Dear WUU Community,
Hello again! This spring has slipped by so quickly. It feels very poignant to me that I have only a few more weeks to serve you as your minister.
Last month, I wrote to you about the ways my relationship with you will change after I’m gone.
Today, let me begin with an invitation. If you’d like to meet up with me for a farewell chat before I leave, I would love that. Please reach out and let’s set something up.
I’d also like to share more with you about what I’ll be doing after I leave WUU. For a long time now, I’ve had a small spiritual direction practice alongside of my ministry with you. I’ve also served colleagues for years as a peer clergy coach, and I’ve pursued advanced training as a shamanic practitioner. Going forward, I’ll be blending these three modalities into a full-time online community ministry focused on individuals and small groups. It’s a big shift for me, and one I’m excited about, even as I will miss you and the familiar rhythms of congregational life very much.
Because I’m committed to upholding the ethical standards of my profession and honoring the relationship you’ll form with your next minister, I won’t be able to work directly with any members of the WUU community as clients after I leave WUU. However, if you know someone outside of WUU who you think might benefit from working with me, you are always welcome to point them to my community ministry website, laurahortonludwig.com.
I plan to stay closely connected with the larger UU community as I grow this new ministry. In addition to working with one on-one clients, I’ll be partnering with Soul Matters this coming fall to lead an online shamanic practice group, open to people around the country, focused on the monthly Soul Matters themes.
Also, if you make it up to Pittsburgh, PA for the UUA General Assembly in June, you might see me helping to staff an exhibit hall booth in my free time, along with a few other UU religious professionals whose specialized niche ministries aim to help congregations and leaders around the country. “Entrepreneurial ministry,” as folks are calling it, is an interesting alternative model for how congregations can access professional support, and I’m curious to see where it all goes in the years to come.
But that is for the future. Right now, I’m glad to be with you for these precious days that still remain. Take care and blessings to you, now and always!
In faith,
Rev. Laura