Our new settled minister is the Rev. Dr. Nina D. Grey. Rev. Nina comes to us from a twelve-year ministry as Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Society of Chicago. She is excited to be in Bozeman serving as three-quarter time minister of our Fellowship.

Nina’s early background included teaching in elementary school and working as an office manager. She felt called to the ministry at the age of 35 and began seminary. Her concentration at Andover Newton Theological School was in ethics. Nina earned her M. Div. in 1982, and before coming to Bozeman served congregations in Keene, New Hampshire, Philadelphia and Chicago. She was also a part-time Interim Minister at the UU Church of Wakefield, Massachusetts during her last year of seminary.

Nina began a Doctor of Ministry program at McCormick Theological School shortly after the nation’s and world’s tragedy of September 11, 2001, working on it part-time while continuing full-time in ministry. She received her D. Min. in 2007, in the Pastoral Care Track. Nina’s thesis was: The One and the Many ~ Embracing Spiritual Pluralism in Congregational Life. It included a project, the Spiritual Pluralism Project. She envisioned this as a spiritual and pastoral project, for not only does it help people in a congregation to deepen their own spiritual paths in community, it also helps people feel a sense of full hospitality and welcome. Nina says “A UU congregation should be a place where people feel fully welcome and don’t have to leave any part, including who they are spiritually, at the door.”

Nina loves working collaboratively with lay leaders and staff to help support and create inspirational worship, caring community, and meaningful involvement in the larger community. She enjoys sharing the ministry with all of us. In her former settings she helped create and support interfaith peace movements, food programs and transitional housing opportunities. She served on the Boards of retirement communities and nursing homes. She worked for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in every congregation and community she has served, and while in Chicago focused on the rights of undocumented immigrants, beginning to learn Spanish as part of that effort. In Bozeman, she meets regularly with clergy of other faiths in a Clergy Spiritual Direction group and will be involved with the Gallatin Valley Interfaith Association.

Nina believes in the importance of multigenerational community and enjoys supporting lifespan religious education and multigenerational activities.

Rev. Nina anticipates learning how to cross-country ski and looks forward to enjoying the beauty of winter and all the seasons of a Bozeman year. Nina loves walking, and looks forward to hiking some of the trails that ripple through Bozeman.