A life-long Unitarian Universalist from the Boston area, Rev. Abbey is passionate about vibrant, robustly spiritual, urban ministry in a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi- generational setting. Rev. Abbey’s great loves in congregational ministry include worship leadership, institutional anti-racism and anti-oppression work, collaborative leadership development, and the building of resilient networks of pastoral care. A graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, Rev. Abbey was ordained at All Souls Unitarian Church in Washington, DC, where she had served as Intern Minister. Rev. Abbey currently serves as the Interim Advancement Director at Starr King School for the Ministry, overseeing the seminary’s fundraising and Institutional Advancement work.
Before entering the ministry, Rev. Abbey was a lay leader in Unitarian Universalism for fifteen years on a local, regional, and national level, leading a successful effort to gain a voting youth trustee on the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) board of trustees, working as a staff Youth Programs Specialist at the UUA, and serving for eight years on the UUA’s continental Ministerial Fellowship Committee. In 2008, Rev. Abbey had the honor of serving as keynote speaker at the national UU Allies for Racial Equity (ARE) conference, a national organization for white UU anti-racist activists committed to a relationship of accountability to people and communities of color. In congregations she has belonged to and served, Rev. Abbey has worked with fundraising drives, boards, hiring committees, youth and young adult ministries, anti-racism and anti-oppression teams, covenant group ministries, and has created contemplative vespers service programs and new choirs.
Services at 9:30 and 11:20am. From where can we draw courage when life is hectic or traumatic? Can staying present be an act of bravery? Join Rev. Abbey Tennis, Worship Associate Em Kianka, Seminarian Jessica Clay, and Renee Witon for worship this Sunday at 9:30, and again at 11:20 joined by Crescendo Choir and Joyful … Continue reading Where are your feet?
Services at 9:30 and 11:20am Audre Lorde once gave a speech entitled “The Master’s Tools will never dismantle the Master’s house.” What are the tools of evil? Should we use them in the work of justice – the work of “dismantling the master’s house”? Join Rev. Abbey, and Worship Associate Justin Weiss at 9:30 and … Continue reading Evil and the Master’s Tools
Good Friday: 7-8pm March 25- Easter Sunday: 9:30am & 11:20am March 27– Together, we reflect on the biblical story of betrayal, death, and resurrection of Jesus, lament losses in our own lives, and discover the renewal that can follow loss. Contemplative Friday evening service, Vibrant Sunday morning services and our annual Easter Egg hunt! … Continue reading Easter Weekend: From Death to Life
Only One Service: 11:20am Hard work, illness, oppression, disappointment, and other intense emotions can all sap us of our strength – often precisely when we need to gather our strength to face what comes next. How can we as people, and we as communities, renew our spiritual strength? Join Pastor Jacqueline, Rev. Abbey, … Continue reading Renewing Our Strength
Services at 9:30 am & 11:20 am Our Sanctuary is graced with a beautiful stained glass window depicting the “Parable of the Sower” told by Jesus in the Christian Scriptures. Are we the Sower, the Soil, or the Seed? Will our work for love, transformation, and justice bear fruit? Together we will reflect on the … Continue reading Throw Yourself like Seed
Services at 9:30 and 11:20 Life invariably brings ups and downs, successes and failures, delights and disappointments.When disappointments come, must they always arrive like a dreaded uninvited guest, or might we find a way to greet them as friend? Join Rev. Abbey Tennis, Worship Associate Lynn Gallogly, Rev. Jacqueline Duhart, and Renee Witon this Sunday … Continue reading Befriending Disappointment
Services at 9:30 and 11:20 am Our lives are full of criticism and approval – not feeling good enough and feeling superior – awe of our beautiful world and devastation at the problems in our world. When it would be easy to spend our days swinging between extremes of negativity and positivity, how do we … Continue reading Total Praise
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal” “Prayer is ripping open your rib cage so that your heart can breathe…” writes Universalist pastor Rob Bell. Peace is not just a goal, but a means to … Continue reading The Pray-ers
This New Year ritual gives each person the opportunity to speak the name and light a candle for someone important who has died in the previous year. Together, we will celebrate the lives of those who have lost from 2015 and reflect on the meaning of loss as a new year begins. Join Rev. Abbey Tennis, … Continue reading Tolling of the Bells
Join us for our annual candlelit Christmas Eve service to sing carols, share the ancient story of the rebirth of hope, and reflect on the meaning of Christmas in our lives and in the world. Led by Rev. Abbey Tennis, Crescendo Choir, Trente Morant, and Renee Witon. Bring cookies to share for a joyful reception … Continue reading Candlelight Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols
