UU Church of Saco & Biddeford

60 School Street, Saco, Maine 04072

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August Messenger

07/30/2019 • Brian Dustin

August 2019

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Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco Biddeford

60 School Street

Saco, Maine 04072

(207) 282-0062

uuchurch@gwi.net

Our minister

I was raised in the flowing, golden prairies and rolling hills of central North Dakota. My parents were elementary school teachers, and my younger sister and I had what most would call a happy, normal childhood – privileged and protected, cradled in the embrace of our large German-Russian family and the Catholic Church.

From a very early age, music was an essential part of my life, and given that Church was central to everything we did, it was only natural that the two became interwoven for me. I was fascinated by it all – the ritual, the music, the mystery, the awe. I was most especially interested in people’s experiences of these things.

I joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps after getting my BA in Psychology, and was sent to Tacoma, Washington, to work at Nativity House, a day shelter for the homeless and marginalized. From the moment I walked in the doors, I knew it was where I was supposed to be. My eyes and heart were opened wide to the realities of our society and the struggles of our marginalized peoples. It was at Nativity House that I first began to really name and explore my call to ministry. I also began to explore the feminine divine, pagan spirituality, and discovered how to use art, journaling, meditation, and nature as ways to connect with Spirit.

My decision to come out as a lesbian at age 29 was a monumental shift in my image of self and how I moved through the world. I spent the next ten years discovering all it meant to be queer in today’s world – and in my world, with my family and friends and co-workers. As I lived more and more into this truth, my spirituality began to emerge in a deeper and fuller way.

In 2010, Spirit led me to two congregations at the exact same time – a UU Fellowship and a Unity church. I became the administrator of one and the pianist of the other and fell in lovewith both. My call to ministry came booming out of the wilderness loud and clear, and both congregations encouraged and nurtured me toward seminary.

My mom is my biggest supporter and will always hold a strong sense of home for me in the middle of North Dakota. I am deeply committed to my beloved partner, Diana, who is also a UU minister, and her 15 year old son, Aidan.

I am a musician and composer, love animals and books, and am slowly improving my skills in both cooking and knitting.

Nature is an important source of renewal and inspiration, and I especially find comfort in trees, mountains, and the wind that sweeps across the prairie. I like to get out hiking and camping whenever I can - there's nothing better than a book and a hammock, gently swinging in the trees.

For more information about Rev. Shay please go to http://www.revshaymackay.com. You may contact her directly by email by clicking here.

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