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| Rev. Jennifer Gracen, new Tree of Life UU Congregation interim minister. |
The Rev.
Jennifer Gracen has begun a two year interim
ministry at the Tree of Life
Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603
West Bull Valley Road in McHenry. As an interim Gracen will lead worship services, tend to pastoral care, be a public face for the Congregation, and
help the church to be ready to call a
new settled minister.
She takes the pulpit under highly unusual
circumstances. Tree of Life canceled all public worship at the church in March due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Following the recommendations of the Unitarian
Universalist Association (UUA)
it has also closed the building to all meetings, gatherings,
and rentals through the end of the
2020-2021 church year next June. In the
meantime worship services have been conducted
each Sunday on Zoom and other church work and ministries also use the meeting service.
Rev. Gracen said “We are delighted to be in
Illinois. My wife calls this a magical land. I look forward to walking with
Tree of Life over the next two years as we work together to create a more just
and loving world.”
Rev. Jenn,
as she refers to herself, earned her Masters
of Divinity from Andover-Newton
Theological School in Massachusetts.
She served as an intern minister
with congregations in Napa, California and Ottawa, Ontario. Her
first called ministry was in Danville,
Indiana. She then went on to serve
as a transition minister in DeKalb, Illinois and most recently as interim minister in Clarklake, Michigan.
Tree
of Life Board President Leah Mikkelson
told members that Gracen was
selected because:
Through her written ministerial record, videos of her
sermons, and in our interview with her, the team was unanimously impressed by
Rev. Jenn’s energy and warmth. She expressed a love of preaching, an
understanding of the important work of interim ministry, a commitment to
pastoral care, and an eagerness to help the congregation re-examine its mission
and vision. Former congregants describe Rev. Jenn as a creative, committed and
generous minister who works well across all age groups, and helped prepare
their congregations for their next settled ministry.
Rev. Lisa Presley,
the UUA MidAmerica Region’s Congregational Life Consultant,
enthusiastically endorsed Rev. Jenn,
saying, “She is well-respected by her colleagues, and we are a cranky and
judgmental lot!”
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| Rev. Gracen, left, with her wife Virginia. |
Rev.
Gracen and her wife Virginia have
moved their two cats and lot of books
to a Crystal Lake duplex. She enjoys hiking, story-based games, and reading.
Gracen
was born and raised in Topeka, Kansas where her family had deep roots. In high
school she was deeply involved with theater
and forensics, acting in plays, and also immersed herself in history. After high school, she attended Emporia State University with the
initial intention of teaching high
school history. Her interests refocused and she earned a degree in Rehabilitation Services, working with
people with the differently abled.
After
graduating Gracen worked for several
years with people with developmental
disabilities in workshops and residential living facilities and then
worked with the Department of
Rehabilitation Services in Child and
Adult Protective Services. During that time, she discovered Unitarian
Universalism and felt a call to ministry. She left her job after five years and moved
to Boston to attend seminary.
For
more information contact Rev. Gracen at minister@treeoflifeuu.org
.
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