Seventeen years ago, Rev. Dr. Matthew Johnson arrived in Rockford with a call to serve as the Senior Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockford. He came to us with a deep sense of purpose and a vision rooted in love, justice, and community.
For nearly two decades, Matthew has used his position of leadership to build bridges amongst faith leaders. He worked hard to bring greater equity to our local schools, courts, and government. He has been a truth-teller, a steady hand, a passionate advocate. He showed up — again and again — to bear public witness on behalf of those too often pushed to the margins. In his ministry, faith was never abstract. It lived in the streets of Rockford, in coalition meetings, in protest lines, and in partnerships like Alignment Rockford, Rockford Promise, and the Rockford Peace Center. It lived in the way he believed our church and our entire community could — and must — be a force for good.
Matthew’s new role is a testament not just to his calling, but to the collective work we’ve done here together. We are sending him out — not away — and we do so knowing his example continues to move us forward.
But this is what ministry does at its best — it shapes people, connects communities, and then keeps going, rippling outward in ever-widening circles.
We send him forth with love, gratitude, and the joyful spirit of a community forever changed by his presence.
