For many years, Jim Nelson has served as an esteemed minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF). His sermons are a source of inspiration, combining thoughtful questions with humor and reflection. Jim Nelson has offered his counsel and reassuring presence to church attendees, always striving to assist those in need. He has dedicated untold time and personal strength to benefit members of the community. Jim Nelson is a positive force in the UUCF community. Since he has been at the UUCF, the church has grown significantly and has a much younger face. We urge the UUCF board to proceed openly and democratically, with extreme care not to act in a way that would jeopardize the legal standing of the church, the rights of its members to be heard, or the right of Rev. Nelson and his family to due process. We must object to the surreptitious manner in which some 47 individuals in the congregation attempted to quietly effect a change in the ministerial leadership of the church, a change so basic, of such importance and with such far-reaching consequences that it must be a matter for the congregation at large to decide. We request a cooling-off period that provides sufficient time for open discussion, clear communication, and input from all in the church.