The Rev. Sean Parker Dennison will assume the
pulpit for the first time since his unanimous election this spring as the new settled
minister at the Unitarian Universalist
Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road
in McHenry, this Sunday, August 19.
Rev.
Dennison has served congregations in San
Luis Obispo, California and Salt
Lake City, Utah and has been active in denominational affairs. He is also a popular blogger and a champion
for transgender justice.
He
has settled in Woodstock with his partner Toni
Palmer and into his new office.
Rev.
Dennison is looking forward to an exciting ministry at a congregation that
recently took the bold step of moving from Woodstock where it was founded in
1866 to the former Hay Stacks Manor Restaurant
building in McHenry. “I was drawn to
this congregation by the great people and the spirit of excitement and
discovery that is just bursting from them right now. With a new minister and a
new building, they are ready to find ways to live out their values in this
community and beyond. It may sound simple, but our goal really is to make the
world a better place by becoming as loving, ethical, giving, and kind as we
can.”
The
theme of Rev. Dennison’s first service at 10:45 this Sunday morning will
naturally be, Beginnings. “There have been a lot of changes in our congregation.” He
observes and asks “how is uncertainty and not knowing a gift? How can we
welcome this time of beginner's mind and use it to empower us to create a
vision and mission for our future?”
Beyond preaching on Sunday mornings, Dennison looks forward
to continuing a congregational tradition of community engagement. “Unitarian
Universalists have always been committed to freedom, reason, and acceptance.
This congregation will undoubtedly continue its commitments to social justice,
music and the arts, and having fun. With all the changes in our congregation,
we are looking forward to finding new ways to do those things and discovering
new ways to build meaningful lives and serve our communities.”
Child care is
available for infants and toddlers and there is plenty of parking. An informal coffee hour follows the service.
For more information
call the church at 815 322-2464, e-mail
office@uucofwoodstock.org or
visit uucofwoodstock.org .
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