Meadville Lombard on the Road: Concord, MA

As a new member of the staff, being able to witness my new colleagues in their element, sharing their expertise, thoughts, and beliefs at Meadville Lombard on the Road was overwhelmingly inspiring.

I began my professional journey with Meadville Lombard just last month, so it was a pleasant surprise to learn I’d be going along to Concord, MA, to engage with my fellow staff, current and prospective students, alums, and those of the UU communities in the New England region. Not only did I meet so many new and amazing people, I was also greeted as if they’d known me forever. “Michael! I recognized you from the newsletter! We’re so excited to have you here.” First of all, I was thrilled to know that they read the newsletters here at Meadville Lombard, but I was also elated to know how genuinely excited they were to have me on board.

This opened my eyes to the fact that Meadville Lombard is most certainly NOT just for people in Chicago. What makes our contextual learning model so beneficial for students is it allows them to answer their call, no matter where they live. Plus, even after a student has graduated from Meadville Lombard, it’s like they never left the family they’ve helped to grow. So many alums still choose to participate in our events and support us by becoming Teaching Pastors or sending prospective students and donors, and speaking as a guy who won the superlative “Most School Spirit” every year (thank you very much), I find this to be incredibly touching!

Upon arrival into the small town, you are almost immediately struck by the beauty of this magnifiscent white church, First Parish in Concord, where we were hosted by the Reverend Howard Dana. Subsequently, and almost as immediately, you also notice the large “Black Lives Matter” sign posted proudly at the very front of the church boasting this unmistakable message. It was at this moment when I realized again how progressive this experience was going to be.

As public theologians grounded in the Unitarian Universalist movement, Meadville Lombard faculty offered inspiration and tools for shared response to the current affairs: how to fight against authoritarianism and rebuild democracy, and how to create stronger communities together. I believe it’s very important to stay abreast of current issues and affairs, and most importantly, stay active in those efforts to combat what threatens our vision of more just and compassionate society. This experience did nothing short of solidify the footprint I was already beginning to believe Meadville Lombard has and will leave on this planet.

From Professor Mike Hogue dissecting details from his new book American Immanence: Democracy for an Uncertain World, to Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey sharing her personal footage of her activism during her Ferguson experience; It all made me proud to be part of a team that encompasses a spirit that evokes light, activism, and freedom. I noticed how well each of our leadership members received information from one another, even with varying religious/cultural backgrounds. This showed me what UU is all about! I loved learning Unitarian Universalist history and gaining a better understanding of the traditions and individual paths taken to get to this point. Not to mention, my recruiting team was absolutely mind-blowing in the way they interacted with current and potential ML family. It is no wonder people feel so welcomed here and I’m excited to see what the future holds. What an amazing event!

P.S. Who knew Arvid could sing?! Encore!