Our Minister - Reverend Jill Jarvis
Rev. Jill Jarvis Rev. Jill Jarvis began serving the Fellowship as part-time consulting minister in 2006, while still in seminary at Meadville-Lombard Theological School in Chicago. The Fellowship ordained Jill in 2008, and called her as our first settled minister in 2010. In November 2008 Jill was co-ordained by our Fellowship and All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Kansas City, and now serves as our first half-time minister. She leads the Sunday service twice a month, generally on the second and fourth Sundays, and enjoys creative and collaborative UU-style worship. Jill’s special interest in ministry is helping to grow healthy, nurturing congregations that are connected to the larger community and inspired to put their faith and values into action to build a better world.
Jill is married and has two adult sons. Prior to entering seminary, she worked for nearly twenty-five years in international marketing; she speaks fluent French and a little Spanish. Jill and her husband, Chris Cox, an aviation consultant, spend time each summer in the French Pyrenees, restoring their 500-year-old farmhouse.
In a 2009 article in the Lawrence Journal World, responding to the question, “What is your favorite part of being a religious leader?”, Jill wrote:
"I serve a congregation with a strong tradition of lay leadership. It was not an easy decision for the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence to employ a minister after half a century without one. During the past three years we’ve forged a collaborative relationship, working together as a beacon of liberal religion and a visible force for justice and compassion in the community. UFL is filled with caring, curious, committed people of diverse perspectives, who maintain a strong sense of themselves as a community even as new members continue to join us.
In our Unitarian tradition, ministerial authority is derived from the congregation itself. From the beginning, this Fellowship not only welcomed but also empowered me, just as they have always empowered each other. Members acknowledge and appreciate the gifts I bring as a professional minister. They are eager to listen – to me and to each other -- and, when an idea inspires them, they step up with their talent and energy to make it happen. They are people with busy lives, yet consistently take the time to offer me the guidance, expertise, and encouragement I need to be an effective leader. They challenge and inspire me to become the best minister I can be, an amazing gift for which I’m truly grateful.
What an extraordinary opportunity it is to join with others to nurture spirits and to help heal a broken world! This congregation has stepped forward to advocate for people who are homeless, for fair immigration policies, and for health insurance reform. We affirm the worth and dignity of every person, welcoming people of all sexual orientations. We encourage and empower our children and youth, developing their sense of spirituality and creating opportunities for them to put their faith into action. We do it all together with a sense of gratitude and a sense of humor, which in the end may be the best part of being the Unitarian Fellowship’s faith leader."
Jill maintains regular office hours at the Fellowship from 3:00 – 5:00 on Wednesdays, and is also available by appointment. She provides pastoral care and counseling for members and friends of UFL, and officiates at weddings and memorial services for members and non-members upon consultation. You may reach her by phone at (816)853-6530, or email at uflminister@sunflower.com.