Rev. Deborah Bennett joined Westminster Unitarian Church as our new settled minister in 2024. She comes to us after serving as an interim minister at First Parish Wayland UU in Wayland, MA, and previously at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Marietta, GA, where she served as the settled minister.
Following a long career as a natural foods chef, cooking instructor, and restauranteur, including serving as Executive Chef and Director of Food Services at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, MA, Rev. Deborah felt the call toward ministry. After discovering Unitarian Universalism she fell in love with its values, justice work, and congregational life. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry in 2018 and was ordained in 2019 by the Winchester Unitarian Society in Winchester, MA, where she served as the intern minister in 2016/17. During her time training for the ministry, Rev. Deborah also served as an interfaith chaplain at Albany Medical Center in Albany, NY.
Rev. Deborah is a long-time spiritual practitioner and meditator, certified as both a yoga and qi gong instructor she is also a certified life coach. In her 20’s she spent four years as a celibate yogini at Kripalu Ashram and traces her spiritual roots to Swami Kripalu and the Prana Yoga tradition. Rev. Deborah is passionate about bringing spiritual awareness to everyday life and into the world of work. Her core values include service, inclusivity, authenticity, joy, and a commitment to seeing the Sacred in all.
Rev. Deborah believes strongly in the necessity of putting one’s values into action and working to create a more just, peaceful, and compassionate world. It is this commitment to “deeds, not creeds” that most drew Rev. Deborah to Unitarian Universalism and what inspires her ongoing work in many areas of justice.
She and her husband Jim live in West Warwick. Together they have four children (three of whom live in the Berkshires of Western MA and one who lives in Providence.) She is a grandmother to a delightful granddaughter who helps her keep her committment to play.
Rev. Deborah loves meeting people and is available for pastoral care, spiritual counseling, congregational work and conversations of all types.
Important links:
To make an appointment to meet with Rev. Deborah either in person or via zoom click HERE.
e-mail: dbennett@westminsteruu.org
Ministry phone number to call or text: 401-262-7377