This Week at UBC Updated every Monday may 11, 2026 May the curve be ever in your favor. Hello Friends: It was really wonderful to hear Elwyn’s piece that will be included in our new hymnal on Sunday. I’m amazed by Elwyn’s talent and humility. This Sunday, we’ll hear another addition to the new hymnal. This is a setting of the beloved tune known as "Onward, Christian Soldiers.” Kim rewrote it as “Onward, Justice Seekers.” It seems appropriate for this Sunday. After all, Zena Hamilton and Violet Butler both graduate from law school on Saturday. My sermon will be entitled, “Graduation.” As the Hebrew people were set to graduate from being a wandering people to being a settled people, Moses gave an extended graduation address. In it he included the line “Justice, justice shall you pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20). Scholars have said that the repetition of the word "justice" might mean justice for the insider and justice for the outsider. Justice for the insider often means “just us.” Imagine if we as a country pursued justice for everyone. How might our priorities shift? The scripture reading will be Deuteronomy 16:18-20. Megan Dahlberg will be the worship leader and the UBC Chorale will sing Kim’s arrangement of “We Shall Overcome.” On Sunday, we had a great forum about the ideas for the future of our grand building. We heard work that the Rooted Good Team has done to market our fine building to people who need it to do more good in the world. And we heard about the financial challenges that go with stewarding this great community resource. The UBC Council has proposed that we make a conscious decision to stay in this building for at least the next five years. This will give us time to find better partners that can help better offset the costs of the building. We can get the answers from the Historic Preservation folks that may free up some grant money to repair some of the facade. It will also give the church some breathing room while the search for a settled pastor happens. Please make plans to attend this important meeting right after church on Sunday. The last stack of books from my extensive library is in the hallway. Next week, I plan to have them live someplace else—like maybe at a local used bookstore. Help yourselves. For more of what's going on at UBC this week, see the schedule below. Blessings and Peace, Doug Donley this week's schedule tuesday 5:30pm - Sacred Harp 7pm - Memoirs Group Zoom Link wednesday 6pm - UBC Chorale rehearsal 7:30pm - UBC Carillon bells rehearsal saturday 9am - Bible Study Zoom Link 3pm - Memorial service for Nancy Henderson (the mother of one of our Sacred Harp singers) Sunday 10am - Worship service 11:15am or so - Refreshments 11:45am - Bible Study, Congregational Meeting Pledge Packet 2026 Discernment Report 2025 Annual Report 2025

We are hiring a pastoral associate to work alongside the interim pastor during our transition to a new settled pastor! pastoral associate for the interim transition UBC is seeking a part-time pastoral associate to help guide us during a pastoral transition. Please help us spread the word by sharing this position with anyone who might be a good fit! Pastoral Associate Position PDF position description The pastoral associate will work alongside the interim pastor during the congregation’s period of transition to a new settled pastor after the retirement of University Baptist Church’s pastor of 25 years. The Pastoral Associate is a position ideal for a seminary student who wishes to engage in work across the arts of ministry, and gain insight into the particularities of interim pastoral work and a congregation’s life during a period of pastoral transition. Responsibilities will include: Assisting in the cultivation of ministries and programs across the lifespan Visitation/spiritual care of congregants Assisting in the church’s outreach and belonging ministries Occasional Sunday School teaching Occasional worship leadership in Sunday services The possibility of occasional preaching for Sunday service The pastoral associate reports to the interim pastor and will work in a collaborative fashion with the strong lay leadership of the congregation. congregation description Our mission at UBC is to be a loving and inclusive community seeking faith, joy, and action nurtured by the biblical traditions, the teachings of Christ, and God's continuing revelation. UBC is adjacent to the University of Minnesota in historic Dinkytown. We have a focus on inclusion, justice-seeking, and peace-making. UBC has a long history of inclusion of all people. We have been actively welcoming and affirming of the LGBTQ community since the early 1980s. The congregation affiliates with the American Baptist Churches USA, the Alliance of Baptists, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, and the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz, as well as many local partners. We worship weekly on Sunday mornings at 10:00am. qualifications The ideal candidate will have some experience in congregational ministry – paid or volunteer – and exhibit a passion for the cultivation of congregational life and ministry. Some seminary education is preferred, but not required. The position is ideal for a current seminary student who can dedicate at least a year to this part-time ministerial engagement, gaining experience across the arts of congregational ministry with special attention to interim/transitional ministry. Applicant should be committed to a peace-and-justice orientation to the practice of the Christian tradition and does not need to be Baptist to apply. duration and compensation The pastoral associate will serve alongside UBC’s interim pastor during the period of pastoral transition. The candidate will be hired on a one-year contract with possibility of contract renewal. The start date is negotiable, as soon as July 1, 2026, and ideally no later than September 1, 2026. The pastoral associate is a part-time position (12 hours/week) compensated at a rate of $23.00/hour. No other benefits are included in the position. to apply Send a resumé and cover letter to: Congregational President University Baptist Church 1219 University Ave. S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55414 jeanlubke01@gmail.com Applications will be considered on a rolling basis starting June 1, 2026.

University Baptist Church has an intentional focus on inclusion, justice-seeking and peace-making. We are intrigued and captured by the challenge and whimsey of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and seek to live out this Good News in our individual and collective lives. WELCOME TO UBC! Our mission at UBC is to be a loving and inclusive community seeking faith, joy, and action nurtured by the biblical traditions, the teachings of Christ, and God's continuing revelation. UBC is adjacent to the University of Minnesota in historic Dinkytown. We have a focus on inclusion, justice-seeking, and peace-making. All are welcome! SUNDAY SERVICE livestream BULLETIN 10am Worship Service in person and livestreamed. Followed by Joys & Concerns, in person and on Zoom. JOYS AND CONCERNS and FORUM zoom info Zoom info: Meeting ID 852 9718 8979 password 339013. One tap mobile: +17193594580,,85297188979#,,,,*339013# US Extra parking on Sundays can be used in the LDS & Library lots. QUICK LINKS THIS WEEK AT UBC NEWSLETTER CALENDAR WORSHIP SERVICES ROOTS CELLAR RENTAL SPACE GIVING

NEWSLETTER View + Download The latest May UBC Newsletter includes: First and Last: Messages from the Pastor Farewell events for Pastor Doug and Kim, including potluck supper and program (May 30), Sunday worship and cake reception on the lawn (May 31) Poem by John Medeiros read at Doug's installation service in 2001 Congratulations, U graduates! Violet Butler, Joel Delikowski, and Zena Hamilton Solving building issues update forum (May 10) and congregational meeting for a vote (May 17) Report from Chicago: Alliance of Baptists annual gathering, "Reckoning with Our Roots," and THRIVE retreat, "Practicing Prophetic Imagination for Costly Discipleship" (May 3 forum) Volunteer opportunities including Meals on Wheels (May 5–8), Every Meal (May 8 & 28), garden team (Wednesdays at 9–12), UBC Pride booth (June 27–28), and more Racial Justice Team meeting (May 19) Two concerts (May 2): Border CrosSing, 11:30am and Sound Mind Project's "Find Peace," 7pm. Photos from Holy Week and Easter; dedication of Ignatius "Iggy" Hartman Waller Stories from our history: "Garden Reflections" by Sue Wester and "Gardening at UBC" by Trish Donley Mark your calendar: work day at UBC (June 6), annual meeting (June 7), joint worship with First Congregational Church (July 5 and 12 at FCC, July 19 and 26 at UBC) And more! If a newsletter is not linked, you must request it to be emailed to you. Thank you! Newsletter Archive 2026: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL Newsletter Archive 2025: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Newsletter Archive 2024: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Newsletter Archive 2023: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Newsletter Archive 2022: JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER

Education Education happens at UBC in a variety of ways, including: Forums Bible Study Children's Church Forums These happen every Sunday from 11:30am-12:30pm in the Lounge. The forums are on topics of interest to the congregation but can vary from an informal getting to know you session for new people to a more formal lecture on a topic of interest. Bible Study We offer two bible studies: one that meets from 11:30am-12:30pm on Sundays in the church library, and one that meets the first and third Saturdays at 9am on Zoom. These groups usually looks at a particular book of the Bible taking several weeks or months to investigate the nuances and teachings of the book. Bible study is open to everyone! For Children Children are a central part of life at UBC. Children of all ages are encouraged to be in the service up until the "Children's Time" when the pastor spends time talking to and praying with them. After this, children up to age 10 can go to the nursery where they are cared for by two paid nursery staff. The older children have a Sunday School lesson each week, while the younger children have "circle time" in the nursery where they hear a story and sing a few songs. Below: UBC members meet with forum speaker Mikah Meyer about his Outside Safe Space program to make the great outdoors more accessible to the LGBTQ+ community.

Members Everyone is welcome at UBC! There are membership classes for those interested in formalizing their presence within the congregation. They happen a few times a year depending on people's schedules. We have a special category of membership for people who expect to be here for a short period of time and want to maintain their membership in their home church. We call this a community/university member. Since we're a Baptist church, we believe that baptism decisions ought to be made by people who are old enough decide for themselves. We call this Believer's Baptism. We practice baptism by immersion. It's a beautiful thing to behold, especially with all of the water sloshing around afterwards. We recognize and accept previous baptisms and confirmations and we don't require you to be re-baptized, unless you want to. Want to learn more about becoming a member? Contact Paula Moyer, who coordinates our new member orientations! paulamoyer52@gmail.com

UBC making headlines! In the news UBC making headlines! pastor donley speaks out against ice Pastor Doug Donley has been vocal about his and UBC's opposition to the ICE occupation of Minneapolis. He was interviewed by the Minnesota Daily , along with other community members, to talk about the difference between a local perspective and the federal narrative on the situation. "What we’ve shown is a city that will not back down,” Donley said. “A people who will not forsake our neighbors. That, to me, is the core of Christianity: love God and love your neighbor.” Read Article UBC 175 on KSTP KSTP joined us at our Founding Day celebration to recognize 175 years of our congregation! Watch the video to get a recap of the event and see lots of familiar faces. Read the full article here! UBC Pastor Doug Donley was the speaker and musician at the Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM) prayer vigil 9/9/25 from 7:30-8:30am at ICE Headquarters at Fort Snelling. People of any/all/no faith are invited to join in an hour of prayer and song to show solidarity with detainees and to oppose inhumane detention practices. After each vigil, attendees can choose to observe immigration court proceedings — a powerful opportunity to witness how the deportation system works. These vigils are held every second Tuesday and available on Zoom if you can’t attend in person! See More "Donley said he learned early in his pastoral career to attend to those stigmatized or on the margins. Starting in a Baptist church in Hartford, Conn., and then moving to a church in San Francisco, Donley said he witnessed many friends and classmates suffering during the AIDS and HIV crises and the stigmas that followed. “I found myself dealing with a lot of that gender dysphoria and a lot of people that were really feeling persecuted by not only their gender identity and their sexual orientation, but also by their fear and possibly diagnosis with HIV,” Donley said." Check out this great story about UBC by University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student Alexandra DeYoe! READ FULL ARTICLE " As Christians in the U.S., our role in relationship to the violence in Palestine/Israel is often obscured. For centuries, our faith has been used as a tool of empire's greed and Christian supremacy has created the conditions that have led to this present-day violence. There is much to repent for: Christians are responsible for centuries of antisemitic violence, like the Christian-perpetrated Holocaust, which has led to a systemic lack of safety for Jewish people. Christians are responsible for perpetrating centuries of Islamophobic wars and violence against Muslim and Arab countries, which have led to systemic lack of safety for Muslim and Arab peoples. We have not responded to the calls of our Palestinian Christian relatives who for too long have been pleading in vain with Christians around the world to take action in solidarity with their plight. "We have allowed Christian Zionists to be the most influential Christian voice on Palestine/Israel. Christian Zionism is an antisemitic and Islamophobic ideology; Christian Zionists believe that when Jesus returns, all non-Christian people will be destroyed, including the Jewish nationalists who helped hasten the Second Coming. We have allowed our Muslim and Jewish siblings to bear the greatest risks in the struggle for Palestinian rights and a future of safety for all people in the region, though we hold by far the greatest share of the responsibility." READ FULL ARTICLE on STAR TRIBUNE We proudly stand with all the victims of warfare and call for a ceasefire in Gaza. A Prayer for Israel & Palestine by Doug Donley God, point us toward the path of peace. The path is strewn with the shells of homes, the stench of bloodied corpses, the smoke of a thousand dreams. We pause on this path, and tend the wounds of those torn apart in body, mind and spirit. Help us to not demonize an entire race or religion because of the violent actions of the most extreme zealots. And it is our job to forge a path toward peace, while caring for those who have been hurt. READ FULL "PASSING THE PEACE" ARTICLE

we have rental space for offices events weddings and more! Next door to one of the largest research universities in the world - a campus of 50,000 students - UBC's building was designed as a hub of activity. Our sanctuary is a beautiful space for weddings and commitment ceremonies as well as music, theater, and public programs. Our lawn and portico provide a lovely green space on a busy corner. We have room to share for renters, too. Tenants in our beautiful space have included not only other congregations but an alternative school, small businesses, artists, musicians, yoga classes, labor organizers, basketball players (we have a gym under the sanctuary), consultants, and more. Rental Spaces Currently Available Rooms for Lease Room 303 - 540 sq ft N on-profit rate: $1,080/mo Standard rate: $1,350/mo Room 305 - 675 sq ft Non-profit rate: $1,350/mo Standard rate: $1,687.50/mo Room 306 - 121 sq ft - available June 1 N on-profit rate: $242/mo Standard rate: $302.50/mo Room 308 - 121 sq ft - available July 1 N on-profit rate: $242/mo Standard rate: $302.50/mo Room 309 - 342 sq ft Non-profit rate: $684/mo Standard rate: $855/mo Hourly or Special Occasion Gym $20/hr block (2hr minimum) Assembly Room 1,700 sq. ft., $40/hr including kitchen $30/hr without kitchen, 2hr minimum Sanctuary is available for funerals, concerts, and other special occasion rentals at $50/hr Sanctuary is is also available for weddings - see guidelines below Library - $25 for the first hour, $10 for each additional hour Lounge - $25 for the first hour, $10 for each additional hour available july 1 COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT IN DINKYTOWN Bring your vision to this historic space in Dinkytown, across the street from the U of M! Looking for a homebase for your student outreach-focused non-profit? Need a spot to house your community-oriented organization? Want to open a coffee shop with live music? Thinking about opening an arts-based collaborative that has office space, gathering space, rehearsal space, and performance space all under the same roof? We’re open and would love to hear your ideas and dreams! Available for rent in University Baptist Church: Large 1,700 sqft room with a stage at one end, attached to a 377 sqft commercial kitchen. Possible addition of another 650 sqft lounge with fireplace. ADA access and bathrooms nearby. Lots of foot traffic in a densely populated area. Office space available elsewhere in the building. Up to three assigned parking spots for an additional fee. Want to talk about your ideas? Contact property@ubcmn.org ! Assembly Room (Large space with stage) - 1700 square feet Non-profit rate: $3,000/mo Standard rate: $3,750/mo Parlor with fireplace (Attached to Assembly Room, but can be separated) - 650 square feet Non-profit rate: $1,300/mo Standard rate: $1,625/mo Kitchen (Attached to Assembly Room, but can be separated) - 377 square feet Non-profit rate: $754/mo Standard rate: $942.50/mo DETAILS Many rooms have hardwood floors. All rooms are handicap accessible. Utilities are included (small air conditioning or space heater surcharge added). We have many rooms available for meetings, rehearsals, recreations, rituals and performances, including a gym. Room rental spaces are open for month to month leases/contracts. To set up a showing or for more information, please contact us at 612-331-1768 or property@ubcmn.org Inquiring about a funeral or memorial service? Review our FUNERAL/MEMORIAL SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS . Wedding Ceremonies University Baptist Church (UBC) is proud to perform wedding ceremonies for everyone, including the LGBTQA+ community. We are a faith community with a noble tradition of supporting full equality for LGBT people. UBC was the first Baptist Church to appoint an openly lesbian pastor, the Rev. Nadean Bishop, who served from 1992-2000. UBC belongs to the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists and American Baptists Concerned for Sexual Minorities. UBC’s pastor, the Reverend Doug Donley, has been an impassioned advocate of LGBT rights and equality. Doug has held national leadership positions with Soulforce, an organization dedicated to LGBT inclusion and the elimination of spiritual oppression through nonviolent means. Doug is also a founding member of the Coalition for A Respectful U., an inter-faith coalition whose mission is to create a safe and welcoming environment for LGBT students at the University of Minnesota. In 2005, Doug received the University’s Breaking the Silence Award in recognition of his work on behalf of LGBT people. In 2004, under Doug’s leadership, the congregation of UBC passed a statement affirming marriage rights for same-sex couples. UBC Wedding Brochure

Getting Involved We value our involvement as individuals and as a congregation in issues of importance to society at large. We have used our large building to house many groups including Restorative Justice Community Action, theater groups, other congregations, and local activists. We structure ourselves in Ministry Teams. These teams are passion-driven. If you are passionate about it, we empower you to do it. This is where the Spirit is most active and obvious. Our Ministry Teams include a knitting group, the Worship Planning Team, various study groups, the garden team, the Loaves and Fishes meal program, and so on. You do not have to be a member of the church to be on a ministry team. We want people to be involved in ministry. Go for it! a welcoming and affirming church UBC has a long history of inclusion of all people. We have been actively welcoming and affirming of the LGBTQ community since the early 1980's. We welcome the opportunity to walk and work alongside everyone and anyone who seeks to live out the Gospel of peace, justice and love. We have been celebrating same-sex weddings in our church building for decades and worked hard to make marriage equality a reality in Minnesota. As a piece of history, check out our statement on marriage passed in 2004. We are a founding member church of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists . In 1991, we were the first American Baptist Church to call an openly lesbian pastor, Nadean Bishop. She served with distinction until her retirement in 2000. In 2005, our Pastor received the Breaking the Silence Award from the University of MN for his work on behalf of the LGBT community. GayChurch.org Sister Church in Leon, Nicaragua UBC established a sister-church relationship with Second Baptist Church of Leon, Nicaragua in 1992 under the guidance of Rev. Dr. Nadean Bishop. Second Baptist Church runs a preK-11th grade school, attached to their church building, consisting of approximately 132 children. Each year we raise money for scholarships for students attending this school which we call the God-Parent Program. We have more recently augmented this relationship with the advent of e-mail correspondence and visits by delegations going both ways! Delegations from UBC visited Nicaragua in 2003, 2010, 2014, and 2023. Doug Donley and Deidre Druk visited Nicaragua with members of The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America in 2008 and the UBC Bell Choir visited and performed there in 2013. In addition, members Jean Lubke and Deidre Druk visited, each independently: Deidre in 2012 and Jean in 2011 and 2018. We sponsored five members of our Sister Church to visit Minnesota in 2008, 2011, 2014, and 2017. We try to make a visit every year and a half, but the unrest in Nicaragua and the pandemic have hindered our visits since 2018. The delegation that was to travel from Nicaragua to visit us in Minneapolis in the Fall of 2023 was not granted travel visas by the U.S. Embassy in Managua. These visits are a powerful exchange. They deepen our relationships and open our eyes to different cultures. We have deep ties to our friends in Nicaragua! Deidre Druk coordinates this ministry team. If you would like to go on a UBC-sponsored mission trip, you may be eligible for a travel scholarship. You can request a scholarship application from Deidre Druk , or at the church office. Check out our Sister Church's Facebook page . Partners University Baptist Church has a long history of working for social justice, starting with its involvement in the abolition movement in the 1850s. Members and friends of UBC volunteer their time, talents, and resources in a number of vital ministries, working against poverty and homelessness and advocating for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. Our affiliations and outreach include: Alliance of Baptists American Baptist Churches of the Rochester/Genesee Region of New York State American Baptist Churches, USA Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America: An ecumenical Baptist organization committed to peacemaking and justice-seeking in the US and throughout the world. We are one of about 50 partner congregations with the BPFNA. Many of us attend their annual Summer Conferences as well as the international friendship tours to foster peace and nonviolence. First Congregational Church of Minnesota (FCC): A UCC church near UBC that we partner regularly with on joint services, activism, and social groups. Interfaith Campus Coalition (ICC) : A coalition of campus ministries at the University of Minnesota. UBC is a part of ICC because of its commitment to interfaith dialog, its respect for diversity and religious pluralism, and its efforts to develop a code of ethics for campus ministries that allows religious communities to have a meaningful presence at the University while respecting the boundaries between church and state. Restorative Justice Community Action: Working to reduce repeat offenders, reduce crime overall and strengthen and build community. Soulforce: Members participate in the local and national Soulforce organizations committed to working for justice on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons using nonviolent tactics. We share our building with many organizations and movements including: Sacred Harp Singers NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Party for Socialism and Liberation

Our mission at UBC is to be a loving and inclusive community seeking faith, joy and action nurtured by the biblical traditions, the teachings of Christ, and God's continuing revelation. We are part of progressive Baptist movements like The Alliance of Baptists. About US. Our mission at UBC is to be a loving and inclusive community seeking faith, joy and action nurtured by the biblical traditions, the teachings of Christ, and God's continuing revelation. We were founded in 1850 as the First Baptist Church of St. Anthony. We have changed our name three times, to Olivet Baptist Church in 1879, and finally to University Baptist Church in 1922. At UBC you will find: A progressive, open, theologically diverse and biblically-inspired environment that welcomes people from a variety of religious backgrounds. A commitment to racial and ethnic diversity and gender equality within our membership and leadership. A congregation that has many people from the University community: students, staff, professors, and alumni. A congregation interested in creativity and asking the hard questions of faith. A congregation where you don’t have to check your brain at the door. A congregation that is very interested in peace, justice, inclusion, and authentic and relevant religious expression. Our History 1850-1879 First Name Minnesota was still a territory when University Baptist Church (UBC) was formed in 1850. Originally called the First Baptist Church of St. Anthony, the church building was located at University and Second Avenues, a structure also used by other churches. In 1858 the timber from the first structure was deconstructed and moved to St. Paul, where an African American congregation had built a church. Before a new building was finished in 1870, services were held at Main Street and Fourth Avenue. Early baptisms were performed in the Mississippi River. After St. Anthony was annexed by Minneapolis, the church changed its name in 1879 to Olivet Baptist Church. 1921 - Present University Baptist Church In 1921 the present name, University Baptist Church, was adopted. Construction of the present church building was also begun in 1921. A dozen ministers served the congregation over the next 70 years, the longest terms served by G. C. Fetter, 1929-46, John Bone, 1947-59, and Lee Freeman, 1976-90. Through its 150 years the congregation has been characterized by progressive theology and a strong commitment to peace and justice issues. Early members were involved in the abolitionist movement and women's suffrage. The 1960s were marked by programs of social action and issues involvement. Pastor Kenneth Huyck marched in Selma, Alabama, for civil and voting rights. Like other inner city churches, UBC has been challenged to sustain membership and resources within changing times. For a brief period, UBC considered merging with other southeast churches to maximize resources and talents and developed ongoing relationships with other congregations. Dr. David Bartlett helped expand church outreach at the University of Minnesota and established other new programs. UBC efforts were directed toward ecumenical programs. In recent decades UBC has developed an outstanding music program. A new pipe organ was built, and the church published and still uses an inclusive language hymnal--among the first in the nation. The congregation starts the Lord's prayer, "Our Father, Mother." 1992-2000 First Lesbian Pastor Rev. Dr. Nadean Bishop, the first woman and open lesbian pastor, served the congregation between 1992-2000. During this time, several outreach programs to assist the needy were developed. In its justice ministry, UBC became vocal as a Welcoming and Affirming congregation. The building continues to serve the community as a site for several nonprofit organizations and has been benefited by recent extensive renovations, including handicap accessibility for the sanctuary and main floor. The Rev. Douglas M. Donley has been our Pastor since March of 2001. In its southeast Minneapolis location, UBC enjoys both the advantages of a diverse membership and opportunities to minister to its neighbors. 2001-present Rev. Doug Donley Rev. Dr. Nadean Bishop, the first woman and open lesbian pastor, served the congregation between 1992-2000. During this time, several outreach programs to assist the needy were developed. In its justice ministry, UBC became vocal as a Welcoming and Affirming congregation. The building continues to serve the community as a site for several nonprofit organizations and has been benefited by recent extensive renovations, including handicap accessibility for the sanctuary and main floor. The Rev. Douglas M. Donley has been our Pastor since March of 2001. In its southeast Minneapolis location, UBC enjoys both the advantages of a diverse membership and opportunities to minister to its neighbors. What's a Baptist? The American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABC/USA) is one of more than 30 distinct Baptist denominations in North America. Many of these Baptists trace their history to the Congregational Puritans and Separatists from the Church of England. The ABC/USA , like other Baptist denominations, is a voluntary association of autonomous local churches organized for the mutual encouragement and support of common missions and ministries. Thus, there are interdependent American Baptist churches but no American Baptist Church. We actually like Baptists. We are part of progressive Baptist movements like The Alliance of Baptists , The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists , The Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America and American Baptist Churches of the Rochester/Genesee Region . University Baptist Church (UBC) is a unique autonomous church with distinctive characteristics and ministries serving God locally and globally in association with other American Baptist churches. OUR PASTORS 2001 - present: Doug Donley was chosen by the search committee to candidate for the pastorate at University Baptist Church. He and his wife, Kim, were flown to the Twin Cities the end of October, 2000. He preached in another Baptist church in the area with all the members of the search committee present. They were impressed and voted unanimously to present Doug to UBC as a person they were recommending to become our new pastor. On the first weekend in January the Donley family came to the Twin Cities for the candidating weekend. The UBC members voted unanimously to call Rev. Douglas Donley to be our 27th pastor. Doug preached his first sermon at UBC on March 18, 2001, and was installed on May 20. We are all pleased with our decision- Doug preaches thoughtful, stimulating sermons, cares and loves us all and is concerned about our spiritual growth. Thank you, Doug, for coming to UBC to be our inspiring, loving pastor. We love Kim, Amanda and Rebecca, too. 2000: Although Pastor Kay Welsch served only 10 months as an interim pastor, from February 2000 to January 2001, her duty was during an important period in UBC's history. Her outgoing personality helped as she worked with the various committees to celebrate UBC's 150th Anniversary, which featured numerous events throughout the year. She was also energetic in welcoming visitors, spearheading the acquisition of an exterior banner, implementing new name tags, suggesting new internal structures, and helping with the call of a new pastor. A United Church of Christ minister, Kay enjoyed working with a congregation of a different denomination and shared its good times and challenges alike. 1992: The search committee, working diligently from June, 1990 to Nov., 1991, jubilantly presented its choice of pastors, The Rev. Dr. Nadean Bishop , to the congregation November 3, 1991: She was enthusiastically received and voted in as our new pastor the following Sunday. She preached her first sermon to the congregation January 19, 1992, and was installed March 8th as our 26th pastor. Nadean left several positions to come to University Baptist. She had been senior pastor of the North Community Church in Ann Arbor, MI, and also a professor of English at Eastern Michigan University. She had over 20 years of experience teaching courses including the bible as Literature and Women’s Spirituality. Here at UBC she showed her preaching skills each Sunday morning when she inspired and challenged us with her timely sermons. One of Nadean’s great strengths was her compassion for all the members of her flock. She spent much time visiting sick and hurting people. We all appreciated her caring and loving spirit. Nadean’s support of people of all sexual orientations was shown by serving on the Executive Committee of the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Churches. UBC is proud to be part of this group. Nadean showed her creative leadership in forming groups to deepen spiritual connections. Examples are Grace in Contemporary Novels by Women, The Carter Group and Film and Theology. Her interest in justice issues was shown in her preaching and participating in The Baptist Peace Fellowship and outreach projects of our Board of Justice and Outreach. Nadean frequently participated in church-related conferences and meetings, speaking or leading workshops. 1991-92: Our talented interim pastor Jim Ketcham’s service to our church for 15 months ended in January 1992. As Don Follett wrote in his column in the Feb., 1992, newsletter: "Jim was a shorthand version of what corporate types would call an ideal combination of directive and ‘participatory’ types of management- in action both at once." His quiet skills prodded and encouraged us to develop leadership skills we didn’t know we had. He initiated the Children’s Time as part of the Sunday morning service. Our congregation rejoiced when Jim and his wife, Jan, decided to stay on with us – and what wonderful contributors they are! 1976-90: Lee Freeman began his 14 year ministry, the second longest in the history of the church, in 1976. His liberal theological views, expressed so thoughtfully in his sermons, were embraced by the congregation. he was the moving force behind the music program, engineering the purchasing of a new tracker organ, the hiring of Martha Pittenger as organist and choir director and the writing of a new hymnal using inclusive language. He was a skilled manager of our aging building and an enthusiastic supporter of the Renewal for the 90’s drive to make the church handicapped accessible and the sanctuary redecorated. He left the church the first of September with a heart-warming party given by the grateful church members who will long remember his many contributions to the church. 1973-75: David Bartlett came to the church from the Berkeley Baptist Seminary where he held a position as New Testament professor. His challenging "three point" sermons showed his creativity with words. he brought an ability to attract and utilize lay leaders and new members. Using funds from the Shepardson estate, the church hired Dennis Stull to be associate pastor to rebuild the student ministry. Mark Parsons was hired to supervise the international group of students in the Davis House (owned by the church), in the neighborhood. Dr. Bartlett left at the end of three years to become the pastor of the Hyde Park Baptist Church in Chicago and to teach in the Divinity Department of the Chicago University. Dennis Stull continued on as interim minister until a new pastor was called. 1971-72: Rev. Robert Phillips served as interim pastor for 12 months while the church explored the possibility of a merger with the community’s Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches. Dr. Huntwork continued as interim leader from Oct. through Dec., 1972. 1963-71: Rev. J. Kenneth Huyck and his wife, Elnora, gave strong leadership to the congregation during a tumultuous time in American society. He was interested in social action, participated in the civil Rights march in Salem, Alabama, and arranged for a black minister from Virginia to exchange pulpits one Sunday. The music Training Program funded by Norman Mears was the concept of Ken Huyck. Free music lessons were given to young people. The Huycks moved to Iowa in 1971. 1960-63: Rev. Homer Shafer and his wife Jannette came from Kansas. They were great at sharing their hearts and home with University students, especially foreign students. Rev. Shafer secured funds for remodeling the student wing. Wes Anderson, the Student Associate, gave excellent leadership to the student group. Homer Shafer became Executive Director of the Oak Park-River Forest Council of Churches, Illinois. 1947-59: Rev. John S. Bone – an enthusiastic young man – helped to move the church into the post WWII period. The church celebrated its Centennial in 1950 as it struggled with its role in SE Minneapolis and the University community. In 1949 the church received help and leadership from Faye Jensen (now Faye Kommedahl) as the first Youth Intern. Rev. Bone preached excellent sermons, directed the choir and even substituted as organist when necessary. Since there was a large group of Baptist students at the University, more staff was needed: Marian Sorenson, in 1948, Betty Willlis in 1950; Esther Kennedy, 1952-54; Harriet Willingham (now Harriet Johnson), 1954-57; and Dean Knudson, 1957-60. Wes Anderson was the last one serving the students in the early sixties. The University Baptist Church Foundation was established in 1959 to receive money willed as memorials or donations to the church. Clayton Sorenson was the person who was the first leader of this endeavor which still continues successfully and is of great help to the church financially. Rev. Bone went to New York City to be the minister of the Madison Ave. Church. 1946: Dr. Warren Behan was the interim minister for one year. Financial help came from various denominational sources so the church could be rehabilitated – it was greatly in need of repairs. Mrs. Hoag, a loyal church member was hired at $40 a month to be the visitor to the University Village, veterans’ housing project. 1929-46: The longest pastorate in UBC history, 17 years, began when Rev. George Fetter came from Illinois. He was faced with almost insurmountable problems, mainly financial. The stock market crash, World Wars I and II and a congregation that wasn’t growing added up to much stress. The total mortgage was $55,000 but with contributions from the Board of Education, the Home Mission Society, The Minnesota Baptist Convention and The Twin City Baptist Union and the members of the church on the occasion of the 90th anniversary (1940), the mortgage was burned. With dedication and sacrifice, the congregation under Mr. Fetters inspired leadership pulled through these trying years. He left in 1946 to go to Lawrence, Kansas. 1924-29: Rev. Frank Jennings came and soon was swamped with the task of raising money to finish the tower (never accomplished!) and the auditorium. The church membership was 397. It must have been great satisfaction that he felt when the auditorium was finally finished and a great week of victory June 5-12, 1927, was celebrate 1919-23: A veritable human dynamo, Rev. Norman Henderson, became the pastor. He proposed that an associate membership be established – people who had not been immersed. He was absorbed in the building of the new church to be called University Baptist. He resigned in 1923 to go to California. 1918-19: Union with the First Congregational Church of SE Minneapolis was proposed but, Dr. Pope said "The State Convention would deprecate such a move" so, the matter was dropped. 1914-18: Dr. John Gow came as an interim pastor but, was asked to be the permanent pastor. The membership had joined together and the tension had eased. Edwin Dahlberg, a man who grew up in Olivet was ordained in September, 1914, and later became President of ABC/USA. 1912-14: Rev. C.E. Tingley came to a congregation grieving over losing their Rev. Wiltbank. so, he had an unhappy time and resigned after two years. 1906-12: Rev. Rutledge Wiltbank. The Minneapolis Journal said that Olivet Church is to be congratulated on its excellent choice of pastor. The church entered into its most prosperous years financially and numerically. an assistant pastor, Rev. Richardson, was hired for student work. the membership rose to 339 in 1909. The church greatly appreciated him and gave him a purse of $100 on his 3rd anniversary. The church tried to persuade him to stay but, he resigned in 1912 to go to Binghamton, N.Y. 1899-1906: Rev. F.H. Cooper and his wife were more than equal to the task of bringing harmony and peace to the church. A Mrs. Wilkins conducted a large class of University students – did so for 15 years. 1897-98: Rev. E.P. Smith – not a congenial year for him or the congregation. 1887-97: Next came Rev. W.P. McKee, but, he displeased some members of his congregation by not preaching "gospel sermons". so, he finally resigned and went to Chicago as principal of Shiner Academy. 1881-86: Rev. Marion Shutter. The church was thriving with a membership of 153 and a church school of 185 scholars and a new church building. But, in spite of successes, Rev. Shutter sent in a letter of resignation dated March 1, 1886. He stated that "I am no longer in sympathy with the Baptist denomination." He became the minister of the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis. 1876-80: Rev. Sewall Brown came and was to receive $1000 – if it could be raised. He stayed four years, so the congregation probably came through. 1873: Rev. Jarrell came and received the huge salary of $500 annually. 1870-73: Supply preachers filled the pulpit. Cabinet organ was bought for $112. The choir was made up of "good voices as to volume, but nothing more!" 1867: Rev. Drury, a former army chaplain, came to Minnesota for his health, but was persuaded to take the pastorate. The record says that, to him more than to anyone else, the Baptist Church of St. Anthony owes its very existence. A trip east to raise money produced $292.15. On January 23 a new church was dedicated, but he died 3 months later. 1861: Rev. Pease was there for only 9 months. He tacked a note on the church door saying he resigned. Who can blame him? There were only 6 members in the church. 1859: Rev. Hyde came and stayed two years. but, he was so distressed by having to have church in what he called "The Lord’s Barn" he left. 1852-58: There were no pastors in this period but, prominent lay people such as Mrs. Sarah Nash and Mrs. W.H. Lawrence kept things pulled together, but, were called "at times unduly officious." 1852: A Rev. Lyman Palmer of New York came to a miserable church building. It was on land owned by Franklin Steele. But, by 1854 things improved and there were 73 members. He resigned anyway. 1850: Rev. Brown was chosen pastor of the newly organized group of Baptists who called themselves The Baptist Church of St. Anthony. The job of being pastor, deacon and building committee proved to be too much for him so, in the fall of 1850 he returned East and became an Episcopalian Minister. ubc1920 building_current_sm building1850_sm ubc1920 1/8 OUR BUILDING Our present building includes a 250-seat sanctuary, a fine Dobson tracker pipe organ, a gym, and numerous offices and classrooms. Almost all rooms in the building are handicap accessible. 2003-2004: A successful Capital Campaign resulted in the addition of a 4-stop elevator which makes the building 90% handicap accessible, replaced windows and storms on most of the education portion of the building, extensive roof repairs, and electrical upgrades. 2001-2002: The heating system again was a problem. The boiler remained in good shape but the burner had to be replaced at a cost that made last years steam leak repair seem trivial. It is a more efficient system now. The fireplace chimneys have been critter-proofed and we can use the fireplaces. Projects in the works include replacing windows, repairing radiator valves and traps and enhancing the electrical system, and painting some interior spaces. A new sign has been put up on the lawn alerting passers-by to our church. 1999-2000: Some serious problems developed: steam leak in the wall in the downstairs bathroom. Fixing it meant removing the toilet and ripping out a long strip of the bathroom wall. Projects in the works include replacing windows, re-paving the driveway and parking lot, doing some interior painting and sealing off the chimneys. A new flagpole for banners has been installed and a new yard sign is up at the main entrance and one near the University Avenue entrance. The sign at the corner has been cleaned and painted. 1998-99: A contractor was invited to check out the needs of the building. He said "Fix it or lose it". A second opinion was needed. Windows need repairing ($36,800) and they were fixed, the heating system was renovated ($1800). Thank goodness for the Foundation money to come to our rescue. 1997: Gutters! Repair work on gutters and downspouts was completed but the west side needs major work, next year? Big expense items were replacing the air conditioner and snow blower and heating expenses went through the roof. Ancient boiler needs patches on its patches. 1996: The kitchen/office remodeling was completed thanks to Clyde Ciccarelli, Nadean Bishop, Dan Spencer and David Anderson - it was ready for all to use and enjoy. The congregation reluctantly put locks on the sanctuary doors. This because homeless people were sleeping under the portico and that was unsettling to us, fearing for the safety of our building and our tenants. 1994-95: The most visible achievements saw the completion of the library/lounge, including painting, new carpet and light fixtures. Ken Amelsberg handled the window painting and repair, painting the exterior doors, other wood trim and painting the ailing sign on the corner. The parlor was made more inviting by a new carpet. Much to the delight of the children, the playground was rejuvenated. 1991-94: Renewal for the 90’s, the renovation project of the physical plant of UBC, has largely been completed. The dedication was held June 10, 1991. The congregation, led by people in wheelchairs, processed up the new outside ramp into the sanctuary for a joyous service. Further improvements that have been made are: more energy-efficient exterior lighting, new hot water heaters in the toilets, removal of asbestos from the boiler, interior handrails, new equipment for the nursery and renovation of the custodian’s apartment. Works in the planning stages include renovating the lounge kitchen and secretary’s office and repairing the window. Other improvements made possible by anonymous gifts totaling $30,000 are: redecorating and re-furnishing the Mary Shepardson lounge, updating the secretary’s office with a new computer and photocopier, and for the sanctuary: new sound amplification and recording systems, a beautiful set of handbells, new pew Bibles and wall banners and table runner. Income generated from renting space helps to keep this 67-year old building in good condition. Renters include Second Foundation School in the fellowship hall, the Institute for Education and Advocacy in various rooms, Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund on the third floor, and for a short period the sanctuary to Counterpoint Productions for producing a musical, "When Children Sing." 1989-90: Renewal for the 90’s is the theme that was adopted in ’89 to include long range planning projects started by the Dream Task Force a few years ago. The architect’s plans were completed for handicap accessibility for the exterior and interior of the church. The sanctuary was remodeled with an improved appearance of the front of the church, new flooring and refinished pews (work optimistically to be done by volunteer labor). The outside concrete ramps and railings are all in place. New sod has been laid on the area near the ramps. The new steps leading up to the front door are a great improvement. 1980: The organ had continual problems mainly because the pipes were too close and a cold outside wall. Repairs were deemed to be too expensive and useless. So, a decision was reached to commission a new organ. Lynn Dobson was chosen as the builder. On October 11, 1981, it was dedicated with a concert by Martha Pittenger, our organist from 1976-1991. A series of dedicatory concerts followed into 1982. This tracker organ has proved a valuable asset to the church’s music program. 1975: The roof, always a problem, had major repair work done: the outside of the building was tuckpointed and the outside of the 251 windows painted, all to the tune of $26,000. 1966: At 1:30 am on the morning of January 13 a passerby saw smoke pouring out of the windows of the student lounge. The fire department quickly responded to his call and prevented the entire building from going up in flames. The damage was estimated at $60,000. Much of the building had to be repainted, including the sanctuary, as well as repair work to the student lounge area. The front of the sanctuary platform was rebuilt, carpeting was installed on it and in the aisles. The organ console was moved from the front choir loft to the main floor. Tuckpointing was done. 1961: Funds were provided by the Christian Higher Education Campaign for remodeling the student wing. The library, lounge and small kitchen were renovated. 1929: The sanctuary was the last section to be built. It was named the Pope Memorial Auditorium in honor of Dr. E.R. Pope, the Executive Secretary of the Baptist State Convention for 18 years. He was the driving force behind the building of the new church. It was dedicated June 5-12, 1927, with a series of celebrations including concerts on the organ built by the Reuter Organ Co., of Lawrence, Kansas. On April 20, 1929, the Board of Education of the Northern Baptist Convention got the deed – and still holds it. 1921: Olivet purchased a lot on the corner of 13th Ave. and University, the present location. November 6, 1920, a processional from Olivet preceded the laying of the cornerstone. They sang "Onward Christian Soldiers" as they marched down 13th Ave. Olivet was purchased by Perine’s Bookstore. The education wing was built first. The church’s name was changed to University Baptist, reflecting its relationship to University students. 1915: Because the church was committed to a ministry to the University students, a committee was appointed to study the possibility of building a new facility. The student ministry demanded larger and better facilities and also the Sunday School program was hampered by lack of adequate space. In 1918 the Home Mission Society conducted a financial campaign among Olivet members. Far more money in pledges was raised than was expected. 1881-85: A lot was purchased on the corner of 5th St. and 9th Ave. and a new church built there. This property was valued at $17,500. The debt was large and the church larger than needed. So, since the Methodists needed a larger church, a swap was made. Olivet moved to the Methodist Church on the corner of 13 Ave. and 4th St. The Methodists took over Olivet and its debt of $12,500 – everyone was satisfied. 1879: A meeting was called to discuss the subject of a new name for the church. St. Anthony Falls had been incorporated with Minneapolis; hence the Baptist church on the west side of the river was really the First Baptist Church of Minneapolis, although it had not been founded until after the church of St. Anthony. After a lengthy discussion centering around the names Alpha, Calvary and Olivet, the latter was selected. So, the first 30 years as the First Baptist Church of St. Anthony came to a close. 1873: The meeting house was moved to 5th St. and 4th Ave., a more central location. A baptistry was put in so that the river or a dammed up ravine didn’t have to be used anymore. Oyster suppers put on by the women helped raise the funds for this moving project. The property was valued at $5,000. 1867-70: Prof. Asa Drury, a chaplain in the Civil War, came as pastor. He threw himself into getting a new church built. He went on a fund raising trip to the East and collected $292.15 from churches in Chicago, Kentucky and Ohio. His expenses were $61.55. People locally worked to raise the amount to $300. So, a new church was built on the same site and dedicated January 23, 1870. But the records state that the great triumph was short-lived because Pastor Drury died in March and his funeral was the first service held in the new church. 1859: Pastors coming to this poor church stayed only for a short time. A Rev. Hyde, coming in May 1859, called it the "Lord’s Barn"! So, in 1860 th church rented a hall over a dry goods store on Main Street near 4th Ave. The old church was sold to a black congregation (probably Pilgrim Church) and moved to St. Paul. 1852: A chapel was built at the corner of 2nd St. and 4th Ave. Besides having no title to the land on which it stood, it had no floor and no plastered walls. Things did improve: a deed was secured for the lot on which the church stood, a floor was laid, a chimney erected, a stove bought and plaster was put on the walls. However, the church was primarily held together by a small group of lay people. Baptisms were held in the Mississippi river. 1850-52: After the church known as The Baptist Church of St. Anthony was organized in 1850, services were held in a schoolhouse on University Ave. between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.

Our Staff & Council We are all ministers. Ministry teams do most of the heavy lifting at UBC. To support them, we have the following council and staff: Church Council Pastor Rev. Doug Donley Treasurer Denise Roy Church life coordinators Margie Garmers & Betty Shaw President Jean Lubke Church Clerk John Medeiros Outreach coordinator Karole Graham UBC Staff Rev. Doug Donley UBC Pastor pastor@ubcmn.org Maura Dunst Marketing Manager marketing@ubcmn.org Trista McGovern Administrative Assistant info@ubcmn.org David Lesniaski Music Director music@ubcmn.org Patrick Mavity Property Manager property@ubcmn.org Allan Edwards Janitor

Rev. Doug Donley Announces retirement JANUARY 11, 2026 After 25 years of ministry at UBC, Doug Donley has announced his retirement. interim pastor reverend dr. cody j. sanders On behalf of the Search Committee, we are very pleased to announce that our Interim Pastor will be the Reverend Dr. Cody J. Sanders. As Rev. Sanders has a full-time position as the associate professor of congregational and community care and leadership at Luther Seminary, he will be working at UBC on a part-time basis, beginning June 1st. We will also be hiring a Student Pastoral Associate, who will work 12 hours per week. Rev. Sanders comes with many strong skills and talents to help us move forward and prepare for our next settled pastor. Prior to Luther, he served as pastor to UBC's sibling American Baptist congregation, Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was also American Baptist Chaplain to Harvard University and Advisor for LGBTQ+ Affairs in the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2024/2025, he served as interim pastor of The Table in Minneapolis during a pastoral transition. Cody has previously served on the board of UBC's partner organizations, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists and the BPFNA ~ Bautistas por la Paz, and was the founding co-convener of the Racial Justice & Multiculturalism Community in the Alliance of Baptists. He has published a number of books on congregational ministry, LGBTQ+ concerns, and spiritual care. Cody is originally from South Carolina and now lives in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul with his partner, also named Cody, and their very old dog, Suzie. dear members and friends of university baptist church: This past weekend, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the date of your selection of me as your pastor. After much prayerful discernment, I’m writing to let you know of my intention to retire from active ministry, effective May 31, 2026. As most of you know, my wife Kim retired four years ago. Since that time, I have had a major medical scare that you lovingly saw me through. While I feel relatively fine, it reinforced my belief that my time is precious. I want to travel and have adventures while my energy and health are intact. Deciding when to leave has been very hard. I love the people of UBC and the ministry that we have shared. There are initiatives that we’ve completed and some that are just getting underway. I have every confidence that UBC is and will continue to be a creative and courageous community rooted in justice and working for peace, as you have been for over 175 years. I’ve been honored and humbled to have played a small part in our ongoing story. I expect the coming months to be a time when we continue to celebrate this wonderful community. The council is working with our denominational leaders to secure interim leadership. As part of my covenant with you, I will abide by the American Baptist Minister’s Council Code of Ethics which states in part: “upon my resignation or retirement, I will discontinue my ministerial leadership roles with my former constituents and will not make ministerial contacts in the field of another ministerial leader without request and/or consent.” In practical matters, this means that I will cease to contact people that I know from UBC for up to two years, including social media. I won’t be available for weddings, funerals, dedications or baptisms. This is not intended to diminish the deep friendships that we have, but to enable the congregation to fully embrace new leadership. I’ll be your biggest cheerleader from afar. Again, I want to thank you for nurturing me and my family over these 25 years. I am immensely proud of the ministry we have shared. I look forward to continuing to connect with each of you in the coming months. Blessings and Peace, Doug Donley the calling of pastor douglas mcleish donley reflections from the search committee chair by paula moyer PART I: Never Say “Maybe” to a Nominating Committee September, 2000 “I don’t feel that I can make a move until we hear from Doug Donley.” These words, spoken by a member of our pastoral search committee, ended up changing the whole course of our quest. We were more than a year into the venture. But before we get to that point, some background is needed. April, 1999 All of us started off a bit reluctantly: some taking on yet another big deal in an already busy schedule, some (like me) wondering why anyone would think we were qualified for such a pursuit. One night in the early spring, I got a phone call from a member of the nominating committee (the name at the time for what we now call the Time and Talent Team). “Would you consider being on the pastoral search committee?” I put the phone to my ear while I propped myself up in bed. Pastor Nadean Bishop had just announced her retirement. Truth be told, I was thinking about my toothache. No, I mused to myself while trying to listen to the nominating committee member. I should definitely not be able to count my pulse from my tooth . “I’m sorry. I can’t make a decision tonight,” I begged off. “I’m getting a root canal in the morning.” She would not be deterred. “Well, how about I call you tomorrow night?” I had been on this same committee some years before. We, too, had to put together a pastoral search team when Lee Freeman announced his retirement. I knew the pressure. “Okay.” I knew it as soon as I said it. To a nominating committee member, anything other than a flat-out “no” comes down to “yes.” She had checked off a box, and now my fate was sealed. Soon our committee convened: Don Dresser, congregation president, was on there as “ex officio” – by the nature of his title. Others were Harriet Johnson, Howard Johnson, John Medeiros, Nancy Myers, and Denise Roy. We pondered the onerous task ahead of us: Hire an interim pastor, ponder pastoral candidates, and call someone. All in the midst of preparing for the church’s sesquicentennial (150th) celebration. Some members were even clamoring for a fast process, so that we could have a new pastor called and installed as part of these festivities. Some were wondering if we could afford a fulltime pastor. Others, speaking for the “Burnout Committee,” wanted a strong leader to take the helm. It seemed that we couldn’t make a move without disappointing someone. As if all that weren’t enough, we got word that serving on a pastoral search committee was itself a burnout experience. Five years from now, we were cautioned, half of us would no longer be members of UBC. We pondered that warning as if it were the Gospel. Our committee had an initial meeting with our denominational support: Diane Ehr, our area minister representing churches in the Twin Cities, and Gary Grogan, our regional minister (our region consisted of Iowa and Minnesota at the time). Diane lived in town, and Gary drove up from the headquarters in Des Moines. He was on the verge of retirement, but wanted to protect “welcoming and affirming” congregations like ours from those who thought we were the anti-Christ. Diane and Gary presented us with the materials we needed from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, which is kind of like Vatican City to American Baptists. It was like personal ads, except no one was expressing any interest in walks on the beach and wine before a fire. These were the files of ordained ABC ministers who had indicated that they were in the job market – what their strengths were, and what they were looking for. Our denominational support ministers helped us to understand that congregational survey findings were only one way to understand the needs of our people. We needed to consider the survey results in the context of what we knew. For example, responses may indicate a desire for a pastor who delegates, but those responses are coming from a church with a “burnout committee.” We were also cautioned against the pressure to find and install a new pastor quickly. We needed to decide whether we should do our search process quickly or do it right, and that we may not be able to do both. A particular concern was the idea of calling the new pastor right in time for the sesquicentennial. This may be difficult for the new pastor, who would be just getting to know the congregation, and have to listen to everyone talking about how great all the pastors were in the past. Truth be told, that guidance was a relief. We could take our collective feet off the accelerator. All we had to do was sift through the files, let Diane know if we needed more prospects, rank them, interview them, and present a candidate. All… Once we got to the point of presenting a candidate, we were advised to only offer one. Proposing more than one in the spirit of democracy would confuse and divide the congregation. Some of our members, like Howard, had extensive human resources experience. We were quickly seeing, though, that calling a pastor was not a hiring task. We were looking for the person who would be present with us in our collective and individual celebrations and griefs: someone who would dedicate our infants, marry us and our grown children, and walk in the dark with us when we said goodbye to loved ones, either by death or by divorce. “We need to be working hand in hand with the Holy Spirit,” someone said. Howard commented that we needed to pray every time we met, and to ask the congregation to pray for us, too. He may have had the secular experience, but he quickly discerned the difference. Nancy and Harriet had the history of being “PK’s” or “preacher’s kids.” They knew better than any among us the pressures that a pastor’s family faces and the support we would need to provide. At the time, I was working as a freelance journalist. I was remarkably unqualified to serve on any committee that had something to do with interviewing and hiring. Yet when no one stepped up to be chair, I said, “I will do it if you understand that I’ve never done this before and that I will do it imperfectly.” That was good enough for my committee members. Now there was no going back. I vowed to do everything to avoid burning ourselves out. Soon after this meeting, Denise announced that during her sabbatical, which started in the fall, she would be spending the first semester in Indonesia, primarily in Java, with frequent jaunts to Bali. We needed to figure out how to keep in touch. Fortunately, our “new” technology – email! – would both keep us from burning out from excessive meetings and keep Denise current. PART II: The Candidate and “Heather” September, 2000 FAST FORWARD to that moment of truth I mentioned earlier. There we sat in Harriet’s living room, feeling that we were at a standstill. We had sifted through each prospect’s résumé. We had poured over the materials sent by those on the short list. We felt stalled out. We had heard back from all of the prospects we had contacted. Except one. Where was that preacher from San Francisco in all this? “I don’t feel that I can make a move until we hear from Doug Donley.” Those were Harriet’s game-changing words. “Neither can I,” said Nancy. This pastor of a small rebel church in San Francisco sounded interesting but had fallen off the grid. Maybe the prospect of a Minnesota winter was scaring him off? We had to find out for sure, so the committee asked me to call him. I figured the best time to do this was on a Sunday afternoon. And he was home! “Oh, I’m so glad you called.” This would be my first conversation with Doug, and he sounded a little sheepish. “My computer was infected by the Melissa Virus [the computer virus making its rounds back then].” Next he asked me to disregard the background noise of what sounded like a crime in progress. “My wife is out of town and I’m home with our daughters.” The sounds were refreshing. We had had two pastors in a row retire from the pulpit and one retiree filling in as interim. A young pastor with little kids? The idea was appealing. Doug then committed to sending the materials we were asking for. I don’t remember what they were, but we liked them enough to invite him up for a next step: an interview and preaching at a “neutral pulpit.” We also arranged for Denise, our Indonesia correspondent, to have phone time with Doug. John Medeiros navigated the logistics of a conference call across hemispheres during a trip to Washington, DC. The trick was to find a time when all three parties were awake. (I mean physically “awake.” The term “woke” for “progressive” was not yet in use.) Denise was many hours ahead and across the International Dateline, while Doug was two hours behind us in San Francisco. John was on Eastern time in DC. The call went well – it lasted over two hours. Denise supported our “next step.” Diane Ehr would arrange for another church to allow our prospect to serve as a guest preacher, and we would come to that church to hear him preach and to visit more afterward. November, 2000 ON THE SATURDAY MORNING of our interview weekend, I picked up Doug and his wife Kim at a house in Vadnais Heights. It turned out that Doug’s brother lived in town, so a calling to the Twin Cities was seen as a plus to this pastor from California. We met at Nancy Myers’s home for bagels, coffee, and a time for us all to get to know each other. All was laughter and smiles. In a secular hiring process, the spouse would not be part of the interview. And we were quite clear that “pastor’s wife” was not a job at our church. But there were good reasons to have the spouse along. This was a 24/7 job. Did this prospect’s family life have sufficient “shock absorbers” to deal with weekend/dead-of-night pastoral care? They would both have to love us to put up with that. There was another reason. “Watch how this preacher treats his wife.” This sage advice came from Phyllis, the wife of the pastor I had had in high school. She spoke plain Oklahoma sense. “Is he ugly to his wife? That’s a problem, because that’s the person he should be the nicest to of all.” I didn’t know what I expected to see in this short weekend, but I saw no “ugliness.” We learned that they met because Kim, five years older, had been the babysitter for Doug and his three siblings after her older sister quit. Of course, they reconnected again years later as adults, but the origin story was priceless. After lunch, Kim left with her in-laws. The afternoon was time to drill down. Would Doug be able to stand us? Compatibility with our music program was an easy yes. Doug had minored in music in college and continued his interests; Kim was a music therapist and a classical composer. They would anticipate joining the choir, and maybe the handbell choir, too. Our congregation’s “welcoming and affirming” stance was Doug’s own. We found out that he had had to go through three ordination councils before getting approval. The first two refused him because he was asked if he considered homosexuality a sin, and each time he said no. And then we drilled even farther down. “How are you at conflict, Doug?” I was thinking of a few cantankerous souls among our congregation that had given Pastor Nadean no small amount of grief. The poor guy’s eyes bugged out, as if I had invited him to walk on live coals. “That’s not a thing I enjoy.” He said something like that. I remember the look more than the actual words. Then he discussed general Biblical principles: discourage gossip and “tattling” to the pastor, encourage direct resolution of the parties. There was nothing canned in that awkward but sincere response. We gave him a pass. I think someone said what I was thinking. “We wouldn’t want a pastor that likes conflict.” And then a laugh of relief. I found myself thinking that, in general, most people who felt called to parish ministry didn’t seek discord. We would meet again the next morning at the church donating the “neutral pulpit.” THE “NEUTRAL PULPIT,” we learned from Diane, had replaced the dreaded sight of a “pulpit committee” barging into a sanctuary in the middle of services. Total strangers, entering together but sitting separately, told a congregation that their pastor was looking for another job. Even so, she warned, the cat might start slipping out of the bag. The next morning, when we all drove up to the Church of the Neutral Pulpit, we were first struck by how much we coveted its parking lot. With Dinkytown parking at a premium, we were used to a vigorous quest for parking spots, but here we just drove up. Doug and Kim were there, along with Harriet Johnson. When the service started, I was seated by Doug and Kim. I remember that I sang alto and he sang tenor. And then came the opening prayer. “Dear Lord,” the pastor intoned, “Please be with Reverend Donley and University Baptist Church as they consider calling him to be their minster.” Well, so much for confidentiality, I thought. “And bless him and his wife Heather and give them travel mercies for their trip back to San Francisco.” Heather? I put a knuckle in my mouth to keep from giggling. The sermon came and went, and it was fine. That part is a bit of a blur. We were all aware that the host congregation had posters on its bulletin board that reflected a more conservative outlook, and Doug’s sermon was anything but that. Yet the congregants came up and shook his hand and wished him well. Our time with Doug and Kim ended with lunch at a nearby restaurant. The details of that meal escape me as well. I don’t know if it was pizza or sandwiches, or a regular restaurant with choices. And I don’t remember our goodbye. I do remember this: I was certain that I had found my pastor: not just someone who would deliver engaging sermons and be a good team player amongst all the players of our strong-willed congregants. I was also looking for that person I could trust to walk with me in the dark. When our committee reconvened, we who had been present were of one mind. We had found our pastoral candidate. Now there was another “next step”: find out what Denise was thinking. PART III: From Candidate to Pastor November, 2000 WE EMAILED DENISE and set up a time that we could talk to her, which was the following Saturday night. In this pre-Zoom world, it had not been possible to include her in the interview weekend. We needed to know what she was thinking. In between the two meetings, I squeezed in my first cataract surgery and a phone call to Doug the night before to let him know our plans. When I mentioned my upcoming surgery, he immediately asked the right question: “Do you want me to pray for you?” I said yes, and he did so right there over the phone. A few days later, our committee met at Howard Johnson’s house. In this time before cell phones had become the norm, Howard’s house was the one place with enough jacks and phones for us all to gather around. We arranged ourselves throughout the rooms in his house and called Denise. After we convened with a prayer, we talked about where we were at. When we were ready, I asked for a motion to present Doug as our pastoral candidate. Denise sent her “I move” statement across the Pacific Ocean and Great Plains to us in the Twin Cities. Someone seconded, and the vote was unanimous. Now we had a new next step: to invite Doug and Kim back to the Twin Cities, along with their girls, for a “candidate weekend.” After I called him later that night, we set the date for January 6, Epiphany Sunday. I announced our decision in “Joys and Concerns” at church the next day. Because no decision had been made and because Doug was still a pastor at another church, we asked the congregation to keep the information confidential – a big ask for a whole church, I know. The weekend would start with a dinner and huddle with the search committee. Over the next few days, Doug would meet as many of the other church committees and groups as possible. The weekend would culminate with his preaching and a business meeting held during forum after services. After the forum, the congregation would vote on the call. January, 2001 December flew by, and soon my husband and I were at the airport on the Thursday night before Candidate Weekend. In those days before 9/11 (actually just months before), we stood at the gate looking for this young family of four. The girls practically bounced out of the airplane. Two-year-old Becca insisted on pushing her own stroller through the concourse. We brought the family first to their hotel. Amanda ran immediately toward the nightstand and pulled out the Gideon Bible. “This is a great story!” she announced to Dan and me. Score one for teaching their children Biblical literacy! We then proceeded to dinner at John’s house. Dan watched the girls while our committee huddled with Doug and Kim. At dinner we learned that they were coping with a cosmetic drama concerning their four-year-old, Amanda. For complicated reasons, she had been in the middle of a do-it-herself haircut before she was caught. She had whacked off a hunk of hair center-front. Try as she might, Kim had not found a solution, nor had her hairdresser. We on the committee sympathized. The haircut was a glimpse into their lives, a family with boisterous young children. For the following two days, Doug’s schedule was packed pretty tightly, from earnest committees to the homes of elderly ladies serving tea. I was his ride for part of Saturday. I noticed that he had quickly adopted the Minnesota custom of taking his shoes off at the door. I SERVED AS THE WORSHIP LEADER the next day. As Doug and I perched ourselves up front for the prelude, our attention was drawn to the balcony, where the choir sat at that time in our church life. Just over the railing, a little blond head with a spiked hairdo peered down at the sanctuary. Amanda had found the “catbird seat,” and was taking it all in. Close at hand was Megan Dahlberg. (Megan is a renowned professor of early child development at the University of Minnesota, and also has a magic touch with young children.) She had volunteered to help with the Donley kids during the service. There are few things I remember about Doug’s sermon that day, except for this one thing. He talked about visiting his family home in Cleveland Heights, years after his parents’ divorce. As if he had shown us a photo, I can still see that backyard. It was a fragile picture, one with cracks. A broken swing set comes to mind, but I could be mistaken. With that picture, Doug showed us that he was fragile, too. When communion time came, there was some hesitation, some unattended logistics. Jan Curtis appeared, quietly and unobtrusively, and set things right. Next came forum, with questions upon questions. Although the focus was on Doug, the congregation also wanted to know something about Kim. They learned about her professional background, and Doug talked about her being his best friend, the first person he went to for advice. And now it was time for the business meeting, a discussion, and the time to vote on the call. Doug and Kim gathered up the girls. This California family went out into the cold and headed for the Pizza Hut across the street. Diane Ehr and her husband Alan joined them. Our church members peppered our committee with still more questions. Did he have enough experience? Could his family withstand the 24/7 life? Would he work well with our committees? “Look, he will be new to us, and we will be new to him,” Bill Allen said. “He will make mistakes, and so will we. At some point, we will have to trust a new pastor, whether it’s Doug or someone else.” Once all the questions on the table were answered, Don as president asked for a motion, which I had prepared. “I move that University Baptist Church call Reverend Doug Donley to be our pastor.” Someone quickly seconded the motion. Then there was a kerfuffle about how the vote should ensue. To make sure that no one felt pressured, we decided on a secret ballot. People were to vote the motion up with a “yes,” down with a “no,” or “abstain.” Two volunteers then collected and counted the ballots. The result was unanimous: 97 voted “yes.” No one voted “no,” and there were no abstentions. Without even putting on a coat on this January day in Minnesota, I trotted across the street to Pizza Hut, as fast as my high heels would allow. The Donleys were in the back with the Ehrs. “Doug, University Baptist Church, in a secret ballot, has unanimously called you to be our pastor,” I announced to him in as official a tone as I could. “Do you accept our call?” Without hesitation, Doug said, “Yes, I do.” We all then rushed back to the fellowship hall, where the voters were waiting. “Doug has accepted our call,” I announced. “This is our new pastor.” Everyone clapped, and he stepped into that role immediately. At Doug’s suggestion, we joined hands and sang the first verse of “Blessed Be the Tie.” Epilogue March, 2026 AND SO BEGAN OUR 25-year walk with Reverend Douglas McLeish Donley. Speaking for myself, he has married both of my sons and supported me after the deaths of my parents and during a divorce. He has prayed for me at every surgery I have had. I know he has seen many of us through these milestones and more: baby dedications, baptisms, and funerals. He has been with our church for events involving our congregation, our metropolitan area, our nation, and our world, most recently during the ICE Out protests. He has shepherded UBC while living his own life, too. The rambunctious preschoolers have grown into poised women with advanced degrees. The choir has sung several of Kim’s compositions, and she is often at the keyboards or other instruments. They both sing in the choir, and Doug is also in the handbell choir. He frequently bursts into song in the middle or at the end of a sermon, or both. The whole Donley family, in various roles, saw us through the early days of COVID with online services. Throughout it all, Pastor Doug has been steady at the helm – as the old hymn says, “in our joys and in our sorrows, days of toil and hours of ease.” We started out separately, as a congregation and a candidate presented by a committee. The transformation started quickly, as soon as Doug accepted our call. It continued through the years that followed. Using “the ties that bind,” God stitched us into a family. The Calling