|
The Rev. Frieda Gillespie
From left: Sally Kroeker, Search Committee chair; Rev. Gillespie;
and Frank Armstrong, Board of Directors chair.
On May 4, 2008, we celebrated a
historic moment in the life of our church. More than 99 percent of the
congregation voted to call the
Rev. Frieda Gillespie as just our third settled minister. Frieda, who
will begin her ministry here on August 1, succeeds
the Rev. Ed Lynn, who retired in 2005 after 33 years. Among those voting was our
first settled minister, the Rev. Charles Wilson.
Rev. Gillespie is currently interim minister of the Unitarian
Universalist Metro Atlanta North Church in
Roswell, Georgia. A lifelong spiritual seeker who grew up in the Los
Angeles area, she was ordained in 2006 after a successful career in the
business world. She holds a master of divinity degree from Brite Divinity School.
On the Web
- Visit Rev. Gillespie's personal
website, which includes her complete biography, sermons, and family
photos
- View
a slideshow of photos taken at Rev. Gillespie's post-call celebration
- Listen to Rev Gillespie's Candidating Week
sermons, "What
I've Learned So Far" (April 27) and "Noticing
the Signs" (May 4)
"It is a great privilege to do the work of ministry because it is
profession that is deeply fulfilling even as it is challenging," says
Rev. Gillespie. "It is an honor as a minister to witness and support
the steps people take toward spiritual growth and healing and to join
with them in challenging the voices that would say that nothing is
possible. It is a joy to co-create beloved community with people who
believe in the principles of our liberal religious faith. And it is
exciting to form relationships and alliances with clergy in other
faiths or to reach out into the wider world with caring and an open
mind."
She adds: "I enjoy all aspects of ministry: preaching, teaching,
counseling, performing ceremonies ... and my business consulting
background allows me to make a significant contribution to the
administrative aspects of the role as well."
During her year of
interim ministry in Greater Atlanta, Frieda has been commuting back and
forth to her home in Framingham, Massachusetts, where she lives with
her partner, Jennifer, and Jennifer's three kids — Ben (16), Tim (12),
and Julia (7) — as well as two big dogs, a guinea pig, and two rats.
Rev. Gillespie's 16-year-old adopted daughter, Tealeesha, lives nearby
in a residential facility for special-needs children.
We have been well-served since Rev. Lynn's retirement by two
outstanding interim ministers, the Rev. Rosemarie Smurzynski (2005-'07)
and the Rev. Jeanne Nieuwejaar (2007-'08).
The Ministerial Search Committee is deeply grateful for the support the
congregation has given us during the past three years.
Sally
Kroeker, Chair
Maureen Duram
Dan Kennedy
Jeri Kroll
Jim Lynch
Cindy Martin
Steve Rector
Leonard Swanson
Peter VanDeBogert
|
