Danbury Unitarian Universalists Enter Into Covenant With Settled Minister

DANBURY — The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury (UUCD) will enter into a covenant with the Reverend Barbara Fast during a ceremony on Sunday, April 10, at 4 pm. The ceremony will be the formal installation of the settled permanent minister who will lead the congregation.

Unitarian Universalist communities have long exercised their right to choose their own ministers. For the Danbury community, this process began more than two years ago when their former settled minister followed her calling to hospital ministry in Milwaukee. After an intense search process, the Danbury congregation called, or elected, Rev Fast to be their settled minister in April 2010.

“Unitarian Universalists have the right and the responsibility to call their ministers; and ministers exercise their right to accept or decline such a call,” said Jean Bowen, president of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation’s board of trustees. “We freely chose each other, and this religious service formalizes our covenant.”

The Reverend Richard Gilbert, a retired Unitarian Universalist minister whose work has been admired by the Rev Fast, will deliver the sermon for the service.

Rev Fast is a graduate of Yale Divinity School. She practiced law in New York, and taught trial practice at the University of Bridgeport School of  Law (now Bridgeport School of Law at Quinnipiac College).

Prior to accepting the call from the Danbury Unitarian Universalists, Rev Fast had served at Westminster Unitarian Church in East Greenwich, R.I., since 2006, and the Unitarian Church in Westport from 2000 until 2005. Rev Fast has earned admiration for her outgoing style, inspirational preaching and pastoral presence, factors that led to her calling in Danbury where these qualities continue to inspire congregants and visitors.

UUCD is at 24 Clapboard Ridge Road in Danbury; telephone 203-798-1994. For general information,  visit http://uudanbury.org.