The New England Region of the UUA is excited to share the news that Emily Cherry has joined our team this spring as full time Congregational Life Field Staff! Emily brings to this role their knowledge of UUA systems, having been previously steeped in the work of the Ministries and Faith Development Office, and rich experience as a lay leader in both congregational and larger organizational contexts.

In their time as UUA Transitions Office Administrator, Emily began to build relationships with congregational search committee members, religious professionals, and lay leaders that laid the groundwork for their deep investment in supporting healthy congregational life. Their transition to the role of Executive Administrator for Ministries and Faith Development allowed them to hone their event planning, communications, and other “administry” skills. Emily was especially honored to lead planning and logistics coordination for General Assembly’s Service of the Living Tradition for the past two years. Now, having missed making connections with congregational leaders as part of their day-to-day work, Emily is thrilled to have the opportunity to learn about the good trouble our congregations in New England (and beyond!) are up to, and how they might support more collaborations between these organizations.

As a lay leader in a congregation, Emily served as a board member and co-chair of the worship committee during the acute phase of the pandemic. They currently serve as a board member of the Young Adult Revival Network, promoting the growth of UU young adult communities around the globe. Overall, Emily believes in the Holy power of our choice to build community with one another and in our ability to foster collective resilience in a complicated world.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Emily Cherry. If you have any questions or wish to connect with them, feel free to reach out directly, echerry@uua.org, or, as always, contact any member of our staff team.