlaine is a retired educator and has resided in Marblehead for thirty years.

Alisa Manning has been a member of UUCM for approximately 10 years. She grew up in Northern New York State in a Presbyterian family and at a very musical church. Her family moved to the Boston area around the same time she started college at Boston University, and after a brief time attending a Presbyterian church with her mother, she stopped participating in organized religion. Before arriving at UUCM, Alisa earned degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Biostatistics, married her spouse, and found her calling as a public health scientist. The couple moved to Swampscott, had two children and years later moved to Marblehead in order to have Alisa's mother live with them. Around that time, Alisa sought a religious community for herself and her children and Unitarian Universalism was her preferred denomination. From the first time she stepped into the sanctuary of UUCM on a Sunday morning, Alisa has found community. friendship and acceptance. She has occupied several roles at the church: singing in the choir, sitting on the Board of Trustees and serving as the church treasurer.

Jay Morrison joined UUCM eight years ago after his life partner, Susan retired from parish ministry in the United Methodist Church. Jay withdrew from the Methodist church because of their rejection of gay membership within their community. UUCM welcomes everyone no matter who they are or how they may be identified. UUCM gives truth to the statement: "All Are Welcome". After Jay completed 4 years of service in the US Air Force, he pursued a career in Clinical Social Work. Over the course of 46 years he maintained a private practice, served in two agencies as Clinical Director/ Supervisor, and taught part time at Boston College, School of Social Work, for 31 years. At UUCM Jay became entranced with the Sunday Seminar program and has worked closely with Jack Weltner as a co-leader. Jay has also served regularly with the Pastoral Care Associates. He and Susan have been
married for 53 years and have three "children" and three grandchildren.