Unitarian Universalist Church Votes to Call New Minister

April 13th, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers (UUCFM) has voted to call Allison Farnum of Chicago as their next settled minister.

Ms. Farnum, who will receive her master of divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School in June, accepted the call. She will preach her first sermon as minister Sunday, Sept. 7.

She served as an intern minister at the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore in 2005-2006 and as summer minister at the Unitarian Church of Evanston, IL, in 2007. She presently serves as a contract minister at the Open Circle Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fond du Lac, WI.

Ms. Farnum has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Association since 2005 and received her preliminary Unitarian Universalist Association fellowship last September.

Before studying for the ministry, she was active in her home church, Second Unitarian Church of Chicago. She was a youth advisor serving the Young Unitarian Universalists and the adult representative for the Central Midwest District Youth Steering Committee.

Ms. Farnum received a liberal arts education at Northwestern University and studied the theater and acting.

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers is the only Fort Myers congregation which is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association representing more than 1,000 liberal religious congregations. UUCFM is a welcoming congregation.

Ms. Farnum spent the week of April 6 – 13 with the local congregation, preaching at worship services and attending meetings and social function. The church bylaws require a positive vote of at least 90 percent to call a minister; 98 percent of the members present voted to call Ms. Farnum as minister.

She and her husband, Andy Crossen, a computer software researcher and developer, plan to relocate to the Fort Myers area this summer.

Unitarian Universalists are guided not by a set creed or dogma but by a free and open quest for truth and meaning.

Unitarian Universalists support the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within their congregations and in society at large.

The church’s most recent settled minister, the Rev. Kenn Hurto, now serves as Florida District Representative of the Unitarian Universalist Association. The church currently is served by an interim minister, the Rev. Dr. Angeline E. Theisen.

The church is located at 13411 Shire Lane, Fort Myers (just off Daniels near I75). Its website is www.uucfm.org.

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