My Ministry
At my heart, I am a Unitarian Universalist minister who feels called to ground my work for justice in the rich fabric of congregational life. I believe in a God of liberation and the transformative power of a good church potluck.
Children And Youth
I have served as a volunteer 4th and 5th grade children’s religious education teacher and youth group leader. And in my ministerial roles, I have worked closely with several religious education directors, so I understand children’s religious education to be a deeply collaborative endeavor and a cornerstone of congregational life. I enjoy working closely with paid staff, volunteers, families, and children to create programming that is integrated with broader church life, fun, and fulfilling for all involved. I believe children’s religious education programming should engage not only the mind, but the body and the spirit as children explore UU history, values and ethics, social justice, and their own beliefs and spiritual practices. It should be flexible and adaptable to meet the changing needs and schedules of our families. And it should extend outside of the Sunday morning classroom, including multi-generational worship and programming, as well as activities at other times of the week that are convenient for families. Some highlights of my work in children and youth ministry include developing youth leadership skills and congregational involvement by training youth group members to serve as ushers and greeters during Sunday services; planning a multi-generational labyrinth day to introduce spiritual practices in a family friendly way; mentoring and advising youth as they plan and lead an annual Sunday service; and helping to organize parent "covenant groups" that provide families a chance to connect with one another and discuss the monthly church themes.
Social Justice
I have been deeply committed to social justice from a very young age, volunteering for Planned Parenthood and getting involved in political campaigns in high school. I spent my career prior to ministry fighting for affordable, equitable, high quality health care for all and have experience with organizing, policy advocacy, and coalition building. My justice commitments are deeply informed by liberation theology, my own Unitarian Universalist values, and the wisdom and commitments of my colleagues from other faith traditions who are also called to the work of building beloved community. As a minister, I see my role in social justice as multi-varied. Most visibly, it involves serving as a public voice for justice—representing our denomination at rallies, marches, protests and coalition meetings. At the congregational level, it involves working with staff and lay leaders to shape our vision and justice priorities and determine how we can tangibly serve our neighbors and community. It is important to me that our work for justice is local, concrete, and proximate to those in our community who are most marginalized. I think there should be deep alignment between our social justice commitments and advocacy and the more traditional “direct service” work churches often engage in. I also see my role as empowering and equipping lay leaders with the tools and resources they need to do effective social justice work. But perhaps closest to my heart is the spiritual work of journeying alongside a congregation as they do the important moral discernment of figuring out how they are called to serve this world. It is a gift and honor to sit with congregants and provide tools and resources as they ask hard questions, continue learning, do the internal spiritual work of dismantling white supremacy, change their minds, and take risks that move us closer to love and liberation. I think the most important role I can play is to keep asking questions, keep introducing liberative theologies, and keep encouraging spiritual practices that help us examine our power, privilege, and callings.
Pastoral Care
This is the most sacred work I engage in as a minister and for me, is a main priority of congregational life. Our society provides many spaces where we can engage in justice and service work, hear beautiful music or interesting lectures, and meet new friends, but there are painfully few spaces in our modern society where we find companions who will journey with us through our most vulnerable and difficult moments. This is a holy task and a beautiful gift of our religious communities. My time working as a chaplain at an inpatient hospice taught me the value of deep listening, bearing witness to grief and pain, and simply being present. I believe that each of us has within us deep wisdom and resources to help us navigate life’s challenges and my role is to accompany people as they tap into that wisdom. My approach to pastoral care varies based on the situation, but I especially enjoy helping the folks I accompany find spiritual practices that will sustain them, working with folks to develop rituals to mark events and changes in their lives, and utilizing Quaker practices such as “clearness committees” that provide space for listening to our own inner voices. I also view pastoral care as shared work of the whole congregation. Some of the most meaningful and joyful experiences of my ministry have been working with lay pastoral care teams. I am experienced at training and equipping lay leaders with skills in deep listening, de-escalation, and confidentiality and love to see the way their own connection to the church and their faith deepens as they learn to care for one another.
Adult Spiritual Development
Adult religious education has a special place in my heart, as it is where I found my home as a lay leader when I was new to Unitarian Universalism. It remains one of my favorite areas of ministry and one in which I have rich experience. I’ve developed and taught adult classes about UU history, spiritual practices, theology, and even pop culture! Some of my favorites include UU Social Justice and Activism, 150 Years of Little Women, The Theology of TV’s Fleabag, and Wintering: Spiritual Practices to Help Us Embrace the Season. I also enjoy developing ongoing opportunities for building community and spiritual practices, such as organizing a monthly labyrinth at the church and developing curriculum for ongoing covenant groups. My vocational interest in pilgrimage trips also falls in this category and I’ve been privileged to co-lead congregational trips to Boston and Concord, along the Camino in Spain, and several long-distance hiking trails in Scotland. My approach to adult spiritual development as a minister centers on cultivating lay leadership and providing a place for congregants to share their talents and areas of wisdom. While I love teaching classes, I believe programming is more diverse, sustainable, and community-oriented when everyone is invited to contribute. I also believe in developing a diverse array of programming that is accessible to different learning styles and schedules.
Administration and Stewardship
Although often overshadowed by worship planning, pastoral care and religious education, strong administrative skills are an absolutely necessary part of successful and sustainable ministry. I come to congregational ministry with significant non-profit experience, where I managed staff, developed strategic plans, and evaluated project outcomes. I was responsible for tracking and managing multiple program budgets, including a $600,000 multi-year federal grant, regularly met with funders and donors, and applied for new grants and funding sources. I bring important skills in raising funds, balancing budgets, and finding creative solutions to stretch resources. These skills are transferable into a congregational context, with the important understanding that a congregation's administrative and financial strategies are also an expression of its values, theology, and polity. The church budget is not merely a financial document, but also a moral one that speaks to our commitments and priorities and reflects the congregation’s mission and vision. One of the strengths I bring to congregational ministry is my non-profit management and administrative experience, along with the commitments and moral vision to apply those skills in ways that align with our Unitarian Universalist values.
Ministry in Action
One of the projects I'm most proud of in my ministry is the launch of the 13 Salmon Shower Project at First Unitarian Portland—a day shelter providing access to respite, hygiene supplies and community for our unhoused neighbors.
We've recieved $85,000 in grant funding to launch and sustain the project, have served over 600 guests and have a team of dedicated volunteers who are forming meaningful relationships with our neighbors in downtown Portland. Our volunteers regularly comment on how their work with the project has deepened their faith as Unitarian Universalists. This project is an example of the kind of life changing ministry that can happen at that magical intersection where theology leads to action and that action informs and deepens theology.