Sermon: Welcome to The Interim, Rev. Micah C. Ma

First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn, September 15, 2024

Welcome to the interim! Now, what does that mean?

When you (and I mean you as a congregation, as a whole, not as an individual) have been in a twelve-year relationship with someone it makes sense, upon the dissolution of that relationship, to have a period of taking stock. To look back on that relationship and reflect on what worked and what didn’t work. To remember who you are without that person, and to figure out who you might want to partner up with in the future. Because you’re not going to find a clone of your previous partner, and besides, you’re a different person–or a different congregation–than you were twelve years ago. So you’re probably looking for someone different than you were twelve years ago.

So, that’s where I come in. I am an interim minister, and I’m sort of like a rebound relationship, a therapist, and a manic pixie dream girl all rolled up in one. I help to physically put some space between the last minister and the next one, so I make space that way, and also I hang around and ask questions. “So, why do we do it this way?” “Have we ever tried doing it a different way?” “What’s behind this curtain?” “What happens if I pull this lever?” “Why do we even have that lever?” Asking these questions helps us discern if we want to keep doing things the same way, or if we want to try something different.

I hold up a mirror to the congregation and reflect back what I experience and observe. Because you know, congregations are much like people, in that we often have a hard time describing ourselves. We can’t see ourselves the way others see us. That’s why a common piece of advice is to have your friends write the “About Me” section in your online dating profile. So that’s part of what I do, too. I hang around and bring up things like, “Wow, this congregation has a lot of age diversity. There are people of a lot of different ages here” and “Gosh, there sure are a lot of librarians in this congregation.” Those observations help us figure out who this congregation is, and whether or not that’s who we want to continue being in the future.

And I remind you of your highest aspirations. We’ll talk about your hopes and dreams for the future, and what all of this is about. What is the point of everything we do here? What is all this in service of? And all of this work, figuring out who you are and where you’re going, is toward the goal of figuring out who you want to partner with in reaching for those hopes and dreams. What is your vision, and who are you going to share that vision with? What qualities will you look for in your next minister?

And I understand that for many of you, this is probably the place you come to for a sense of comfort. This is the place where you come to sing, light candles, talk to your friends, and know that no matter what happens in your life, you will be supported by a community. You trust us to help raise your children, to hold your hand when you’re grieving, to journey alongside you while you struggle with the big questions, like who am I, why am I here, what is the point.

And now that’s all changing. Now there’s a new minister, and things are going to change. Will this remain the place you know and love?

All of those questions, all of those feelings, that grief about an ending, all of that is also part of the interim time. It’s okay to feel however you feel, and you don’t have to sweep it under the rug. There is space, and there will be space for your anxiety and grieving and anger. As my hero Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood used to say, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” 

You are not alone. There are so many people on this journey with you, and I’m only one of them.

So, a new thing is happening. New things bring up a lot of questions. What’s expected of me? Do I have to like what’s happening? How am I supposed to respond? What’s everyone else doing? And different people have different reactions to new things, too. Some people seek out new experiences, while others prefer to stick to established routines, and still others won’t seek out change but will “go with the flow” when it comes along. These are all perfectly normal and acceptable reactions to change, or even just proposed change.

But, again, we’re doing this together. We’re having experiences together, making space for everyone’s ideas, sharing of ourselves, learning from each other, taking on different perspectives. We’re learning together, growing together. And in the process, we transform: there is a Before, and then an After. And, at the end of the day, First U is going to be First U, even as we’re trying some new things. The congregation isn’t going anywhere.

So now that I’ve given you an idea of what to expect from the interim period, here’s a little bit about me, your rebound, your manic pixie dream girl, your temporary shepherd, who’s going to be accompanying you on this journey of self-discovery.

My name is Micah. I’m Chinese-American. I was born and raised in California to immigrant parents. I am an only child. Yes, I do speak Mandarin, very poorly. I am female-to-male transgender, and I started testosterone in 2022. I did NOT grow up churched; I grew up culturally Buddhist/Daoist/Confucian. I started attending the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, California in my 20s, and it changed my life. I got into interim ministry because I realized that it was a direct way of supporting my colleagues and my faith: by helping congregations realize the best version of themselves, and by giving my colleagues the gift of a congregation that’s really ready for change. I started my interim career in Cleveland, OH, where I studied interim ministry with a supervisor at a large suburban congregation. After that, I spent a couple years of the pandemic working at the VA hospital in Cleveland, specializing in Veterans with serious mental illness. After that, I decided to try out country life and was an interim minister for three years at a small congregation in eastern North Carolina. I’m very proud of the work we did together there, and at the end of it I felt ready for a new challenge, something different from the challenges of a small, rural congregation. Perhaps the challenges of a large, urban congregation? And here I am! That’s me, or a little bit about me, anyway. We’ll learn more about each other, as time goes by.

And I want to make two things very clear:

One: I am not staying. I am, as I said earlier, a temporary shepherd. I am here for a specific reason, and that is to help this congregation get ready for a new long-term settled minister. That new minister is not going to be me. And so I have placed my walking stick up here in the pulpit to remind us all that I am an itinerant minister. On my last day in this pulpit, I will take my stick and leave.

Two: I am here because I love you, I love Unitarian Universalism, and I want us all to succeed. There may be times where we’re frustrated with each other. There may be times where we don’t like each other very much. Nonetheless, I promise to continue loving you, and wanting the best for you, and rooting for you to succeed. At no point should that ever be in question.

As I wrap up, I want to give a shout-out to the first-time visitors and other newbies. Maybe this is your second or third time here, or maybe you JUST signed the membership book, and now you’re sitting here thinking, “Whoa, I didn’t sign up for all this!” DON’T PANIC. I think the interim period is actually a very exciting time in the life of a congregation, but I might be biased. But you, the newcomer, have a special role to play, during the interim period. You’re the person who isn’t attached to the way “things have always been done.” So please, as we try out new things, offer your opinion on how things are going. We all benefit from fresh perspectives and new voices. They only enrich us.