Letter sent 4/15/2020: 

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Dear Member of First Unitarian Church of Omaha,

If you have not heard, your Ministerial Search Committee is very pleased to present  Rev. Shari Woodbury as our ministerial candidate!

What this means: We have winnowed down from written ministerial records, primary video-interviews, and three pre-candidating weekends, our candidate. Rev. Shari is our choice—and we are delighted she felt the same! A “candidate” is a minister that has been chosen by the Search Committee, but who has not yet been called by congregational vote. (This is like the President-Elect at the annual meeting.)

If you’d like to learn more about Rev. Shari Woodbury, she has created a website. Here is the web address:  www.shariwoodbury.com/omaha.html

Candidating Week is the traditional way we introduce the minister to the congregation. This is the time that the congregation gets to experience Rev. Shari's ministry, with a few changes from the norm. We would all prefer to have our candidate here in person, but in this time of pandemic and isolation, that is not an option. Instead, the Search Committee is working on several online events—open Zoom socials, meetings with the board and various groups, staff discussions, etc.

 

For this week Candidating Week, Rev. Shari is our minister. She will preach, lead meetings, and be spending her time doing the work of our church. There is a Sunday service at the start of the week, and one at the end. After the service on Sunday, May 3, Rev. Woodbury will leave the Zoom meeting and the congregation will vote on whether to call her as our minister. Go here for more information about the annual meeting: www.firstuuomaha.org/annualmeeting. A letter regarding the annual meeting was sent out on 4/14 to every church member.

You may be concerned that you will not have as much opportunity to meet Shari because of our current social distancing. During a normal Candidating Week, there are typically just one or two opportunities for the general congregation to chat with a candidate. That is usually a coffee hour and a social, where a room full of others are eager to say hello. 

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Candidating Week begins on April 24th and ends on May 3rd. The Candidating Week schedule is below. 

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If you do not have access to internet service, or a device, the MTC is helping match people with services. They can be reached at mtc@firstuuomaha.org or by calling the church office 402-345-3039 ext 101 by April 20th.  Please allow 3 days for a response to phone calls.

 

If you’d like to ask some of the Ministerial Search Committee questions, please feel free to call Kate Godfrey (402-880-1327), or Dave Richardson (402-212-5054).

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Thank you,

The Ministerial Search Committee

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Here are the remaining online events happening during Candidating Week (April 24 to May 3)

that are open to anyone: 

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Wednesday, April 29 7:00-8:00 pm: Chat with the Candidate

Zoom link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86731124715?pwd=dWVHNnBaM05KQTlNdS9odFZyUnhNQT09

Meeting ID: 867 3112 4715

Password: 595484

Host: Rev. Shari Woodbury

 

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Friday, May 1 5:30-7:30 pm: CommUUnity Night

Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/7873284055

Meeting ID: 787 328 4055

Host: Kate Wiig

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Saturday, May 2 10:00 am -12:00 pm: Teams Meeting

Zoom link:  https://zoom.us/j/99486929188?pwd=L1NrbGI1U3A3U1l1RFVYZkR0Y1cwdz09

Meeting ID: 994 8692 9188

Password: 285721  

Host: Cat Dixon

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Sunday Service May 3 10:30am

“Dreaming Together”

Rev. Shari Woodbury

As the conclusion of Candidating Week with our prospective new settled minister,

Rev. Woodbury will share dreams for the ministry we may undertake together.

​​The link to the Zoom church service event: 

​https://zoom.us/j/99486929188

​Meeting ID: 994 8692 9188

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Last chance to sign up!  The Ministerial Search Committee also has a few openings remaining in the following "space is limited" online events during Candidating Week:

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Thursday Lunch with the Candidate: 
Thursday, April 30 at 12:00-1:00pm

This group meeting with a few slots remaining requires advance sign-up. Sign up by emailing your name and phone number to:  signup@firstuuomaha.org no later than April 28th.

​Small Group with the Candidate: 
Friday, May 1 at 3:30-4:30pm

This group meeting with 6 slots available requires advance sign-up. Sign up by emailing your name and phone number to:  signup@firstuuomaha.org no later than April 28th.

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Please arrive to Zoom events on time.

We will use the Zoom waiting room feature to screen out any uninvited intruders. Please be sure that you put your first and last name as the Zoom username so the host will know that you are someone who should be allowed in.

If you need help with Zoom, please email zoomhelp@firstuuomaha.org

Want to know more about Rev. Shari Woodbury? 

We have more! Rev. Shari's website now has more background information--questions she answered in her ministerial record--for you to enjoy. Her website gives you access to information about Shari's ministry, sermons, her leadership work, and more. This is more information and background about an incoming candidate than we've ever had available, and we hope it will help members get a better feel for her in this unusual social distancing atmosphere.
Go here to see her website: www.shariwoodbury.com/omaha.html

Questions about the candidate or this candidating week can be sent to the Search Committee: searchcommittee@firstuuomaha.org 

Need information about the Annual Meeting which will be held on Zoom on Sunday, May 3? Click here.

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