He attended Butler University (Indianapolis) where he obtained a B.A. majoring in Sociology. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary (NY) and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary (DC). He began his ministry by serving a congregation in a small town in Maine. Since 1984, he served the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis. He ended his ministry with them on December 31, 2017.

Fred is the author of three books including Maglipay Universalist: The Unitarian Universalist Church of the Philippines. He is editor of and contributor to The Whole World Kin: Darwin and the Spirit of Liberal Religion and most recently Turning Point: Essays on a New Unitarian Universalism. He is co-editor of and contributing essayist to The Safe Congregation Handbook: Nurturing Healthy Boundaries in Our Faith Communities.

Fred has also done extensive work on sexual misconduct and safe congregations. He was a board member of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of MD. He has been a co-facilitator of the Empowerment Workshop. He served on the UUA’s Joseph Priestley District’s anti-racism team and also the South-East Regional Sub-committee on [Ministerial] Candidacy. He was the vice-president of the UU Partner Church Council. Since 1990, he has traveled to the Philippines to work with the UU Church of the Philippines as a teacher, organizer and consultant and since 1994 he has served as the UUA Ambassador to the UU congregations of the Philippines. He served on the UU Ministers Association Board where he held the portfolio of Good Offices. He was the 192nd Berry Street Essayist in 2012.