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The Sunday Services Team
Rev. Alex Holt
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Rev. Alex Holt has been a transitions minister, especially to smaller congregations in the UUA, for nearly 30 years. He served congregations all over the United States including Oregon, Washington State, Illinois, South Carolina, Texas, and most recently in Pennsylvania.
Alex completed a successful contract ministry of four years in Meadville, Pennsylvania, this summer and has now returned to Oregon. His life partner Debra lives in Eugene, and they both are Buddhist practitioners. Debra is a Buddhist chaplain at the hospital in Eugene and Alex has entered that twilight zone of “partial retirement.” He has recently celebrated 20 years of sobriety from alcoholism and continues to work with the Buddhist Recovery Network. Alex grew up on a farm in Maine and dislikes corn muffins and pea soup in addition to Brussel sprouts. He hopes to continue the joys of consulting and speaking at smaller congregations remotely or in person. |
Ruby Wiles
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Warren, Pa., resident and former Lutheran pastor Ruby Wiles is the founder of Free Books for Kids Town and has filed trademark applications for Books for Babies+ and Halloween Read and Treat. She is passionate about encouraging children to read by having books that belong to them.
In 2017, Wiles received UUCJ’s Richard T. Parker Award for Social Justice. The award recognizes individuals whose volunteer work for social justice has not been widely acknowledged. Subsequently, she inspired our Social Justice Committee to promote reading by giving books to students in the Washington Middle School English as a New Language program and Fletcher Elementary School kindergarteners, as well as having our two free book boxes. Born in a military hospital in San Antonio (her dad was in the Air Force), Ruby spent her early childhood in East Brady, Texas, the home of Jim Kelly—with whom her cousins played football. Her family moved to Warren when she was 9. She attended the University of Pennsylvania on scholarship and graduated cum laude. The fall semester of her senior year she was an intern for Pat Schroder, U.S. Congresswoman from Colorado. After working at a Lutheran camp in Southern California and as a lay associate at University Lutheran Church in Seattle, Ruby attended Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley and interned at Community of Christ in Washington, DC. She later completed work in Clinical Pastoral Education at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ruby’s first call at a two-point parish in North Dakota was followed by 12 years at Calvary Lutheran Church in the Bronx. Returning to her roots in rural Pennsylvania, she served Tabor Lutheran Church in Kane before starting Free Books for Kids Town in 2013. |
Rev. Verdis LeVar Robinson
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In July, 2023, Verdis LeVar Robinson (he/him or they) began as Assistant Minister for Growth at First Unitarian Church in Rochester, New York.
From 2020-2023 he served the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Vermont, initially as Ministerial Intern, then as Ministerial Coordinator of Worship Arts Production and Adult Lifespan Spiritual Exploration. His last year there, he was also the Artistic Director of the Montpelier Community Gospel Choir. Verdis earned a B.M. in Voice Performance from Boston University, a B.S. cum laude and M.A. in History from SUNY College at Brockport, and an M.A. in African-American Studies from SUNY University at Buffalo. Verdis was the Lenora Montgomery Scholar of Excellence at the Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, where he received his Master of Divinity in May, 2023. Verdis was a confirmed local minister in the African American Holiness-Pentecostal tradition prior to joining the First Universalist Church of Rochester, New York, in 2008. He served as a Worship Associate/Coordinator, Lay Preacher, Committee on Ministry, Choir Member/Soloist, Religious Education Instructor, and a member of the Social Justice Team. During his career, Verdis was the National Director for The Democracy Commitment, the Director for Community College Engagement at Campus Compact, and is currently an Associate of the Kettering Foundation specializing in deliberative democracy in community colleges and interfaith institutions. Prior to leading community college civic engagement nationally, he was a tenured Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Monroe Community College in Rochester for ten years. |
Julie Anderson
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Julie Anderson graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a B.S. in Elementary Education with a music concentration. Julie has 36 graduate credits in music education and psychology through summer courses at seven different universities. Moving to Jamestown in 1989, she studied piano with Mrs. Helga Hulse for 14 years and was a member Keyboard Instructors, performing in faculty recitals. She has taught general music classes, piano, and guitar for years “too numerous to mention," teaching at Infinity Performing Arts since 2008. Julie alternates playing for the Universal Unitarian Church of Jamestown and the Grace Episcopal Church in Randolph.
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The Mission and Covenant
Mission
The mission of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community.
The mission of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown is to support and celebrate each other, encourage spiritual and individual growth, and serve the wider community.
UUCJ Congregants - in solidarity with the YWCA's Stand Against Racism, April 2021
Covenant
Understanding that the promises we make to each other form the foundation of congregational life, we, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown, enter into covenant with one another to ensure the wellbeing of all members as we live out our mission and our Unitarian Universalist principles. Recognizing that we are not perfect human beings, we may, from time to time, break our promises, but in the spirit of this document, we forgive one another and begin again in love.
Understanding that the promises we make to each other form the foundation of congregational life, we, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Jamestown, enter into covenant with one another to ensure the wellbeing of all members as we live out our mission and our Unitarian Universalist principles. Recognizing that we are not perfect human beings, we may, from time to time, break our promises, but in the spirit of this document, we forgive one another and begin again in love.
- We strive to listen to one another without judgment or bias. We respond with courtesy, using language that is positive and supportive.
- Understanding that everyone’s reasons for belonging to UUCJ are valid, we remain open to ideas that may be different from our own.
- Following the “platinum rule”, we treat others not as we want to be treated, but as they want to be treated. This requires being respectful of one another and each other’s differences.
- We acknowledge and celebrate our individual talents and contributions, including those who lead our services, and strive to support rather than challenge; to affirm rather than contradict.
- We embrace our future together and commit to remaining flexible, open, and willing to change.
- We value kindness in our interactions with one another and demonstrate care and concern for each other as a cornerstone of our congregational life.
The Building
Located at 1255 Prendergast Avenue in Jamestown, New York, this former residence with sanctuary addition is the home base of the Congregation. Sunday services, special meetings, and other events are held here. There is a parking lot behind the church off Wilson Avenue. We also rent the five nearest parking spaces from our neighbor, Christ First United Methodist Church, in the lot across the street.
The History
A Part of the Community Since 1885
The First Unitarian Church was organized by Rev. J. G. Townsend as an Independent Congregational Church in 1885, its church property at the junction of East Second and Chandler streets in Jamestown, New York.
While the congregation has changed names and locations over the years, it remains the seat of liberal religion in the Jamestown area.
The First Unitarian Church was organized by Rev. J. G. Townsend as an Independent Congregational Church in 1885, its church property at the junction of East Second and Chandler streets in Jamestown, New York.
While the congregation has changed names and locations over the years, it remains the seat of liberal religion in the Jamestown area.
The Religion
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Seven Principles
Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven Principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides.
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Six Sources
The seven principles are drawn from six Sources.
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