Reverend Carolyn Colbert, Interim Minister
Meet our Interim Minister, Reverend Carolyn Colbert. We are very fortunate to have such an experienced dynamic minister to serve us this year as we search for our next Settled Minister.
Reverend Colbert is an Accredited Interim Minister (AIM) with over 25 years of ministerial experience. Last year she served as Interim Minister for the UU Fellowship of Los Gatos, CA. That congregation welcomed 16 new members and called their first Settled Minister in 40 years. Carolyn was the Parish Minister for the UU Church in Eugene, Oregon for eight years, where she was named Minister Emerita. The Eugene church went from a small pastoral-sized congregation to a vibrant program-sized religious community with a membership of 380 adults and 175 children and youth during her stewardship.
She has served Interim Ministries at Fresno, CA, Washington Crossing NJ, and as Pastoral Interim at the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock, Manhasset, NY. From 1989-1995 Rev. Carolyn served as Parish Minister for the UU Fellowship of San Luis Obispo County, CA. Under her leadership that congregation became multi-generational and developed a strong presence in Social Justice work. Carolyn was active in the Interfaith Community and served as president of The San Luis Obispo Ministerial Association.
In the years following Reverend Colbert's graduation from the Starr King School for the Ministry in 1982, she served Bay Area congregations as a Consulting Minister at the San Francisco UU Church and the Monterey Peninsula UU Church; as the Extension Minister in the Tri Cities, WA., and Consulting Minister for the newly forming Cascade UU Fellowship in Wenatchee, WA. Before and after being ordained at the UU Church in Davis CA, Carolyn had been active as a denominational leader. She served two terms on the PCD board, facilitated Board retreats and was an Adjunct Faculty member at Starr King School for the Ministry for several years.
Carolyn is a lifetime Universalist. Both of her parents were ordained ministers. Her father, Horton Colbert, served several parishes and was national Director of Religious Education for the Universalist Churches of America and Professor of Ministry at Starr King. Her mother, Lynette Colbert was a Social Worker. She has three talented, creative daughters, Sharlyn Sawyer, Shanda Sawyer, and Katherine Sawyer, who are all working in the arts.
Carolyn says she "likes to write poetry, sketch, and work in clay. I journal, watch too much TV, nurture my house plants, attend dance concerts, and travel whenever I can. I am delighted to have two of my daughters in the Bay Area and very excited to be with this vital, growing, and caring congregation."
Carolyn currently lives in Livermore with her 16 year old cat P.K., short for Preacher's Kitty, and "entirely too many books!"
