Praise and Love
…in the words of those who know me.
“Sophia has a hunger for depth and meaning that is infectious. She has a spiritual aliveness that people naturally gravitate to, and she is mature and grounded enough to not be seduced by their praise. Rather, she keeps on doing her work and helping others do their spiritual work too.”
– Rev. Frank Clarkson, Minister, UU Church of Haverhill
“When Sophia walks into a room, the air becomes breezy and light. People take a deep breath and are visibly relieved, even when they didn’t realize they were tense.”
Rev. Rebecca Bryan, Minister, First Religious Society UU in Newburyport, MA
“Sophia’s perspective, innovation, and steadfast support on our staff team have been invaluable to navigating these times for which there is no roadmap…She is the stellar kind of colleague that only comes around a few times over the course of one’s career, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to learn from her good and faithful work this year.”
– Clare Fortune-Lad, Director of Religious Education, UU Church of Haverhill
“Sophia is very authentic and that is the highest compliment I give.”
–Rev. Gary Smith, Minister Emeritus at First Parish in Concord, MA., and UU Preaching Professor, Harvard and Boston University
“Sophia has the ability to connect with people in a multitude of ways; she’s attuned; she pursues justice on behalf of others; she’s determined and perseveres; she embodies joyfulness; and she is unabashedly herself. The Unitarian Universalist community is lucky to have her as a leader.”
– Rabbi Beth Naditch, Clinical Pastoral Education Director at Hebrew Senior Life
Sophia is self-aware, spiritually engaged, and prophetic. She is a minister of welcome.
–Ministerial Fellowship Committee, UUA
Sophia weaves spells in the hearts of others. They hear her, and they know there is beauty, fun, laughter, and joy in the world; even in our desert, our scary, unknown world.
–Rabbi Marcia Plumb, Senior Rabbi at Congregation Mishkan Tefila in Brookline, MA
Sophia is a preacher who ministers in a way that is instructive and constructive. After an hour being in relationship with Rev. Sophia during her sermons, one comes away having received personal and spiritual insights and actual ideas for moving forward spiritually, as well as being inspired to move towards a more just society.
–UU Church of Haverhill Intern Committee
