VOICES Archives - United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities

April 15, 2026

A Legacy of Generosity: President Marshall on Patricia Shield Ayres

A friend of mine for more than 40 years, Patricia Shield Ayres, is known for her integrity, kindness, leadership, and generosity. Born as an only child into a Texas family with interests in oil and cattle, she prevailed upon her father to allow her to attend Wellesley College in Boston. He wanted her to go to the University of Texas, but she promised she would study economics if he allowed her to go to her preferred school. Remarkably, she has maintained friendships with six of her classmates (now all in their 90s). They called themselves the “sizzling six.” Reflecting on that title, Pat said: “We didn’t sizzle then and certainly not now.” Though she decries the “sizzle” moniker, Pat has made an indelible impact in her community. She has been a leading voice in Texas for the support of children, a demonstration of her progressive Christian values. The Shield-Ayres Foundation, founded in 1977, is based on a 6,600-acre ranch, 5,300 acres of which her parents purchased in 1938, that lies just 22 miles from the heart of Austin. Through the foundation, now co-run by Pat’s children, Bob and Vera, the ranch hosts El Ranchito summer camp for urban children and youth. It is an opportunity for them to learn about the many forms of conservation the foundation practices, see what it’s like to be immersed in radically different environs, and experience the unique spiritual joy of what Pat calls the “tapestry of nature.” It is a generous way to use the family’s land. I came to know Pat when the two of us were involved in voicing our opposition to the hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention by fundamentalist forces. Her strong convictions about religious freedom and liberty of conscience led her to support movements that resisted the eroding of Baptist identity. Her unwavering support for the leadership of women in the Baptist ecology naturally drew us together. Pat has become a generous donor to United. A member of the Joshua Society—a group of friends and alums who have given cumulative gifts of $50,000 or more—she has invested in our mission with interest and joy. When I delivered the Joshua statuette to her a couple of years ago, she absolutely loved the celebratory image of the raised shofar and anticipated the walls that are tumbling down at United. This spring, we will welcome Pat into our Esther Society for donors who have given cumulative gifts of $100,000 or more. Her commitments to justice align with United’s clear call to construct a beloved community here and beyond the seminary. I am delighted at the depth and similitude of our beliefs, and having Pat’s stalwart support of this good seminary. For her abiding dedication to eco-justice and conservation, her philanthropic generosity, and her unequivocal support for religious freedom and the rightful equality of women, I give heartfelt thanks.

April 9, 2026

Faith gratitude interreligious chaplaincy VOICES

Called beyond the Corporate World: Why Rev. Catherine Duncan (’10) Chose Chaplaincy

An ordained UCC minister, integrative spiritual consultant, author, and public speaker, Rev. Catherine Duncan found her calling through pivotal life-and-death struggles. Her cancer diagnosis around age 10, she recalls, “threw our family upside down.” It was a frightening and lonely experience; though she felt her parents’ love, they said little about her condition. “I felt like I was on a tightrope between life and death. And out of nowhere, I just started to pray.” Catherine adds, “Not long after, this profound feeling of peace, some presence, flooded my body. I knew I was going to live, and knew I wasn’t alone.” Looking back, Catherine notes that she found faith through that early trauma, but it didn’t instantly translate into a spiritual career. Instead, the youngest of six followed her father and siblings—many of whom were attorneys and executives—into a corporate career. After college, she found an “incredible job” with Time Magazine. It was a position Catherine loved, but she admits, “my heart was feeling restless.” A CHANGE OF HEART During a corporate trip in her mid-thirties, Catherine survived another near-death experience while whitewater rafting. A month after the harrowing episode, she began listening closely and asking herself, “Where is God calling me?” Her faith gave her the courage to walk away from her corporate career, much to everyone’s surprise. “My husband,” she confides, “was really supportive.” After more praying, journaling, and consulting work, Catherine’s girlfriend suggested she might want to study theology. The same friend mentioned a program at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. When she received the material about St. Catherine’s theology and spiritual direction programs, Catherine recalls, “My body started physically shaking…I knew this was the right path.” At St. Catherine’s, she earned a Master’s in Theology and became certified as a spiritual director. Catherine then worked with City House co-founders Tim Allen and alum Rev. Jim Dodge† (’79) to support people on the margins. “I was doing in-depth spiritual direction with the unhoused and in homeless shelters,” Catherine explains, “and I loved it.” LEANING INTO THE NEXT CHAPTER In the early 2000s, another significant life event opened the doors to the next chapter of Catherine’s life. Her mother-in-law was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, and Catherine was invited to accompany her through the final days. “She had this glow about her,” Catherine shares, “as she surrendered and let go. It was so beautiful. It was life-changing to witness someone so fully.” Catherine’s proclivity to work with people one-on-one, her burgeoning interest in chaplaincy, and a desire to become ordained in the UCC made her seek out a seminary. This time, she chose United. Catherine credits Rev. Dr. Clyde Steckel,† Professor Emeritus of Theology (1970–1995), for creating a customized degree program that didn’t negate her previous master’s degree. Steckel also supported Catherine through her ordination. “You can see how important Clyde was on my path,” she observes. She remembers other professors with gratitude as well. Dean Richard Weis† and Rev. Dr. Jann Cather Weaver (Associate Professor Emerita of Worship and Theology and the Arts), she notes, were exemplars of faith, grace, and empowerment. Dr. Sharon Tan’s ethics course coincidentally enabled Catherine to serve more effectively as the ethics lead for Hennepin County Medical Center during her time at United. United, Catherine asserts, “brought all of my education together in affirming I’m on the right path, and deepened my understanding of the United Church of Christ and my next steps.” She continues, “I can’t think of anything but positive things to say about every class, professor, and my experience. I just felt supported.” Fundamentally, she also believes that United’s emphasis on openness, inclusivity, CPE, and ecumenical understanding is key to effective chaplaincy. Now, as the author of Everyday Awakening: Five Practices for Living Fully, Feeling Deeply, and Coming into Your Heart and Soul (2023), Catherine is using what she’s learned to support others. She has been interviewed on television and in print, hosts a podcast, and offers her valuable integrative spiritual consulting services. It’s a calling she accepts with gratitude. ______________ † Deceased

March 19, 2026

Black Church Black Liberation Theology Public Theology VOICES

Living into the Promise of the Sims Scholars Initiative

“The Sims Scholars Initiative,” recently asserted Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green II (associate professor of Pastoral Theology and Social Transformation and director for Racial Intelligence Systems), “has surpassed my expectations, and expanded my hopes for what this program can become.” Launched in February 2024 and made possible through a generous donation from former trustee Dr. Frank Sims and his wife, Robyn, it is designed to address racial inequities in society and to educate and prepare leaders who wish to constructively engage issues confronting Black spiritual communities. Gary oversees the Initiative. SIMS SCHOLARS WEIGH IN Elwyn Young, a scholar in the cohort that started in 2024, describes the Initiative as a “rare and precious opportunity.” Though she began the program apprehensively, Elwyn’s experiences in classes and with her professors have transformed her perspective and outlook. Dr. Demian Wheeler’s “Invitation to Theology: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” course and her classmates, Elwyn attests, created “the best start that I could have been exposed to coming into seminary.” She is equally excited about the other professors and courses she encountered. It is not just the kindness and support, Elwyn explains, each of her five professors has imparted “a feeling that they desire us all to succeed.” Naryn Carter, another 2024 cohort member, notes that “mentorship [in the Initiative] is genuinely multi-layered—peer mentorship within the cohort, guidance from faculty and staff, and wisdom from [alums] and doctoral students.” “I’ve been grateful,” she continues, “to connect with and learn alongside some amazing people— relationships I truly don’t think I would have formed without the program.” Akwése Nkemontoh, a member of the second cohort, was drawn to the Sims Scholars Initiative due to the mentorship aspect as well as other key features. “I had been searching for a space,” she recounts, “where I could be mentored and truly challenged to think more deeply, where I could show up as all of myself and engage the intersections that I’m most curious about,…and where I could always come back to my faith and connection with God as the one leading it all.” DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION ADDS VALUE As a second cohort member, Akwése can also take advantage of the new distance learning feature (first-year scholars were local to the Twin Cities). “I’m grateful that the Sims Scholars program opened up to distance learners,” she opines, “…because it makes this kind of transformative educational experience so much more accessible, making its reach and impact greater. It has already done so much to affirm where I’m at right now and where I’m hoping to go.” “After only one semester,” Akwése adds, “I can say this program truly has been a gift and has helped me to honor and author my own voice in ways that feel different from academic spaces in the past.” She expounds, “At its heart, this program is designed to engage multiple forms of intelligence and to create ‘play space’ to bring out our most imaginative, co-creative selves.… The fact that I’m surrounded by other Black leaders is also amazing and rare, especially in academia. And the fact that all these other leaders…are passionate about the intersection of faith and social transformation is just wow.” HOPE FOR THE FUTURE When she looks into the future, Naryn is thrilled by the ways in which the Sims Scholars Initiative provides “tools to widen the aperture of our souls and to do deeper, more impactful work in our communities and the world.” In addition, she posits, “We are being compassionately equipped to lead in ways that many previous and even current leaders have not [been]. I’m excited not only about the knowledge I’m gaining, but about the embodied excellence of how this learning is happening.” As Akwése phrases it, “We’re here to grow, to be challenged and to challenge, to be held and to hold. We’re here to develop our voices as the powerful healers, lightbearers, and agents of change we are.” For his part, Gary concludes, “Our shared learning experience was deeply transformative and clarifying for the kind of beacon United can become for Black religious scholarship. I am excited to see how things continue to develop!” This article is featured in the Winter 2026 Issue of VOICES. Read this issue and our other publications here. >

November 26, 2025

VOICES

Jonathan Morgan (’00), Wilson Yates, & the Legacy of a Friendship

There are few, if any, alums in United’s 63 years that can claim to have occupied the office of the presidency before graduating. So it is with Jonathan Morgan (’00), whose connections to the seminary span decades and run the gamut from alum to donor, trustee, and interim President—though not in that order. The son and grandson of prominent Twin Cities attorneys, both of whom he greatly admired, Jonathan spent his early years in tension between two paths. “When I was in college, I was torn between going to law school and theological seminary.” Jonathan ultimately chose law school. An alum of Harvard University and Harvard Law School, Jonathan began his career as an attorney on solid footing. In an interview with Mendota Heights Living Magazine, Jonathan is cited as having followed his tenure at his father’s firm in the Twin Cities—Briggs and Morgan, P.A. (now Taft Law), where he met his wife, Martha—by working in the Minnesota Attorney General’s office. Still, the deeper he waded into legal work, the stronger the pull toward seminary became. Jonathan’s foray into theological education began in his role as a trustee. “It was in the 1970s, ” he recalls, “that Virginia Brooks on the United board was responsible for inviting me to serve on the board of directors, which I was very happy to do.” He began serving as a trustee in 1988, and in 1994, he stepped away from practicing law and answered the call to enroll at United. “One day,” Jonathan remembers from his time as a student, “President Ben Griffin called me into his office: ‘Would you be willing to serve as Interim President upon my departure?’” With the stipulation that it was indeed temporary, Jonathan graciously accepted and served as Interim President from 1995 to 1996. “I had that wonderful year in that capacity,” Jonathan reflects, “And of course, at that time, I got to know Wilson Yates very well.” In 1996, after Rev. Dr. Wilson Yates was named President, he asked Jonathan to serve as Vice President of Development. “I was very happy to do that,” Jonathan shares. He graduated from United in 2000 while also serving as Vice President.“ For the ensuing nine years, I served as Vice President of Development and Stewardship, and Wilson served as President.” Jonathan fondly recalls that the pair became quite close—“not only in our work for the seminary, but also as great friends.” As a team, they were highly effective, sharing meals with countless donors, successfully raising support for two capital campaigns, not only advancing the seminary’s mission, but also enjoying “the journey as friends who were able to be inspired to do what we did.” The closer they became, the more Jonathan’s esteem for Wilson grew. “I came to admire Wilson not only as a theologian, but as a scholar and a teacher.” Thus, when the announcement was made that a chair was to be endowed in Wilson’s name, it was—for Jonathan and Martha—an enthusiastic yes. Alongside other faithful friends and alums, the Morgans pledged money to help establish the Wilson Yates Chair in Theology and the Arts. They also wrote United into their will, ensuring that the legacy of their friendship and Wilson’s impact on Jonathan extends far into the future. Jonathan celebrates Wilson as a “pioneer” in the field of theology and the arts, and its application for churches and religious life. In Jonathan’s view, Wilson “stands as the founder and the foremost advocate and illuminator of the relationship between religion and the arts.” He contends, “That has been a blessing not only for the seminary, but for the wider religious community.” Jonathan’s commitment to United and support for this new Chair reflect his belief in the relevance of progressive theological education. “[United] and its graduates are in an excellent position to be a force for good in a nation which is struggling for renewed hope and direction.” It is Jonathan’s “hope and prayer that United will continue to reflect God’s summons that we may be a force for concern and love for those whom we are privileged to serve.” We give thanks for Jonathan and Martha’s enduring legacy of support for and involvement with theological education at United.

November 13, 2025

Activism Community Relationships UUA VOICES

Student Cas Burr Gains Inspiration from United’s Gifted Faculty & Relational Ethos

Cas Burr, who is just four classes away from graduating with an MDiv in UU Studies, traces his first spiritual nudge back to high school. “I was on my Unitarian Universalist church’s Boston pilgrimage, and I fell in love with the history and lineage of the religion and tradition,” he recalls. The ministers on the trip, notes Cas, “noticed a spark, and encouraged me to think about ministry and church work” as a possible vocation. After high school, Cas attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he majored in English and earned a teaching license. “I wasn’t set on ministry through college,” Cas admits, but I always had it in the back of my mind as a possibility.” Nonetheless, he spent a year after college in New York City earning an Advanced Certificate in Social Justice from Union Theological Seminary of New York. “I had a great year…and learned so much from my classmates and professors,” he says, “but I was ready to come back home and…learn in my home community.” When it came time to accept his call to seminary, Cas was grateful to find United in the Twin Cities. An alum of St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Cas calls St. Paul home and was glad to find an option nearby. While proximity is important, he was also impressed by the seminary’s ethos of building meaningful relationships. “United appealed to me because of how the faculty and staff communicated with me right from the start.… [I]t was clear that great relationships were at the forefront of United’s mission.” Professors and CPE Inspire Cas fervently believes that faith communities are uniquely positioned to effect “positive social change,” and was eager to expand his knowledge. United professors, without exception, he asserts, have not only been excellent teachers, but wonderful sources of connection and inspiration. “I have been blessed,” he observes, to take classes “from the amazing Unitarian Universalist professors at United, some of whom I have known for many years.” Deep scriptural study has been another blessing. “I can’t say enough about both my New Testament and Hebrew Bible courses,” Cas exclaims. “Immersing myself in scripture is something that I feel so lucky to have been able to do,” he adds, “and it allowed me to form some of my own thoughts about these ancient texts. I am forever grateful for that.” As he works toward becoming a fellowshipped UU minister, Cas has also gained transformational insight from a Social Justice Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), led by Rev. Dr. Laura Thelander and Rev. Dr. Sue Allers Hatlie (’85, ’04). “My clinical placement was at the Volunteers of America (VOA) High School in northeast Minneapolis,” he notes, “where I provided spiritual care to students and staff.” His learning cohort, however, met within Stillwater prison. Cas reveals, “I was in class with both free and incarcerated folks. It was a life-changing experience for me.” Flexibility Empowers and Funding Supports Though Cas lives in the area, he appreciates the opportunity to take classes on campus or from other locations. “The flexibility to attend class either in person or online has been great for me,” he attests. He also enjoys the ability to make community connections on campus and participate in chapel services. United scholarships offer great support, too. For Cas, his scholarship “has made achieving my dreams and calling much more accessible, and I am so thankful to United for all that they offer.” In fact, he declares, “it feels great to be at a place where the institution…financially support[s] so many of its students. What a beautiful thing.”

June 23, 2025

Alums Community Relationships VOICES

Mary Ann Murray (’76) Treasures the Relationships She Established at United

In 1969, when Mary Ann Murray (’76) enrolled at United, America was embroiled in the Vietnam War, and the seminary, which opposed the war, had spent its first seven years led by and attended by men. It was also a residential school, where faculty and students lived on campus and forged a collegial bond. Along with Rev. Marilyn Creel (’72), Mary Ann was one of the first two women to enroll in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program. Unlike their colleagues, neither lived on campus. Mary Ann was married, with young children, and Marilyn was not allowed to live on campus as a single woman. Considering Seminary Though Mary Ann was raised in the American Baptist denomination, she first learned of United at a community church where the pastor also served as an adjunct faculty member at the seminary. At the time, Mary Ann was teaching at the church and felt a strong call to study theology. In March of 1969, she met with Dean Louis Gunnemann† “to discuss my options for studying theology.” United offered a certificate in Christian education and the MDiv, so Mary Ann resolved to begin the degree in the fall. “I couldn’t wait to begin my seminary career,” she remembers telling her pastor, and she wanted to read every book in the library. He loaned Mary Ann his copy of Paul Tillich’s The Courage to Be, and said, “Theological education isn’t about reading books; it is about relationships.” United Highlights This spring marks the 50th anniversary of her graduation from United, and Mary Ann still remembers key elements of her experience. For example, she notes that faculty members did not have posted office hours. “A blessing I took for granted,” she reflects, “was the availability of faculty; I remember many robust conversations with professors over coffee in the refectory.” She also vividly remembers the first session in her Christian Ethics course. “We were asked to describe how we made an ethical decision. By the end of the term, we each had expanded that initial statement and honed our own ethics method.” In September of 1971, Mary Ann, Tracy Godfrey, and two students from Luther Northwestern Seminary entered the first unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at what was then Hennepin County General Hospital (now HCMC). At the hospital, Mary Ann was the first woman in the chaplain’s CPE units. Dean Gunnemann’s words at Spring Convocation 1972 created one of her most moving memories. “The relationships in our lives that are truly redeeming,” Dean Gunnemann advised, “are grounded in gratitude.” Enduring Relationships “My commitment and loyalty to United are grounded in gratitude for the relationships from my time at United, which have bridged the years and enriched my life.” Mary Ann is pleased to support United’s mission to provide transformative theological education to equip students to make a difference in the world through their unique ministries. She makes this possible as a generous donor who is a member of the Barnabas, Bossard-Ward, and Joshua Societies. “Theological education,” Mary Ann observes, “is a lens through which we see the world and how to respond to it.” For her devotion to relationships at United and for sharing her story, we are deeply grateful to observe this 50th anniversary of Mary Ann’s graduation _______________ † Deceased

June 9, 2025

Activism Community Relationships Distance Education VOICES

At United, Kateri Boucher Is Inspired to Chase Her Childhood Dreams

Kateri Boucher, who is pursuing an MDiv in Church Leadership, felt a call to ministry very early. “I was three when I told my mom I wanted to be a priest,” she recalls. She adds, “I would preach homilies and make [my mom] write them down.” Raised in Upstate New York, Kateri’s family attended a progressive Catholic church untethered from Roman Catholic strictures. Watching a woman priest serve communion sparked her pronouncement. Years later, after attending a liberal arts college, Kateri jumped at a chance to work on an “urban agriculture” project in Detroit. The community she found through the Catholic Worker and an Episcopal church rekindled her sense of calling, so she moved there. Now, at United, Kateri is making her dreams a reality. Searching for a Seminary About four years ago, Kateri began searching for a seminary. She researched a few schools, but realized she didn’t want to leave Detroit. She had just been hired at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and hoped to continue that work. Sarah Holst (’20) recommended United. The more she learned about United, the more it seemed like the best choice. “I wouldn’t have to sacrifice what I [wanted] to do an online program,” she remembers thinking, “and it would allow me to stay rooted in Detroit and…work at St. Peter’s.” Transformational Teachers During her first semester at United, Kateri took two classes with Rev. Dr. Andrew Packman, assistant professor of Theological Ethics and Formation. Class assignments and interactions, Kateri notes, really opened her mind to ways in which theology has evolved. “It is such a gift,” she declares, “to get to study with someone for whom teaching is so clearly a vocational call. I’ve rarely interacted with someone who has such a sharp mind and such a generous spirit.” Dr. Jennifer Maidrand—visiting assistant professor of Bible, Culture, and Interpretation, supported by the Louisville Institute—taught courses that Kateri took recently. A guest poet in the Hebrew Bible class was a “really cool” highlight. And, in the Bible and Palestine-Israel class, Kateri asserts that Dr. Maidraid “led us so gracefully through really challenging conversations throughout the semester [and] basically every…assignment for this class is something applicable to the real world.” Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, Kateri’s preaching professor, created another memorable experience. “His passion [for preaching],” she quips, “was palpable from miles away over a Zoom screen! He really brought it to life and held us in a beautiful way.” Through the class, Kateri notes that she learned strategies for telling “compelling stories.” She can use that at St. Peter’s, when she preaches each month. Distance Learning Because she wanted to balance her part-time work at St. Peter’s, service projects, and seminary, Kateri sincerely appreciates United’s distance learning program. “I remember telling people in my first semester that it’s clear that this school didn’t just start doing online classes during COVID;” they’ve had years “honing the art of hybrid classes.” She’s also made a lot of seminary friends. It’s so easy, Kateri shares, to message someone and say, “Hey, do you want to connect out of class?” The chat feature in Zoom also makes the in-class learning process more interactive. Formulating a Future Kateri describes another support from United, the Dayton Scholarship, as a “total blessing and game changer.” The funding, she reveals, “has enabled me to keep working … at St. Peter’s and participate in the church’s service outreach programs.” She’s hoping to add a second MA, made possible by the scholarship. As she looks ahead, Kateri knows changes will come. She’s started ordination and will leave St. Peter’s for a new call. In the United community, she sees “a real beauty, that we are scattered like seeds around the country and the world,” asking key questions. Still, she admits, “it was nourishing to come to United for Symposium Week; it “helped me to feel more rooted in the community.” In sum, Kateri exclaims, “I just love United so much! I’m so grateful it exists.”

May 5, 2025

Academics Faculty gratitude VOICES

Rossmann Faculty Development Award Launches in 2025

We are thrilled to share that Jack and Marty Rossmann have endowed a fund to support faculty development at United. Jack, a current United board member, is a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Macalester College, and Marty is a Professor Emerita of Family Education at the University of Minnesota. The Rossmanns, who prize education by word and deed, have already established faculty development and excellence awards at Macalester and the University of Minnesota. Now they have generously extended faculty support to United. As they explained recently, “Faculty excellence is crucial to the continued success of United Seminary. We hope that the Rossmann Faculty Development Award will play a role in helping to maintain that excellence.” Starting this year, United faculty members can apply for support twice each year. Applications are due either February 1 or October 1. If granted, awards will support activities such as attending professional meetings, offsetting publication-related expenses (including stipends for students who assist with publication tasks), and hiring consultants to assist with writing or teaching activities. “Jack and Marty Rossmann established this award,” noted President Molly T. Marshall, “because of their own academic careers and their love of supporting faculty development.” For their continuing service and generosity, Jack and Marty Rossmann have our deepest gratitude. We honor their lifelong commitment to education and working toward the betterment of society.

April 23, 2025

Alums Open and Affirming Queer VOICES

Rev. A. Leon Tredwell, PhD (’06) Publishes Good News in His New Book

Rev. A. Leon Tredwell, PhD (’06) realized his spiritual calling at age 10. “I came up in the church,” he explains, at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Norfolk, Virginia—a Black church wrestling with the “narrative of civility.” At the time, “we were down to one lady (Ms. Walker) who shouted” when she caught the spirit. One Sunday, Lee and his friends were in the back row when someone told the youngsters exactly when Ms. Walker would shout. When the prediction came true, the boys broke into suppressed laughter. That’s when Lee heard the Spirit speaking to him. “Why are you laughing at her?” Lee recalls the voice asking. It continued: “She’s only doing that because I’ve been good to her. And I’ve been good to you, too.” Since Lee’s family setting had changed from abject poverty to suburban middle class, he could only agree. The die was cast. Coming to United Though Lee fully recognized his call to ministry, he began his professional life as a grain trader for Cargill. After 10 years of moving with the company, Lee realized his purpose wasn’t being fulfilled. Through a connection with and encouragement from Rev. Drs. Ralph and Alika Galloway, Lee decided to give United a try. Thinking back, Lee says that the first thing he appreciated about United was that “the environment and the content were inclusive, innovative, and it was a place of freedom.” Because he was wrestling with his sexuality, Lee especially needed that kind of open-arms welcome. He continues, “To see other queer people who were just brilliant and living out their brilliance in the fullness of who they were” was remarkably affirming. “Being queer in the Black church,” he observes, “was an anathema.” He remembers Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler and Dean Richard Weis† with great affection. Both teachers, he asserts, “taught us to wrestle with the biblical text until it opened up and spoke.” They also introduced Lee to Black and postcolonial hermeneutics, and Rev. Dr. Weis led him to passages in Jeremiah 38 (Hebrew Bible) that sparked his interest in learning more about a Black character named Ebed-Melech. Spreading the Good Word These days, since earning his PhD in Theological and Religious Studies in 2017, and spending many years preaching and teaching, Lee is excited to be publishing a new book. Titled Black, Queer, and Blessed: My Story and the Biblical Story Churches Don’t Teach, the book is part memoir and part theological reflection on the Ebed-Melech revelation. Lee has launched a new website (blackqueerandblessed.com) to promote the book and serve as a touchstone for young people who are struggling with their faith and sexuality. He is also planning an upcoming tour, including podcast interviews and speaking engagements at universities and seminaries, to share the good news about “blessings and connectedness with God.” “The spirit of God and the energies that God has given us are toward purpose,” he asserts. Reflecting on his time at United, Lee feels gratitude for the openness and creativity he discovered. “I am extremely grateful for the experiences at United and the shaping of my life as a result of being there.” He continues, “Because I was there and they embraced me and encouraged me, they helped me to evolve…to be where I am today.” _______________ † Deceased