Sabbatical Minister’s Letter 7/1/2025
Beloved Ones,
As Rev. Jason takes his vacation this month and then embarks on his sabbatical, I am delighted to have the opportunity to accompany you August - October 15 in a half time role as your sabbatical minister. I have been blessed to serve as sabbatical minister for the Unitarian Church of Evanston in 2022 and with the Unitarian Universalist Church, Rockford last church year. My other half-time position is as Director and Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry of IL, a role I have served in since January 2020. Before that, I served the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Myers, Florida, from 2008- 2019. Before then, I was in seminary at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Backing it up further, I was a young adult fresh out of college living in Chicago, wondering what in the world to do with my life. My mom told me to look up the local UU Church in the yellow pages and there it was: 656 W Barry. At the time I worked the front lines of women’s health care at Planned Parenthood at the LaSalle and Division Near North clinic and was active at my queer karate dojo Thousand Waves. 2U informed my life direction as I served as a young adult coordinator, youth advisor, small group ministry facilitator, etc. As I grew in my connections, my faith grew, along with opportunities to learn about anti-oppression, multiculturalism, and the joy of that work and its intersections in my work and karate communities. I love 2U deeply and cannot imagine the path of my life without this church. My cup runneth over with love and gratitude!
When my service begins with you, I will work to be as available as I can within the boundaries of time set forth through the half-time role. As Rev. Jason has reminded us both, it will be different than having a full-time parish minister. And because I have known 2U for a very long time, I know you have everything you need to keep this church thriving, and I see my role is supporting you in your ministries and sharing the ministry as best as we can.
I wish you a wonderful summer! Engage in the action of rest and replenishment, as the world needs all of us grounded in our best selves to be agents of love as we dance, rest, and love a new world into being!
