A longstanding Rockford minister is leaving his role after almost two decades. WNIJ’s Yvonne Boose spent a few moments with him as he reflected on his time at the church.
Rev. Matthew Johnson is the senior minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Rockford. He sat in his office, smiled, and cleared alerts on his smartwatch. A bookshelf served as a canvas behind his desk.
“I have read most of them, not all of them," he said. "Some were left for me by my predecessor."
And now he plans to leave most of them for the person who will take his place.
Johnson spent five years as a leader at High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before coming to Rockford in 2008. Johnson explained why he is leaving a position he has held for 17 years.
“I have spent the last few years informally coaching and consulting with colleagues,” he said, “and other leaders in other congregations and helping them figure out how to thrive and meet the moment that's in front of them. And I love that work and I’ve been feeling called to do that kind of work.”
This is what he will do in his new role with the Unitarian Universalist MidAmerica Region. Johnson will work with congregations throughout the Midwest.
Johnson said another reason he is leaving is that he’s accomplished everything that he and the church wanted to do as a shared ministry. Some of those things included creating theological maturity and diversity. The Unitarian Universalist church accepts all faiths.
“Including liberal Christianity," he said, "as well as Buddhism and atheism, paganism, to shape our religious lives. And I think the congregation is really invested in being theologically and spiritually mature and growing as people in a way that is really beautiful to see.”
He also said the church is now in a greater financial position compared to when he started.
Johnson said one of his proudest moments at the church was when they participated in the Pretrial Fairness Act. This law gets rid of money bail and helps those who are presumed innocent have a quicker release.
“Rockford Urban Ministries,” he explained, “who we work with very closely, said, ‘We need court watchers. We need people to come and take notes in the bond court and make sure they're following the new law.’ So, I put a call out to my folks here. We got all these retired librarians and social workers in the congregation, and they signed up for this job.”
Wendy Larson Bennett is the board president of the church. She wrote a column in the Rockford Register Star about Johnson’s departure. In that piece she writes that the church is not sending Johnson away; instead, they are sending him out.
Joyce Palmer is the assistant minister at the church. Palmer said during one service Johnson received a message that his 104-year-old grandmother had died. Palmer had to take over for him.
“I'd never read it before,” she said, “but I could so appreciate how well he writes, the format of the writing, the language of it. And just delivering that sermon cold taught me a lot about how to present a sermon, how to put it together, how to make it easy to deliver, and how to use it to inspire people.”
Palmer said some people say that ministers have one sermon that they tell in many different ways.
“And if that was true,” she added, “I would say, Matthew's passion is justice. And how can we create more justice in the world? By our daily actions, by our commitments, by the way we spend our money and our time, and so I think that is the gift of his ministry.”
Johnson took a three-month sabbatical every four years while in the position. He’s spent time in places like Israel, Palestine, Romania, and Spain. He said he did this to refresh his ideas and to restore his heart and soul. Johnson said he thinks everyone should take a moment to reflect.
“Step away from the day to day and think about their life and their place in the world and what they want to accomplish," he explained. "And whether we get a paid sabbatical or not, I hope folks will take advantage of that spiritual reflection in some way or another.”
Johnson said he’s not sure the direction the church will head once he leaves but he is looking forward to reading about it.
A departure celebration will take place on Aug. 22. Johnson’s final sermon as the church’s minister will take place at 10 a.m. Aug. 24. Johnson said the title of that service will be “Keep the Faith.”
Bret Lortie will serve as interim minister for the rest of this year and next.
