Commentary on Rev Russ Menk’s retirement from UUFSCC June 7, 2023

I love being a minister. I love being your minister.
I am leaving an all-encompassing endeavor that I love—and have loved for the last 10 years. I am leaving for none of the “typical” reasons. I am not moving, I am not taking a position in another church, and I (and my family) have no life-threatening illness.

I am leaving UUFSCC because I am being called to do something else.
What is this calling? I don’t know, but it is “toward” something that is nothing more than a whisper in a gale—a flicker in a floodlight—a whiff in a rose garden. I don’t know.
I call these “God nudges” which are hints from the Divine to pause and consider what you’re doing with your life. If you are like me, 99% of the time I ignore these holy nudges. But when we feel and follow them—the fullness of life is revealed. Revealed not in an epiphany, but in a slow unfolding including confusion and mystery and doubt. Such it was when I left my corporate career and was called to seminary in 2007. Such it is now.

Perhaps this is good timing for me and the Fellowship. All religious institutions are struggling between a yearning of what was (pre-COVID) and the unknown of what will be. When the past is no longer sustainable is the time for discernment and re-thinking what we are and what we want to become. Now is not the time to act but a time to ponder, think, discuss, and imagine—all of which you cannot do if you are busy.

I have no plans of what I’ll do after June 30th (my last day). I am hoping for some downtime, puttering, some travel, having discretionary thoughts (when I think about what I want to think about), and pursuing some things that interest me. I hope to become easily distracted and pause frequently. I hope to make occasions for my calling to manifest. I know it will become clear—but I don’t know when, where, what, or why. I hope to find out.

I have few regrets for everything that brought me to this phase because all events were necessary so that I can be at this place in my life. I didn’t realize the role of cumulation in formation at the time. Life is constructed of building blocks made of joys and sorrows—and our life is not whole unless we use all the blocks we’re given. Tomorrow has a great ability to explain the mysteries we feel today. Time has a way of softening our past trials and sorrows. It’s like God has given us forgetfulness as a blessing so that we don’t have to carry the hurts. We seem to be programmed to remember our joy, happiness, and love. And my time with you all has been filled with great joy, happiness, and love.

I believe the Fellowship is in a great position to build a sustainable church (financial, spiritual, communal, social justice) so that it will endure for another 160 years in Santa Cruz County. No one knows what that will look like, but I am confident that you all will find a path together. We are parting but we will always be together in spirit. Peace be with you all…………… Russ