Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine

Headshot of a light-skinned woman with long brown curly hair and glasses.

Rev. Darcey Laine grew up in a musical family, and has a bachelor’s degree in Music performance from Indiana University. She attended Star King School for the ministry where she developed a passion for ministry with children and youth. After her ordination in 1998 to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry she served as DRE for the First UU Church of Stockton, then settled in Silicon Valley where she served as Minister of Religious Education for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto for seven years.

In the summer of 2007 Darcey and her partner, Eric and son, Nick moved to Ithaca, New York to be closer to family. In 2008 she was called to serve as Parish Minister of the UU Church of Athens and Sheshequin and has served as their settled minister ever since. Here she initiated a multi-congregation coming of age program, supported the congregation in becoming a Green Sanctuary, and was a co-founder of the Community Shale Network during the height of natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale. Restoring our relationship to the web of life and sharing a sense of wonder for the natural world is a guiding passion in all her work. She believes Universalism calls us to ongoing work for the liberation of all, and is proud of the Athens congregation’s lasting commitment to anti-oppression, particularly LGBTQAI+ rights and the work of anti-racism, in which UUCAS has often been a leader in the community at large.

Over the years Rev. Laine has consulted and preached at a number of small congregations, which taught her the blessings of small-church ministry. These relationships also provided opportunities for collaboration and support among congregations, which has become a developing theme in her work.

In 2018 Rev. Laine began her ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cortland, and when the Covid Pandemic prevented in-person gatherings Rev. Laine helped Athens and Cortland enter into a congregational partnership that has continued to this day.

Parish ministry is complemented by Rev. Laine’s work as a spiritual director and as a labyrinth facilitator. Darcey believes deeply in the inner wisdom of each person and our capacity to listen for the movements and calling of spirit in our own lives.

From Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine

Displaying 1 - 7 of 7

In churches with fewer than 30 members, keep your policies simple and practical.

Book | By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | November 29, 2023 | From LeaderLab

A tiny church cannot have a dozen or so teams or committees that a bigger congregation has. Really, we can only do one thing at a time.

By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | November 2, 2023 | From LeaderLab

What if the space we need to live our mission no longer matches the building we own? Could our building find a new calling?

By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | October 25, 2023 | From LeaderLab

We hold in our hearts those who aspire to move from age-ing to sage-ing.

Prayer | By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine, Mary Grigolia | September 1, 2022 | From WorshipWeb

Rev. Darcey Laine’ serves two of our small congregations. Because of her idea, congregations across upstate New York and northern Pennsylvannia have started “buddying up.”

Story | By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | March 17, 2020 | From LeaderLab

The following is a creative format for a water communion, but most other worship elements have been removed to highlight they way that the communion is structured. Note: this service, as written didn’t include a Joys and Sorrows component; its creator hoped for the larger container of the water...

Ritual | By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | August 6, 2015 | From WorshipWeb

Order of Service Welcome Chalice Lighting : "In our time of grief:" (#454, SLT) Opening Song: “We are a Gentle Angry People” vs. 1,2,6 (#170, SLT) Prayer: "A Prayer of Sorrow" (#478, SLT) Reflection A Silent Witnessing Song: “Comfort Me” (#1002, STJ) Sharing The Congregation Song: “Blue...

Complete Service | By Darcey Elizabeth Hegvik Laine | January 21, 2015 | From WorshipWeb

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