“A.Letter.from.Rev.Amy”
Greetings, PUUC! I am so honored and thrilled to be joining this amazing community. Thank you for providing me this opportunity to be in ministry with you. I look forward to getting to know you, both individually and communally. I believe great things are in store for us in the future, and look forward to being on this journey together.
I’d like to share some information about myself so that you can begin to get to know me. I am an Asheville area native, and the Southern Appalachian mountains are my spiritual home. My mom still lives in Black Mountain, and I enjoy visiting her whenever I can. I have two adult children. Caleb is 28 and has been out in the Rocky Mountain area since he finished college at Lees-McRae in Banner Elk. He is an account manager for a tech firm. He and his fiancé, Sara, just moved to Fort Collins, Colorado where Sara is joining the faculty at Colorado State University. They have a highly energetic black lab mix, Patsy.
My daughter, Ava, is 25 and in her last semester with a Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Campbell University. She and her fiancé, Will, live in the Raleigh area. Will is a firefighter with the Raleigh Fire Department. She and Will met when Ava was at Meredith College, and Will was at NC State. They have a very sweet-tempered rescue dog, Walt. (I like to joke that both my children ended up with dogs that reflect their personalities!)
I have been in the ministry 30 years, working with both local church pastorates and collegiate ministry. My grandfather was a Methodist minister in the NC mountains, and his focus on social justice has influenced my own career. I strongly believe the foundation of the spiritual journey is seeing the Divine in each and every person, supporting them on their journey, and working towards making the world a more just and compassionate place. The interview committee asked what primary themes I used in preaching. I responded love, hospitality (a deep, fully inclusive form), and social justice. The seven principles for UU align perfectly with how I approach life and ministry.
I enjoy spending my down time listening to music, writing, exploring nature, reading, and being with friends. Life is too short not to find some joy each day, and I strive to do this in my work and in my every day living. I look forward to many joy-filled times with the PUUC community!
Minister Amy
