Our Minister

The Rev. Shelley Page is serving The Grosse Pointe Unitarian Universalist Church as our newly settled Minister as of August 2011. She is deeply committed to the transformation and growth of our church community. You can read her most recent writings by clicking here: Rev. Shelley's Wonderings.

This is a brief synopsis of Rev. Page's recent writings about her overall philosophy.

On the ministry: I seek to help the Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church reach its goal of being a vibrant faith community that nurtures souls and helps heal our world. I see great potential in human-scale congregations where deep bonds can be forged that strengthen people to reach beyond themselves to be a force for justice and mercy in the wider community. I promote a shared ministry with the congregation to create an inspiring love-filled multi-generational and multi-cultural community. I love working side-by-side with others, encouraging my fellow travelers to be adventurers of the spirit, discovering together the promise of beloved community made real.

On theology: I believe that all creation is inherently sacred and I have a strong sense that there is also a mysterious transcendence which can be felt but never fully known or understood. I have a personal worldview firmly grounded in a full embrace of the “interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part” while holding a deep respect for other Unitarian Universalist theologies based on my own long-term wrestling with theological questions. I have seen how my own understanding has shifted and become more nuanced over time, and I expect that my personal theology will continue to develop over my lifetime.

On social justice: It is imperative that we strive for justice in the world and do not shy away from speaking truth to power in the service of love. I am committed to countering oppressions as a basic tenet of life.

On Religious Education: I believe religious education is a lifelong process and one where the generations inform and guide each other. In this sense, our whole experience as a congregation is our religious education, a place where we intentionally learn to become our best selves and live well together in the church community as well as the wider world. As such, religious education becomes a lens through which we view our whole congregational life—what are we teaching each other by how we live in community? Of course, there is tremendous value to age appropriate religious education that meets the needs of preschoolers through our elders. We do have different understandings and needs at the different phases of our lives. And much can be learned from participating with a peer group of seekers. But, I also believe in creative multi-generational religious education that lifts up Unitarian Universalist values. This education occurs when we “do church” together.

On congregational life: All we do, including Board meetings and committee gatherings, are settings for holy work and I love to be in the thick of it, helping to create the Beloved Community through creative collaboration and observance of right relations.

On music and the arts: Music and the arts touch our souls in ways that words alone cannot. Lifting our voices in common song helps create the beloved community, a sense of true belonging and common purpose. Listening to a heartfelt performance can take us to a deeper place where we can hear the “still, small voice within.” Music helps create meaningful worship and enhances our fellowship experiences. The other arts also offer important pathways to community building and spiritual growth. The visual aesthetic sets a tone, sometimes provocative. Drama, film, poetry and movement inform our souls during worship, religious education and fellowship. Inspired creative use of all arts forms reaches the wholeness of who we are as individuals and as a community.