Minister Emerita, Jean Rowe
Jean grew up in Rochester NY, in a Methodist family, with an older brother and younger sister. She loved ice skating, swimming, sledding, crafts, reading and sports.
Education:
- Tufts University (Medford, MA), B.A. Political Science, 1963
- Independent Study Program for Religious Educators, Unitarian Universalist Association, (Boston, MA), Diploma, 1980
- Andover Newton Theological School (Newton, MA), M. Div. cum laude, 1981
- Merrill Fellow, Harvard Divinity School (Cambridge, MA) 1990
Congregations Served:
As Religious Educator:
- The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Andover (Andover, MA), 1975-78
- The First Parish in Cambridge (Cambridge, MA), 1978-82; ordained 1981
As Parish Minister:
- The Second Congregational Church (Concord, NH) 1982-83
- The Unitarian Universalist Church of Little Rock (AR), 1983-1992
- Neshoba Unitarian Universalist Church (Germantown/Cordova, TN) 1992--Present
Personal:
She is married to Lackey Rowe, a retired civil rights lawyer and human resources manager. Their children are Ken (who's married to Amy, a Presbyterian minister, and living in Georgia) and Mike Rickard (who's married to Julie, and has a son, Elijah and a daughter, Sophia), who live in Forsyth, GA; and Helen Rowe and Nicole Heroux (who has a daughter, Alexis) who live in Memphis. She enjoys being with her family and especially her grandchildren; hiking, swimming, reading, traveling AND PAINTING.
Theology:
Jean is a Universalist with strong Christian/Feminist/Buddhist/mystic leanings. She's encountered the Holy in a variety of ways; enjoys theological discussion and debate; and thinks that God, Love and Freedom are inseparable concepts. She most often encounters the Holy in people and in Nature.
Denominational Service:
- Unitarian Sunday School Society, President
- Star Island Religious Education Conference Co-Dean, two years
- Independent Study Committee, UUA, Chair
- Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUA, Member, five years
- Committee on Excellence in Ministry, UUA, Chair
- Southwest UU Religious Education Committee Member
- Southwest UU Summer Institute, Program Chair
- Southwest UU Conference, Board member
- UU Ministers Association, Chapter President, SW
- South Regional Subcommittee on Ministerial Candidacy
Community Service:
- Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, founding member, Little Rock and Memphis
- Regional AIDS Interfaith Network Memphis, President, Vice President, Secretary
- Arkansas Interfaith Conference, President, Bishops' Advisory Council
- Memphis Ministers Association, Past President
If Jean had only had one sermon to give, she would remind us that we are precious children of the universe, that we have a unique role to live out, and that we are all called to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.
