My Dear First Parishers,
I am writing to share with you my decision to retire as minister of First Parish of Chelmsford and from full-time ministry at the end of this church year, June 30, 2027. I imagine that this feels unexpected to some of you while others of you may have had an inkling. Please know that it was a very difficult decision, one I made after long and deep discernment.
As I shared in my 2023-2024 annual report, I have myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a neuro-immune condition that causes severe fatigue and other symptoms that do not get better with rest. I had lived with it for several years before I received this diagnosis. Since then, I have kept the Standing Committee, the Committee on Ministry and the Human Resources Committee informed, and they and our staff, especially Dolores, Cindy (before her retirement) and Erica, have helped me adapt my schedule to lessen its impact on my health and thus my ministry. I am deeply grateful for their support.
Then, last December when I got the flu, I found I was slow to recover. I am still not 100% back to where I was before I got sick. My doctor strongly urged me to cut back, but he and I both know that full-time parish ministry is a 24/7 job with an unpredictable schedule. After much conversation with my family, my doctor, and trusted colleagues, I decided that I would rather retire now while I am still able to serve full-time and wholeheartedly than risk future health issues knocking me back bit by bit or, worse, forcing me to leave unexpectedly.
Over the twenty-five years as your minister, I have treasured more and more your trust in me—with the individual stories of your lives and with the spiritual and religious leadership of the congregation. I am grateful for your care, generosity, and commitment toward one another, First Parish, and our Unitarian Universalist tradition. That I still find meaning and joy in my work and love it more every year I serve is a testament to your faithfulness and stewardship of our beloved community as well as to your wonderfulness as human beings!
I will miss being your minister so much, especially now. Finally fully back from COVID, we are welcoming an energizing influx of new members, building bridges within our congregation and out toward our larger community, and engaging in meaningful conversations about the stewardship and sustainability of First Parish as we discern how to live into our covenant in these troubled times. I am proud of all we have done together and confident in all you will do in the years to come. You are a remarkable community, and I deeply trust in your resilience, integrity, and generosity of spirit.
I am sharing my decision early in the church year because I would like us to have time to honor and celebrate our twenty-five years of shared ministry. While this will be the first ministerial transition in a while, our congregation has been through this process many times in its 371-year history. For the congregation does not belong to the minister. It belongs to the members who embody the beloved community in every generation. We are blessed with long-time members who have seen First Parish through past transitions, experienced leaders on the Standing Committee, and a competent and committed staff. Tom Coffey, Chair of the Standing Committee, and I are already in touch with the UUA’s Transitions Office team, who are ready to support us from ending my ministry well to helping you find your next minister.
I will share more about all this in my sermon this coming Sunday, October 25th. I hope to address questions and concerns you may have.
Being your minister has been, is, and always will be a grace-filled and humbling honor.
With deep love and gratitude,
Rev. Ellen Rowse Spero