I’ll be honest. When our previous minister announced to the Board of Trustees that she was retiring, I was shocked and disappointed. Reverend Janis was the first person I encountered when I showed up over 10 years ago at the Gregory School looking for the meditation meeting. She was a practitioner then and obviously a leader in the congregation.

My negative reaction came from fear of what would happen to CSL Tucson and the pain of losing a caring, intelligent minister, whom I liked. Of course, I didn’t stay in fear and sense of lack. I calmed down, remembered I am at choice and accessed my faith. Ernest Holmes states, “We know that thought is constantly changing, forever taking on new ways of expression. It cannot possibly remain permanent. It has to change. Can we not, accordingly, change it to a better state instead of to a worse?” (Science Of Mind 216.3)

I have enjoyed and benefited from our visiting speakers in the last few months. Yet something has been missing. Last December I was attending a Christmas chorale with a friend and ran into Reverend Janis. It was a comfortable feeling to introduce Reverend Janis to my friend as “my minister.”

I lived part-time in Lake Havasu City for 5 years from 2014 -2018. I had become ‘Grammy’ and was blessed to experience the joy of spending time with my grandson. I attended CSL there regularly. There was no permanent minister and available classes were rare. The population of Lake Havasu City swells substantially in the winter months and declines in the hot summer. Visiting ministers from Las Vegas and the Phoenix area were Sunday speakers much of the time. One Sunday, Reverend Janis was the visiting minister, and I was thrilled to see her. From time to time, especially in the summer months, a local lay member would talk. This had mixed results. One Sunday a local was speaking and, in my judgment, his talk was self-centered rambling and offensive in a couple of comments. I spoke to two Board members to express my concern. A handful of people who attended regularly walked out early in the talk. Unfortunately, one of them wrote to the local newspaper’s Orchids and Onions column, complaining about the speaker and by connection the Center. Awkward.

A Position Description for CSL Tucson states, “The Senior Minister is the spiritual leader, ecclesiastical head, and administrative executive officer of the church. S/he is responsible for expressing the vision of the church through its ministry and through teaching and embodying the principles of Science of Mind as expressed by Ernest Holmes…” Specific responsibilities are described.

Your Board of Trustees and Minister Selection Committee strongly recommend that members vote on Sunday, December 17, to affirm Reverend Rhonda Tretsven as our new minister/spiritual leader. She has experience and qualifications too numerous to mention here. In interviews we found her to be sensitive to the needs of our community, capable of wise leadership of a congregation, authentic in presence, strong, yet charismatic. She is also a musician who sings, plays the guitar and other instruments.

I envision Reverend Rhonda as both coach and cheerleader for our community. I look forward to getting to know her and her getting to know us. There is potential for intimate connection, trust, and respect in our interactions. We all experience challenging life events and would benefit from the compassion Reverend Rhonda demonstrates. Her previous talks are available to watch online through links in our newsletter. I believe that Spirit delivered the perfect candidate for our new Minister. I encourage all members to vote in favor of this next adventure for our Center.

–Linda Bullock