Almost exactly one year after Rev. Jan Hutslar first visited the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley (UUCUV) in Norwich, she was officially installed in a ritual ceremony at the house of worship on Sunday, May 19. Hutslar, who was raised in southern Indiana and is a graduate of Ball State University, has been preaching at UUCUV since last fall; she was called by the congregation as its newest settled minister when she first visited the Upper Valley in May 2018.
“The installation is a public proclamation of our commitment to journey together as a Unitarian Universalist congregation and minister, guided by our principles, our mission, and our vision,” Hutslar said. “We are choosing to be a community of justice and love when we see so much happening in the world that is unjust, divisive, and hateful. We need to choose to co-conspire together to create resilient communities of faith.”
This is Hutslar’s first settled ministry position. Previously, she served for 12 years as Director of Religious Education at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Canton, N.Y., and most recently as the Ministerial Intern at First Parish in Concord, Mass.
“Early in the ministerial search process, I fell in love with this congregation and knew this was where I wanted to be. Happily, the UUCUV search committee felt the same way about me,” said Hutslar. “On Sunday, the joy and hope of this community was palpable… we were infused with new energy for our journey together!”
Area clergymen and women, as well as those who knew Hutslar from previous positions and from her time as a student at the Starr King School for the Ministry, participated in the service, which included music, readings, and charges to both Hutslar and the congregation. There were about 150 attendees.
Rev. Dr. Nancy Jay Crumbine, who served as UUCUV’s first minister from 1989 to 2001, lit the chalice, the symbolic start of a Unitarian Universalist service.
“I dreamed of this day,” Crumbine said.
Rev. Patience Stoddard, Minister Emeritus and the settled minister at UUCUV from 2013 to 2018, also was on hand to deliver the invocation.
The sermon, “Spiritual Co-conspirators: For Such a Time as This,” was given by Rev. Dr. Shaun Whitehead, associate chaplain at St. Lawrence University.
“Remember the wise sage who says ‘we are the ones we’ve been waiting for,’” said Whitehead in her sermon. “The soul of this nation and the earth are on the line… The universe has need for you and your gifts of healing.”
An outdoors reception with hors d’oeuvres under tents followed the 90-minute ceremony.
For more information about the installation or UUCUV, visit www.uucuv.org. Services are held at 320 Route 5 South every Sunday at 10 a.m.