Jim VanKirk
I’ve been at UUFR and a member since about 2007. I have sung in the choir for a couple of stints though no longer do. Similarly, I used to be part of the Saturday outdoor work crew. I was on the Program Council (I think that’s what it was called – a 3-person steering committee with Pat Clarke and Susan Silverio). I’ve served on a couple of generosity campaigns. I was one of the lay worship leaders during the John Saxon years. I Served on the Healthy Congregations Committee. I was on the Board of Directors as President Elect, President, and Past President. I am currently the President of the UUFR Foundation Board of Directors.
I spent the latter half of my career leading and co-leading large projects that involved many people from across the country. As such I gained a lot of experience working with and sometimes leading numerous diverse groups in various cooperative endeavors. I have extensive experience in managing grants panels and considerable experience in hiring. I was responsible for writing proposals to the USDA for large ($1 million and up) projects then ensuring that my organization delivered on those projects. After about 2011 I provided fiscal management of large national projects. I have a pretty good handle on managing large budgets and am fairly handy with communications and spreadsheets. I have a fair amount of experience speaking and writing.
I came to Raleigh from New York in 2004 essentially after my first marriage fell apart. An atheist for as long as I remember, I had spent a lot of time attending various Presbyterian churches first as a child then later because I wanted my own children be exposed to the Judeo/Christian culture in which we live. I came into UUFR looking for community and have found that but over the years have also found much more.
UUFR is probably the second most important aspect of my life, after family. A member for about 18 years, I’ve seen the importance of the lead minister to our Fellowship as we have stumbled in some previous decisions and succeeded (spectacularly, I think) in the most recent hiring of Reverend James. I am under no illusion that I am capable of discerning, by myself, who should be our next lead minister but I feel that I can and will add to the collective work and decision of the Search Committee. UUFR has done a lot for me, and I hope that if included on the committee I can return just a part of that value. I appreciate the opportunity to apply.
