Seattle UU church honors minister

New fund recommits church to social justice.
By Donald E. Skinner
11.10.06

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University Unitarian Church in Seattle. Established social justice fund to honor minister and church’s ministry.

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Looking for a way to celebrate the Rev. Jon Luopa’s 25 years in ministry, members of University Unitarian Church in Seattle, Wash., made a substantial commitment to social justice by establishing a social justice program fund at the church. The fund, initiated in September, has $284,000 in commitments. One donor is contributing $200,000 over four years. The fund will be used to hire a social justice coordinator.

Luopa has been at University Unitarian, where he serves as senior minister, since 1999 and has also served congregations in Concord, Reading, Hingham, and Weston, Mass., and Hartford, Conn. He was ordained in 1981.

The fund was announced as part of a Celebration of Ministry weekend Sept. 30–Oct. 1, which included a catered dinner, tributes to Luopa by friends and members as well as leaders of his previous congregations, a performance by the Seattle Labor Chorus, two worship services with a guest minister, and a reception. Members of Luopa’s extended family also attended.

The celebration marked not only Luopa’s ministry but that of the whole church. “We were able to hold up not only one person’s ministry but ministry as we all understand and practice it together,” Luopa wrote in the church newsletter.

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