Dear FUM Family,
As we enter this season of change, Friends United Meeting remains grateful for the ways God has been at work among us. In our final General Board meeting with Kelly Kellum as General Secretary, he offered these words of encouragement:
“Do not forget who we are as Friends United Meeting—a Christ-centered global community. We are a missional community that embraces the full range of Friends and are committed to life together that is rooted and anchored in the life and teachings of Jesus.”
In the several months leading up to Kelly’s departure, we recognized the importance of transferring the many different responsibilities of the General Secretary to members of our board who are able to provide continuity until we are ready to appoint a new General Secretary. We created a transition team: Sylvia Graves Beane (Iowa YM and Western YM), Shawn McConaughey (Western YM), Steve McDonald (Indiana YM), and Julie Rudd (New York YM). Together, these Friends are standing in the General Secretary’s role.
Shawn McConaughey will be functioning as Acting General Secretary. He will provide staff oversight, spending one day a week in the Richmond office. Julie Rudd, Clerk of Advancement, will provide increased oversight of fundraising and communications. Along with commitments from our board, we have recognized the need for additional work for professional support. We have been working with accountant Todd Fisher and Edge Accounting on an hourly basis to provide guidance. As part of our efforts to align our institutional finances and balance our fundraising efforts with budgetary needs, we have further contracted with Edge Accounting to provide Chief Financial Officer services.
When we examine our current transition, we see an opportunity to realign our priorities and structure with our mission. New policy and procedures are being implemented to better care for our staff and resources. We want FUM to be a healthy and robust organization for years to come. In our search for a new General Secretary, we hold the foundations of our heritage and values in one hand and the need for flexibility and growth in the other. You can find a job description and more information on our website. Scott Wagoner and the Search Committee are ready to receive applications at searchcommittee@fum.org.
As we work through this time of transition and change, we trust that God’s Spirit moves among us to provide wisdom and resources. We continue to plant seeds of grace and truth in love in our global ministries and programs. We believe we will see a rich harvest in time.
In faith and hope,
Sarah Lookabill
Presiding Clerk, Friends United Meeting
P.S. We want you to be informed! If you have questions, please contact us at info@fum.org or call the Richmond office at 765-962-7573.