GIVING AT UBC We welcome your financial support of University Baptist Church. As usual, you can drop it in the offering with a note on the check or envelope, send a check to the church, designate a gift directly from your bank (it's free), or use our online portal for giving on this page. ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS: · Pledge Giving · General Gifts for Ministry and Missions · Monthly Mission Giving · Fellowship Fund · Disaster and Refugee Relief If you want to earmark a donation, please indicate that with your payment in the online note field or check memo line. If mailing, send to University Baptist Church: 1219 University Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414. We thank you for your support. MaY & JUNE Special Offering Each month we lift up selected mission partners. Thank you for your contributions to support these worthy causes. The Outreach mission focus for May and June will be for organizations that help marginalized communities in the Twin Cities. In the past, we have supported CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations), Indian Food Shelf, Queer Space, and Clair Housing. Thank you for your donations which will help support the important work being done for these groups. If you have suggestions for other organizations, please email us at info@ubcmn.org . Thank you for your contributions to support these worthy causes! Donate Now Organizations we support include: American Baptist Churches Retired Ministers and Missionaries Offering American Baptist Churches United Mission American Baptist Churches World Missions American Baptist Churches One Great Hour of Sharing (Disaster Relief) American Baptist Churches America for Christ Offering AMOS (A Ministry of Sharing Health and Hope) in Nicaragua Church World Service Family Equality Council Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches Division of Indian Work Joint Religious Legislative Coalition Loaves and Fishes, Too (Meal Program) Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee Services Minnesota Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice PFLAG (parents, friends, family and allies of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual persons) Project Minnesota/León Second Baptist Church of León,Nicaragua Second Baptist Church School of León, Nicaragua, Godparent Program Simpson Shelter Southeast Miinneapolis Meals on Wheels Southeast Seniors (A Living at Home Block Nurse Program) Tubman Center UBC Fellowship Fund (Emergency Assistance) WAMM (Women Against Military Madness) If you have suggestions for other organizations, please email us at info@ubcmn.org .

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

This Week at UBC Updated every Monday april 27, 2026 "Freedom is merely privilege extended unless enjoyed by one and all." — Billy Bragg Hello Friends: It’s May Day this week. It’s a favorite day for the Morris Dancing Community who meet at a local park at dawn to welcome spring to the community. Internationally, it’s Labor Day—when we remember the struggle for workers’ rights. The Minneapolis May Day parade will happen on Sunday. There will be a general strike on May 1st where our friends in the Labor community are calling for no work and no spending in order to raise awareness about the ongoing struggle for the dignity of those who make our country run. How are we doing with advocating for workers? How might the things we have learned this year influence us? My sermon on Sunday is entitled “MayDay.” The Lectionary gives us the story of the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54-8:1) as the text for Sunday. How might Stephen’s witness in the midst of persecution foreshadow or inspire the movement for workers’ rights? Gayla Marty will be the worship leader, we’ll celebrate communion (my last one among you), and the UBC Chorale will sing. Our handbell and vocal choirs performed two great concerts on the 19th and 26th, along with some of our friends from First Congregational Church and The Grove UMC in Woodbury. We had a packed house yesterday at the Grove Church. This is all in preparation for a handbell tour to Estonia next summer. Speaking of concerts, this Saturday, Border CrosSing will perform at UBC at 11:30am. You can learn more about the performance here. Later on that evening, Kim and I will be singing in a concert with the Sound Mind Project at First Lutheran Church in Columbia Heights. Proceeds from the concert will support CLUES which provides mental and physical help to our immigrant neighbors. Here’s more about that concert . The title of the program, “Find Peace,” is an original composition by Kim Donley. We’ll be premiering it on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the ABCRGR will be holding their annual gathering in Rochester, NY. Our own John Medeiros will be presenting on churches responding to ICE presence. You can attend virtually (like I will be doing) by clicking here . If you have not done so yet, please complete your pledge of time, talent, and treasure for the upcoming year, which begins on July 1. The Council is working on a budget and slate of officers to present to the congregation at our June 7th annual meeting . I have been cleaning out the books in my office. For the next several weeks, these books will be on the pew between the Sanctuary and the Lounge. Please help yourself. If you want to make a small donation to the church, that’s fine but not necessary. These books have blessed me throughout my career and it’s time for them to have a new home. A new batch of books will come out every week or two through the end of May. 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 Sunday 10am - Worship service 11:15am or so - Refreshments 11:45am - Bible Study, Forum: Alliance of Baptists Conference with Denise Roy, Gayla Marty, and Doug Donley Pledge Packet 2026 Discernment Report 2025 Annual Report 2025

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

WORSHIP AT UBC 10am Worship Service - in person and live streamed below, followed by Joys & Concerns - in person and on Zoom Links to online access for Zoom are sent out in a weekly email. Contact us at info@ubcmn.org to be added to the email list. Extra parking on Sundays can be used in the LDS & Library lots. BULLETIN JOYS AND CONCERNS Zoom info: Meeting ID 852 9718 8979 password 339013. One tap mobile: +17193594580,,85297188979#,,,,*339013# US UBC - University Baptist Church Minneapo... Play Video Play Video University Baptist Church, MN - May 3, 2026 Play Video Play Video 01:46:46 Handbell Concert - April 19, 2026 Play Video Play Video 01:12:46 University Baptist Church, MN - April 19, 2026 Play Video Play Video 01:06:35 University Baptist Church, MN - April 12, 2026 Play Video Play Video 01:26:20 University Baptist Church, MN - Easter Sunday - April 5, 2026 Play Video Play Video 01:05:21 University Baptist Church, MN - Good Friday - April 3, 2026 Play Video Play Video University Baptist Church, MN - April 26, 2026 Play Video Play Video 43:11 University Baptist Church, MN - March 29, 2026 Worship Services Our 10 am Sunday worship services change from week to week and season to season. We are of the Free Church tradition which means that we do not follow creeds or set orders to aspects of our worship and governance. We have developed what we think works well for us. Our Sanctuary has movable pews so we might have the pews facing all one way, in a diamond or a square, depending upon the liturgical needs of the worship service. We value music that is well prepared and spirit-filled. During the academic year, we enjoy the weekly singing of the UBC Chorale and the monthly contribution of our handbell choirs. From time to time we have vocal or instrumental ensembles and soloists in our worship services. We are thrilled to have a pipe organ, two grand pianos, and a harpsichord in our sanctuary. Among our membership we have people who play cello, clarinet, French horn, guitar, hammer dulcimer, Native American flute, piano, trumpet, trombone, violin, and more.
 Child Care Our nursery is located in room 205 off the main hallway that links the sanctuary to the lounge. We have paid and trained nursery workers who are available during the worship services. Children from birth through second grade are invited! Our services usually have the following components: Prelude We like to have this part of the service serve as a transition from our outside world into the holy and intentional world of worship. Welcome Everyone is welcome to worship at UBC. No one is excluded. All people are valued and welcomed and affirmed as the children of God we are. Call to Worship There is always a worship leader in addition to the morning preacher. The Call to Worship is often a litany that the worship leader has written. This appears in the church bulletin. Hymns We use two hymnals. The UBC Inclusive Language Hymnal was originally compiled in 1983 and revised in 1986 by members of the congregation. At that time we were using the Pilgrim Hymnal and no other publishing house had published a decent inclusive language hymnal. This hymnal included familiar hymns with slight language changes, some new hymns, and even a couple of commissioned pieces. We usually refer to the UBC Inclusive Language Hymnal as the Blue Hymnal and the New Century as the Black Hymnal. There are usually three hymns each Sunday. We have a congregation that loves to sing in parts and sometimes a cappella. Sharing of the Peace We stand up and we greet our neighbors. This can take a while. We are an effusive bunch. Joys and Concerns of the Community A microphone gets passed around the Sanctuary and people share what is on their minds and hearts. We pray for each other and for our world. Scripture Reading In the pews, we have the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Many times, we will also use Eugene Peterson’s contemporary translation known as “The Message.” It is important to us to use inclusive language when referring to God and humanity. Without changing the meaning we will at times modify the translation’s language to make it more inclusive. We will also include a contemporary text with the understanding that God continues to speak through people. Sermon By and large our pastor Doug Donley is the main preacher. But the pulpit is not his domain nor is it controlled or owned by him. We enjoy hearing from members and friends of our congregation, especially if there is a fire in their bones that is itching to get out. The sermon is an opportunity to expound upon the topic of the day and to delve deeper into a text to uncover a new meaning. Benediction This is a sending forth and a brief summary and reminder of the call to serve. As our pastor says whenever he offers the benediction, “Sisters and brothers, the service now begins. Let the people say ‘Amen’.” Postlude The musical transition back to the world. We usually remain in our seats and intentionally listen to the music.

GROUPS & MEET UPS AT UBC Memoir Writing Group Write on your own and share work (if desired). Groups meets via Zoom every other Tuesday, 7 p.m. Anti-Racism Group Meets monthly to deepen our understanding of racism and how to address its lasting impact. We want to not just be aware of racism, but become actively anti-racist accomplices. Second Tuesday of the month at 7pm. Bells and Choir Rehearsals Wednesday evenings in the sanctuary or lounge. Choir 6pm, Bells 7:30pm Grace in Contemporary Literature by Women Book Group Self-explanatory! Meets second Saturdays at 1pm on Zoom. Caregiver Support Support group for those who are serving as caregivers. Share the joys and challenges with others in the same position. First Thursdays at 6:30pm. Bible Study First and third Saturdays at 9am on Zoom. New members are welcome! Journeys , a Bible Study for adults – Sundays at 11:30am in the library. Journeys is an opportunity to read, to explore your questions, and to share your thoughts about key passages of Scripture. Each week there is a new reading and a new lesson. Journeys is open to all. No preparation or long-term commitment is required. Feel free to attend regularly or only occasionally. Card Club This group meets monthly to learn card-making techniques, share ideas, and make beautiful greeting cards. Due to the limited space and the need to prepare materials, registration is needed for each month's session. UBC-FCC Evening Handcraft Group Every third Monday at 7pm. The group is made up of stitchers from UBC and First Congregational Church. UBC-FCC Daytime Handcraft Group First Wednesdays. Bring your knitting, crocheting, hand sewing or even mending and reapplying buttons! If you are interested and want to be on a distribution list, please let Marilyn Burns (from FCC) know at mbsnoobear@mac.com or contact us. Sacred Harp Singing Sundays (except the first), 4-6pm, and every Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm, at UBC in Room 303. No experience or talent necessary! Every Meal Second Fridays at 11am -1pm at Marcy Open School in SE Minneapolis. Volunteers are needed to deliver meal bags to student backpacks during the school day. Meals on Wheels Tuesday-Friday the first full week of the month. Meals are picked up around 11:15 am and the route in SE Minneapolis usually takes less than two hours. Contact us at info@ubcmn.org for more info or to be added to our weekly updates email list.

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OUR PASTOR I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you. This is a great space to write long text about your company and your services. You can use this space to go into a little more detail about your company. Talk about your team and what services you provide. Tell your visitors the story of how you came up with the idea for your business and what makes you different from your competitors. Make your company stand out and show your visitors who you are. At Wix we’re passionate about making templates that allow you to build fabulous websites and it’s all thanks to the support and feedback from users like you! Keep up to date with New Releases and what’s Coming Soon in Wixellaneous in Support. Feel free to tell us what you think and give us feedback in the Wix Forum. OUR CHURCH I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me and you can start adding your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you. This is a great space to write long text about your company and your services. You can use this space to go into a little more detail about your company. Talk about your team and what services you provide. Tell your visitors the story of how you came up with the idea for your business and what makes you different from your competitors. Make your company stand out and show your visitors who you are. At Wix we’re passionate about making templates that allow you to build fabulous websites and it’s all thanks to the support and feedback from users like you! Keep up to date with New Releases and what’s Coming Soon in Wixellaneous in Support. Feel free to tell us what you think and give us feedback in the Wix Forum. JOIN US Upcoming Worship learn more ONLINE GIVING learn more

join us to celebrate the 175th anniversary of our congregation established on july 13, 1850 at st. anthony falls 1850-2025: 175 years of ubc! Hello Friends: We would love to see you as we celebrate the 175th anniversary of University Baptist Church! If you can't attend in person, join us by livestream on Sunday mornings from 10-11am. We would also appreciate it if you write a memory of UBC and send it to us at marketing@ubcmn.org or to our mailing address. We look forward to seeing many of you in the coming months to share the joy of UBC's legacy and God's continuing revelation. Blessings and peace, Pastor Doug Donley and the 175th Anniversary Committee Chris Follett, Don Follett, Elwyn Alexander Fraser Jr., Harriet Johnson, Howard Johnson, Gayla Marty (chair), Betty Shaw, Sue Wester, Terri Wottrich ubc175 events SUNDAY, JULY 13, 2025 - FOUNDING DAY Reflections on 1850 with music of the time 10 am - Worship followed by an ice cream social on the lawn SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 - PICNIC Welcome back picnic after church 10 am - Worship followed by lunch on the lawn SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 - PICTURING THE PAST Illustrated presentation of our locations in St. Anthony/S.E. Minneapolis by architectural historian Kristin Anderson 11:30 am SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12 - BLOCK PARTY Arts and fun with our Dinkytown neighbors 12-6 pm SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 - ALL SAINTS Honoring loved ones and leaders who have joined our great cloud of witnesses 10 am - Worship followed by extended fellowship SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 - BUILDING TOUR Tour our 100-year-old building with historical preservation experts 11:30 am WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24 - CHRISTMAS EVE Lessons and carols with musical prelude 4:30 pm

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. 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