DeReau K. Farrar

Full name: DeReau K. Farrar

DeReau Farrar's author photo

DeReau K. Farrar (he/him/his) is Director of Music at First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon, and President of the Association for Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries. In recent years, he has also spent time on the UUA's Commission on Institutional Change and the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Advisory Team. Before moving to Portland in 2016, he served the First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles and the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica, led an interfaith community gospel choir, and freelanced.

From DeReau K. Farrar

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Black people are so accustomed to being ignored and invisible that a simple acknowledgement—a simple I see you—from a peer goes a long way.

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | August 22, 2018 | From Braver/Wiser

I want the spaces in which we meet to be encased by aspirations and forward loving, not affirmations and self-applause. I want to love the people I disagree with, knowing that we’re all just out to find a little more life.

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | April 11, 2018 | From Braver/Wiser

I wanted so badly to break free and let loose—but I just couldn't. I was stuck in my own false ideas of the congregation's expectations of me. Luckily, there’s still time.

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | January 16, 2018 | From Braver/Wiser

When I was in middle school, I was taught that every person, to some extent, holds a set of prejudices that impact our perceptions of others. We were asked to think about what our prejudices might be, and how they might inform our relationships and our movement through the world....

Homily | By DeReau K. Farrar | October 15, 2017 | From WorshipWeb

Living up to my sacred identity is hard! It means remembering that every time I fail to choose grace, or goodness, or peace, I am thoughtlessly squandering my divinity.

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | October 11, 2017 | From Braver/Wiser

How many times do I need to make mistakes before I’m ready to admit that I’m not any better at this than the bigoted and willfully ignorant?

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | September 12, 2017 | From Braver/Wiser

There’s something deeply moving for me about the idea of a love that will always have my back.

Reflection | By DeReau K. Farrar | July 12, 2017 | From Braver/Wiser

Embracing theists is essential to the cultural and spiritual health of Unitarian Universalism.

By DeReau K. Farrar | June 19, 2017 | From UU World

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