05/02/2026
Rev. Dr. Ruth Shaver has accepted the calling as the new settled Area Conference Minister of the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ. Rev. Dr. Ruth will begin her ministry with the Southern New England Conference on August 1st, shortly before that time she will end her current ministry as Interim of the United Parish of Lunenburg. The following message is from Rev. Dr. Ruth.
To the wonderful people God has called together as The United Parish of Lunenburg:
I am constantly amazed—and often bewildered—that God regularly has "other plans" for my life than the ones I make. Being called as the Southeast Region Area Conference Minister (ACM) is one of those plans that both amazes and bewilders me, though in the end, it was an easy and obvious, "Yes, God! Here I am, send me!" The hardest part of interim ministry is leaving people I love to do what God calls me to do next and this time is no exception. I will miss you.
During my discernment period, which lasted over three weeks and nearly cost me the opportunity to apply, one of my colleagues said to me, "I'm going to quote someone very wise to you. 'Don't you think that, if God is calling you to do this new thing, that God is also preparing others to lead what you're being called to leave behind?'" After a moment's reflection, I said, "That is very wise and insightful." "It ought to be," she said. "You said to to me three years ago!" Is it flattering when people remember what you say? Yes. Is it weird when they quote you back to yourself? Absolutely! But my point to her in her discernment process is what I want to leave you with today: God is and has been working to bring your next pastor to you. I'm leaving you a bit sooner than I expected, but I trust that you are in God's hands and wonderful things are in store.
Thank you all for being UPL. You, like every congregation I've ever served, live in my heart and have shaped me for "What's next" in this beautiful vocation called ministry.
Peace,
--Pastor Ruth
