About Our Minister
We are pleased to announce that we will welcome Jennifer Raffensperger as our full-time contract minister at UUCY on August 9. She will have a month to settle in, meet with staff and committees, before leading our in-gathering service on September 12.
The search committee was immediately impressed by Jen’s archived sermons and services, which were infused with humor, poetry, story, music, wit, wisdom and more. The committee learned more from a recorded interview, from talking with references, and then from meeting Jen in-person at UUCY.
Jen brings much more than her sermons to UUCY. She has a passion for spiritual development and for social justice issues. As she said in her ministerial record: “It is social justice that brought me to Unitarian Universalism, and the challenges and gifts it brings to me keep me here, keep me learning, keep me dreaming of the world as it could be.” She also has experience with children. Once she found her home church, the UU Congregation of Columbia (UUCC) in Maryland, she served as Youth Director for three years. She is a trained Our Whole Lives (human sexuality) instructor and taught elementary level OWL classes. In addition, before training for the ministry, Jen worked as a Project Manager for 15 years, and managed people as well as projects. She looks forward to coordinating UUCY's staff.
Jen received her MDiv from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 2021. This spring she completed a two-year internship at the UU Congregation of Frederick (UUCF). Due to pandemic delays, Jen’s ordination will happen on October 17th at UUCC, in conjunction with UUCF. Once ordained, Jen will officially become Rev. Jen.
During at least the first year of her two-year contract, Jen will be commuting from her home in Bowie, MD, where she has family. She plans to schedule three days a week in York, then work from home other days. To make sure pastoral care needs are met, Jen will help us re-establish a lay-led care committee.
Jennifer Raffensperger will build her ministry at UUCY with energy and enthusiasm, as UUCY rebuilds after the challenges of the pandemic. She looks forward to getting to know the members of our congregation, as we look forward to getting to know her. Together, our future is bright.
Footnote: When asked what we need to know about her personally, she offered a playful list of things that helped her get through the pandemic:
* long walks
* poetry -- reading, not writing. (I led a weekly poetry small group ministry group through the pandemic)
* nature photography (this summer, cicada photography!)
* podcasts
* video chats with seminary friends
* baking - I now make excellent bagels and pizza crusts from scratch!
* dance cardio
* Cat videos
* my actual cats
* did I mention podcasts? SO MANY PODCASTS.
* Stephen King novels
* Plotting a Stephen King podcast that may never get made
* Moon Pies
* podcasts!
The Search Committee consists of:
The search committee was immediately impressed by Jen’s archived sermons and services, which were infused with humor, poetry, story, music, wit, wisdom and more. The committee learned more from a recorded interview, from talking with references, and then from meeting Jen in-person at UUCY.
Jen brings much more than her sermons to UUCY. She has a passion for spiritual development and for social justice issues. As she said in her ministerial record: “It is social justice that brought me to Unitarian Universalism, and the challenges and gifts it brings to me keep me here, keep me learning, keep me dreaming of the world as it could be.” She also has experience with children. Once she found her home church, the UU Congregation of Columbia (UUCC) in Maryland, she served as Youth Director for three years. She is a trained Our Whole Lives (human sexuality) instructor and taught elementary level OWL classes. In addition, before training for the ministry, Jen worked as a Project Manager for 15 years, and managed people as well as projects. She looks forward to coordinating UUCY's staff.
Jen received her MDiv from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 2021. This spring she completed a two-year internship at the UU Congregation of Frederick (UUCF). Due to pandemic delays, Jen’s ordination will happen on October 17th at UUCC, in conjunction with UUCF. Once ordained, Jen will officially become Rev. Jen.
During at least the first year of her two-year contract, Jen will be commuting from her home in Bowie, MD, where she has family. She plans to schedule three days a week in York, then work from home other days. To make sure pastoral care needs are met, Jen will help us re-establish a lay-led care committee.
Jennifer Raffensperger will build her ministry at UUCY with energy and enthusiasm, as UUCY rebuilds after the challenges of the pandemic. She looks forward to getting to know the members of our congregation, as we look forward to getting to know her. Together, our future is bright.
Footnote: When asked what we need to know about her personally, she offered a playful list of things that helped her get through the pandemic:
* long walks
* poetry -- reading, not writing. (I led a weekly poetry small group ministry group through the pandemic)
* nature photography (this summer, cicada photography!)
* podcasts
* video chats with seminary friends
* baking - I now make excellent bagels and pizza crusts from scratch!
* dance cardio
* Cat videos
* my actual cats
* did I mention podcasts? SO MANY PODCASTS.
* Stephen King novels
* Plotting a Stephen King podcast that may never get made
* Moon Pies
* podcasts!
The Search Committee consists of:
- Shannon Cunningham
- Shawn Fink
- Deb Lord
- Steve March
- Janelle Manusco
- Jenn Potts (consulting non-voting member)