As a Unitarian Universalist youth of 15 years old, I was aware that Unitarian Universalism saved lives. I was saved by the pastoral care I received by the ministers and youth advisors of the Religious Education programs during my teens. I made it through some difficult years by attending youth group on Sundays and attending weekend youth district conferences.
Not many people can say this, and even the Ministerial Fellowship Community was surprised to hear it, but I was also saved by our congregational polity. As a leader in Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) of my congregation and in the Southwest District of the UUA, I was nominated to the YRUU Continental Steering Committee. By the age of 17, I was traveling to Boston multiple times a year for planning meetings with the UUA Youth Office. A year later, I was sitting in on the UUA Board Meetings as a Youth Liaison and was the chair of the YRUU Committee on Policies and Ethics. These meetings, governed by Robert’s Rules and grounded in our Unitarian Universalist values, gave order to my life. I saw people forging their way through difficult topics and decisions with respect for each other. When my life needed grace, I found it in these meetings. Polity certainly called me to ministry.
As my identity as a Unitarian Universalist deepened, I began to feel my call to ministry when I was 17 years old. I wanted (and still want) to journey with others as a guide along the way in covenantal relationship. Later, my call blossomed into a desire to tend to the holy with intention and care.
I have become quite the evangelist for our faith movement. I am grateful for the role Unitarian Universalist faith has played in the development of my self identity. I am proud of the role Unitarian Universalist polity has had in the vision of my future ministry.
I envision my ministry as not something the minister “does”; it is instead something we all do together. Rev. Gordon McKeeman wrote that ministry “is a quality of relationship between and among human beings that beckons forth hidden possibilities and that it is inviting people into deeper, more constant, more reverent relationship with the world and one another.” I see that ministry is to serve and bring forth the best in each other.
Rev. Christina Branum-Martin 