Kennedy Ordained
This Sunday

On Sunday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m., the Universalist Society of Strafford will ordain M’ellen Kennedy to the Unitarian Universalist (UU) ministry. The public is invited to this occasion and to the tea which will follow.

This is the third ordination conducted by the society since it was established in 1798. Kennedy was hired by the society in January as a part-time, consulting minister.

Clergy and visitors from Vermont and New Hampshire UU churches will participate. The sermon will be given by Rev. Telos Whitfield, daughter of South Strafford residents, Pam and Dick Whitfield.

Kennedy graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School, the Unitarian Universalist Seminary in Chicago, in 2003. She has a doctorate in community psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A New England native, before returning to Vermont four years ago, she served for two years as a chaplain at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Kansas City. She has also served as summer minister for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington, Vt.

One of her passions in ministry is empowering lay leaders. "My aim in ministry is to help the folks with whom I work to find their own call, that is to find the love, light, beauty, and truth within themselves.," Kennedy said. Religious education for both children and adults is also a priority for her. This spring she designed and led the adult class, "Practicing Your Faith: Finding Your Truth," which will continue this fall.

Although Christian in origin, contemporary Unitarian Universalism embraces the teachings from the world’s faith traditions. She is also a dancer and uses dance, poetry and story telling in worship.

In addition to serving the Strafford Society, Kennedy does consulting work throughout the country. She is co-founder of the Unitarian Universalist Small Group Ministry Network. Her aim is to help congregations become places for friendship and deeper spiritual growth.

The society normally holds worship services at 10 a.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month. This month, the afternoon ordination is being held in lieu of the morning worship.

____________