Milestone Ceremonies
Milestones of Youth
As someone who was dedicated and ordained in the very same spot (the chancel at All Souls, NYC) I know intimately the role that our communities play in marking the milestones of our lives.
It is a great joy to minister to and with children and families as we celebrate and honor the milestones throughout their lives from naming and blessing our youngest ones in dedications, to celebrating our youth as they come of age and articulate their credos, to honoring the transition when they bridge from youth to young adulthood.
These are our chances to embody and be the community our children and youth belong to and can always return to throughout their lives.
Weddings
I love the diversity of weddings that I have been able to officiate at over the years for members of the congregation I serve and for people in the wider community.
My parents found Unitarian Universalism when they were trying to find a minister or a rabbi who was willing to officiate at their wedding. As an interfaith couple (Jewish & Christian) in the 70s, they were turned away from many places.
I do not take it for granted that we are a house of welcome when it comes to whose love we celebrate, regardless of race, religion, and gender.
Every wedding I do is unique and created according to what is right for a particular couple and family. People often comment on how personal and fitting the ceremony was for the particular individuals involved.
Memorial services
In memorial services, it is my goal to create the container in which families and friends can honor the grief, gratitude, and celebration they feel for the person who has passed away.
I work closely with the family to create a ceremony that honors the deceased person’s theological perspective and lifts up the stories and legacy they leave behind.
I have experience with leading services in sanctuaries, chapels, memorial gardens, funeral homes, and by gravesites.
Many people have also sought my support in these times for grief counseling as one of the people who support them in making meaning of the loss.
