“I came to United and thought I knew where God was leading me. I thought I knew who I was. But as I move through this third year, I am reminded again that United has been the place where I found the person inside of myself who is strong and willing to speak for justice, love, and compassion. United has been the place where I learned to spread my branches. I am not the person I thought I would be, but each step away from that person is toward someone who is committed to transformation within myself and in the world around me.”

“United is helping me to dive deep into my faith and cultivate the skills and knowledge I need to minister to the beloved community who seek justice, center the marginalized, and demonstrate God’s transformative love to all.”

“I preached my first sermon when I was 10 years old, but after coming out as gay when I was 32, I was told, and believed, that God could no longer use me. After being led to the United Church of Christ, I quickly realized that was not the case. United has helped reaffirm that God not only will use me, but God is currently using me to minister to the needs of the world around me.”

“My seminary journey has been life-changing. I gained not only an education but also a purpose to be God’s hands and feet in sharing God’s love to a broken world. Sharing lives with my classmates, professors, and the rest of the United community not only allowed me to gain friends but also provided the support that I needed as I prepare for my vocation. Having the feeling that I am not alone in doing God’s work is energizing and comforting. United Seminary provided the space for me to lose and find myself in the ministry.”

“United allows me to go deeper and ask the hard questions without making me feel bad for doing so. My theological training at United is helping prepare me as a scholar and as a minister and very few seminaries actually do both!”