You
may have noticed from the minutes of the most recent Board of
Trustees’ meeting that Piedmont has agreed to affiliate with Mary
Frances Comer, who is entering preliminary fellowship as a Unitarian
Universalist minister. We welcome this opportunity to play a part in
the development of yet another individual willing to share the light,
love, and compassion provided by the UU faith. We look forward to
this enriching opportunity alongside Mary Frances, and welcome her
considerable talents in our pulpit and in our programming. The
following bio helps us get to know Mary Frances, and her journey to
ministry, a bit better…
Mary Frances graduated with a
M.Div. from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, in 2012.
She has also taken courses at Starr King School for the Ministry. For
her field education, Mary Frances worked as a Pastoral Care Associate
and discussion group facilitator for the Church of the Larger
Fellowship (the online version of our denomination) for over a year.
Her experience in ministry also includes six months of Clinical
Pastoral Education spent as a chaplain at Carolina's Medical Center
(a Level I Trauma Center) in Charlotte. Last year, she completed her
internship at Eno River UU Fellowship in Durham, NC, where she was
ordained in September of 2014. Her work there was focused with
the Justice Council. Her community ministry is with The Charlotte
Spirituality Center where she is finishing up a two-year training as
a spiritual director. There, she offers spiritual direction and
art programs (mini-retreats that connect creativity with
spirituality).
With a background in education
(BS and MS), she has been teaching behavioral and social sciences for
over 20 years. Mary Frances also received a BA in Philosophy
and Religion and a Masters in Liberal Arts with a concentration in
sociology from Winthrop University where she later served as an
adjunct faculty member. She currently teaches at Central
Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. Her hobbies include
painting, writing, and fossil hunting.
Mary Frances has been a
visiting preacher in six congregations over the last five years and
looks forward to sharing in the ministry of Piedmont UU Church. Look for her
in the pulpit in 2015; stay tuned for an art-based spirit nourishing
workshop; and feel free to discuss fossils with her anytime!
Please
join me in welcoming Mary Frances to our Piedmont family.
Sam
Treadaway
President,
Board of Trustees
Honored and excited to have Mary Frances as our affiliated community minister. Eager to see the synergy as she shares her considerable gifts.
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