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The Ministerial Search Committee
and
The Board of Trustees
of the
First Unitarian Society of Schenectady
are delighted to present our next settled Minister

Rev. Priscilla Richter

In that the cycles and seasons and wonders of nature are holy to me, I follow earth-centered spirituality.
In that I see God in all matter, I am a mystic.
In that I believe that what we do with our lives and how we live our lives is the heart of it all, I am a humanist.
In that the ministry of Jesus is a powerful guide for me, I am a Christian.
In that the Buddha remains a powerful teacher for me, I am a Buddhist.
In that I believe that revelation is not sealed, and that there are many paths to the holy, I am Unitarian Universalist.
� Rev. Priscilla Richter

Ministerial Search Committee: Bob Rohr, (Chair), Lisa Angle, Teri Bordenave , Sue Brunelle, Shirlee Dufort, Ernie Hall, Mark Vermilyea

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The First Unitarian Society of Schenectady is looking forward to the arrival of our next settled Minister : The Reverend Priscilla Richter. Priscilla brings deep experience and a warm, inspirational presence to her Unitarian Universalist ministry. From the time the Search Committee met her and throughout the interview weekend, we found her easy to talk with and as intelligent as she is down-to-earth, with a manner that blends wisdom with humor. We find her sermons filled with hope and tailored to the needs, concerns, and personalities of the congregations she serves. Priscilla describes herself as a spiritual person who focuses on UU core values. She values connection and pastoral care and has experience leading pastoral care teams. She has effective administrative and team-building skills and substantial experience with all aspects of the ministry, including committee work and fund-raising. Her active involvement with social action and inter-faith organizations convinced us that she shares our congregation�s values and would continue the important work of this church as well as being innovative about new causes and projects.

Priscilla graduated with a Masters of Divinity degree from Meadville/ Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago in 1992. She grew up in a conservative Lutheran family and was active in community and civic activities from an early age. She earned an undergraduate degree in Political Science and a Masters in Social Work. Her work experiences before entering the ministry included the Model Cities program, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, directing counseling and community services for a women�s center, and helping to develop a pilot welfare reform program. Priscilla was an active UU lay leader during this time and found her call to ministry growing out of the �realization that what really matters to me in life are living and articulating my religious values and working actively to create meaningful community.�

Priscilla has served settled ministries in Oak Ridge, TN, and Indiana, PA and two-year interim ministries in Pittsburgh, PA and Plano, TX. She also served as a resident chaplain in a hospital in Huntington, WV. Congregation members in all of these churches speak of her incredibly thoughtful sermons, great strengths in pastoral care, skill at guiding staff and lay leadership, and experience with fund-raising. Priscilla speaks of her ministry as being about the healing that can occur at the personal and institutional levels, and she has demonstrated that focus in several of her ministries. A good example followed the events of September 11, 2001, when she was Minister in Indiana, PA: she drove to nearby Shanksville, PA to provide pastoral ministry to families at that crash site; she conducted a service at her church that evening; and she organized ministers in the community to support Islamic students at a local college.

Priscilla describes herself as an �empty nester,� a single parent with a grown son living currently in Montreal, Canada. She is close to her widowed mother and her brother and his family, all of whom live in North Carolina. Her favorite activities are outdoor pursuits (bicycling, hiking, kayaking/ canoeing, gardening, etc.), artistic endeavors, and fitness activities such as tai chi and yoga. To complete this introduction, we quote from two of her references. The Past President of her current church says, �We could not even have wished for someone with her talents, goodwill, strong leadership skills, and outstanding abilities as a preacher.� A former congregation member and friend states, �You will find her to be� a courageous and compassionate witness to the fullness of life. You can entrust your life to her.�

Please join us in welcoming Priscilla to the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady. She will begin her ministry on August 1, 2006.