Transitional Ministry
Welcome to All Souls Transition webpage!
In Fall 2024, members of the Transitions Team of the Board of Trustees interviewed and hired Rev. Kathleen Rolenz to serve as a Targeted Senior Minister from January 1 – June 30, 2025. Because most interim ministers contracts begin in the summer, All Souls needed an experienced minister to bridge the gap between Rev. Guengerich’s retirement and the minister who would be hired.
In May 2025, the Board of Trustees announced Rev. Elaine Peresluha as the Interim Senior Minister of All Souls, beginning August 1. The Interim Ministerial Search Committee fully vetted all of the UUA eligible candidates, including interviews, diligently checking references, and studying videos of their sermons. The Committee has recommended and the Board has approved Rev. Elaine Peresluha to serve as our Interim Minister. The Board of Trustees and Rev. Elaine have agreed upon a one-year contract with an option to continue for a second year which is the standard UUA practice.
This page is intended to provide the congregation with an overview of the process All Souls is following in this time of Transition. It is also provides a place to document the results of the hard work of reflection and discernment the congregation will undertake in this process.

The document that guides all ministers and congregations in transition is the Transitional Ministry Handbook. It describes the current options available to congregations regarding leadership.
Interim Ministry (pg. 27) generally are contracted for a year or two; two is considered advisable in most circumstances. The interim minister works on specific tasks to prepare the congregation for their search for a settled minister. The interim minister is not eligible to apply for the settled ministerial position.
Contract Ministry (pg. 58) is for a limited time with a potentially renewable contract. Any ministerial position that is not full time is considered a contract ministry. See pg. 58 for more details about contract ministry.
Developmental Ministry (pg. 47) Typically 4 – 7 years. This time period allows for both stability with the congregation, and a longer time frame to work on substantial issues identified by the board and congregation.
Settled Ministry. This process is guided by the UUA Settlement Handbook. It is a lengthy process, that involves the congregation selecting a Search Team; identifying its strengths and challenges as a congregation; completing a congregational record; and ultimately voting to call their next minister. The process from beginning to end generally takes 12 months.