A time of transition and farewell for Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout

Dear members and friends of First Universalist Church,

We are writing to you today with a mix of emotions as we accept the resignation of Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout as our Director of Worship Arts. Sunday, December 7th, 2025, will be his last day with us at First Universalist Church. Like him, we are feeling a mix of emotions: 

Gratitude for his faithful four years of service and the opportunity for our paths to join for a time, mingling and merging in ways that cannot help but make us all better across time. 

• Appreciation for Dr. Rideout’s self-awareness and spiritual practice that allows him to hear and follow the call of the spirit
• Tenderness for the depth of spiritual care he has offered our community in ritual and reflection
• Reverence for his artistry and musical talents in worship leadership
• Grief in losing his active partnership in the scholarship and practice of Unitarian Universalism
• Curiosity about what will happen next for Dr. Glen Thomas and for First Universalist in our individual and collective lives
• Faith in this body and each other to continue our commitment to live into our mission and vision as a congregation even as the people in leadership change
• Awareness of the learning and growth still ahead for each of us as individuals and as a congregation striving to practice Beloved Community. 

All of these emotions and so many more may be present for you, too, and for your friends and neighbors in the pews (and online) at church. We hope you can make room for yourselves and each other with tenderness and care, listening for the multiple emotions and truths that are present for each of us in this and every moment. Here, we strive to live into the spirit of yes and, of both and – not as a way to simply add our point to the conversation, but of slowing down to listen deeply to ourselves and each other – expecting difference, sitting with the stretching that comes with complexity, and caring for each other through our loving presence. 

As we prepare to say goodbye to Dr. Rideout, we want to express our deepest appreciation for his exceptional leadership, creativity, and dedication to our worship ministry. Under his direction, our congregation has found its voice in song, children, youth and families are active participants in an intergenerational community in the sanctuary, and our worship services have become even more intricately woven together in beauty and purpose. Dr. Rideout’s passion for worship and commitment to excellence have left an indelible mark on our church, and we are incredibly grateful for the gifts he has shared with us. The charge that remains for us, as individuals and as a congregation, is to take the learning from our time together and continue to grow into the people and the church that our faith calls us to be.   

We know that change can sometimes feel unsettling, but we want to assure the congregation that our worship life will continue to be vibrant and meaningful. The Worship Team, led by Rev. Jen Crow, is working closely with Dr. Rideout, and has already begun planning for a smooth transition. Our commitment to spirit-filled, high-quality worship and music with ever growing opportunities for lay leadership remains absolute. We look forward to spending this next season listening to you and the whole congregation to hear your hopes and needs in our Worship and Music ministries, and to making intentional decisions together about next steps in staffing and shared ministry and leadership. 

We encourage you to take time to thank Dr. Rideout personally for his service over the coming weeks. He will be with us in worship on two upcoming Sundays: November 23 and December 7. We will share in a goodbye ritual during the worship services on December 7.

As we move into the holiday season and beyond, we know you may be wondering how this change affects our upcoming worship services. Rev. Jen and the worship team along with musicians from the broader community, will lead and support these services. The team is already planning together to ensure that all of our worship services will continue to be the source of connection, care, inspiration, and spiritual depth we rely on.  

We trust that we are forever changed by our time together, and that change is the very heart of life. May we lean in to this change with gratitude, with grief, and with the faithful hope of all that we might continue to create together. Please keep Dr. Rideout and our church leadership in your hearts as we navigate this transition and begin to imagine our way forward.

In gratitude,

Rev. Jen Crow and Marc Gorelick

Senior Minister       Board President