Central to my theology/worldview is abundance, care, accountability, and grace. There are Sources of Love all around us and within us. Some of those sources get revealed to us and some come from us… if we are open enough and have tools enough to receive and to be in relationship with those sources.

Divine energy and love can be called god and/or by many other names. Divine energy and love are ancestral and so, because my ancestors lived and died for the love of whoever they believed were coming after them, I get to exist. Divine energy and love help me get through my days and are a reminder to me that I’m not just responsible for myself, but my words and deeds have an impact on everything around me because this energy is connective tissue across time and space and between all of us. It’s all connected. We’re all connected. And so it matters that we care for ourselves and one another, seek to understand one another, are accountable in relationships, and extend grace to folks when needed.

All of this grounds me and my role as minister in a deeper understanding of the religious pluralism that is a cornerstone of Unitarian Universalism. Entering from many places/traditions and converging at the center in love is representative of that abundance, that care, that accountability, and that grace. And part of my work is to honor this, teach this, model this, respond with these ideals in mind, and return to love over and over and over again.

It’s pretty simple, really. I love Unitarian Universalism. The very idea of it sometimes brings me to tears. Witnessing love in action the way it shows up in Unitarian Universalist space gives me life and makes me want more of it and more people to share it with. Unitarian Universalism has carried me into a call that I am gratefully bound by and has prepared me to live a life that I can be proud of.

Through this call, I have become a better preacher, writer, co-worker, facilitator, and administrator. And because of this life, I am a better parent, partner, co-conspirator, and friend. I feel confident that many people in this world are hungry for the offering that is Unitarian Universalism, and so I have committed my skills, my heart, my mind, and my ministry to sharing Unitarian Universalism with the world. It is my sincerest hope that I can do that work with a congregation that believes in Unitarian Universalism as much as I do.

For me, living into my call to ministry requires active investment in my own care because I’m no good to anybody, not even my kid, if I don’t love and care for myself at least as much as I love and am committed to my work. So, I sing—for myself, for the church, and, for now, with the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus. I play the drums, a childhood dream that went unrealized until 2019, when I began taking lessons. I learn more and more, as I live this life, how to face my fears, and I struggle less and less under the weight of other people’s perceptions of me. I love to cook and am adventurous in the kitchen. I have an active prayer life, believe in the power and presence of ancestors, and am a practitioner of mindfulness. I don’t believe life can be lived fully without joy and rest, so I am committed, at every turn, to have both—and I do.

I think a Unitarian Universalism of the future, by way of its congregations and affiliated organizations, must remain multi-platform to reach people across generations, as well as for accessibility purposes. I believe the call of UUism has always been to be intentionally multi-faith and multi-religious, lest we become dogmatic in our secular-humanism. I believe greater openness around embodied spiritual work and worship is necessary, not just because of the cultural relevance of embodied practice, but because I don’t think any real work around dismantling white supremacy can happen without it.

I am hoping for long-term ministry where I can focus on the needs, hopes, and dreams of a local community, and an opportunity to settle into a congregation where I can serve Unitarian Universalism for at least the next ten years. I am 51 years old and am not interested in too many more moves before I retire. So, it is possible that a beautiful fit could be my last congregational ministry.

I would not think of a minimum commitment in terms of years, although I imagine that would be an answer congregations would expect. I think of a minimum commitment being at least as long as the shared ministry appears to be healthy, honest, caring, accountable, and sustainable.