Dear friends,

For the past four years, Rev. Denise Gyauch has served our congregation as our contract minister. Together, we have grown in trust, deepened our shared ministry, and clarified who we are becoming as a community of faith. Now, we are entering a new and meaningful phase: discerning whether it is time to call Rev. Denise to settled ministry with the Greater Nashville UU Congregation.

The Contract to Call Process, recommended by the UUA, invites the whole congregation into learning, reflection, and conversation. The Board has created a Contract to Call task force composed of Kristin Reveal, Carol Looney, and Ryan Davison to implement this process.

Last November we had a special Sunday service, “The Call We Make Together,” that introduced the meaning and purpose of the Contract to Call Process. For a Video Recording of this service, see: The Call We Make Together Sermon.

Then, in late November and December we held Small Group Discussion sessions where members and friends reflected on these questions:

How does our Mission, Covenant, and/or Vision of Ministry guide our shared ministry?

What is working well in our church community?

What do we need to work on? Where do we feel called to grow?

How do we experience our relationship with Rev. Denise in this shared ministry?

What hopes do you have for our future together?

Is there anything else you would like to share?

The Contract to call Task Force then compiled a Summary Report that it presented to the Board and Rev. Denise in late December. 

You are invited to a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, February 8, from 1 PM - 2 PM, for a presentation of the Summary Report and to receive a copy of the report itself. Copies of the report will also be emailed to members this week.

To join online: https://tinyurl.com/gnuuczoom

This Town Hall Meeting will be hosted by the Contract to Call Task Force, Ryan D., Kristin R., and Carol L.

There will be time allocated for questions and comments.

After the Town Hall Meeting, the we will have a Congregational Meeting on February 15, immediately after the service, to hold a vote on whether to call Rev. Denise as our settled minister. Voting members will vote by paper ballot. During the Congregational Meeting there will NOT be time allocated to questions, discussion, and comments. Please come to the Town Hall Meeting to ask questions and make comments.

Why This Matters

Whether you’ve been here for years or are a new member, your presence and perspective are essential to this discernment. Please choose to participate!

Let us approach this time with open hearts, deep listening, and gratitude for the ministry we share.

In faith and community,
The Contract to Call Task Force
Kristin Reveal
Carol Looney
Ryan Davison

The Board is calling a Congregational Meeting on February 15, immediately after the service, to hold a vote on whether to call Rev. Denise as our settled minister.

Voting members will vote by paper ballot. Proxy ballots for those who cannot attend will be emailed soon. If you join on Zoom, you will direct message the co-host your vote.

During the Congregational Meeting there will NOT be time allocated to questions, discussion, and comments. Please come to the Town Hall Meeting on February 8, at 1 PM, to ask questions and make comments.

The Mental Health Cooperative was founded in 1993 with a bold mission to provide community-based care for adults with serious mental illnesses. We united three essential services — Urban Case Management, Continuous Treatment Team, and the Mobile Crisis Team — into one coordinated model focused on access, dignity, and real outcomes.”