I am a minister in good standing and in Full Fellowship with the UUA and UU Minister’s Association, serving as our chapter’s vice president for three years. After serving as an intern at a large UU church in the Washington, DC area, I saw firsthand the power of activism and relationship in building community across the traditional divides. I witnessed marches and sit-ins, calls for accountability and the beginnings of the dismantling of systems of white supremacy. I feel called to be in the storm, showing up for others and offering space for those who have a voice to share that lift us all up to a higher place. I am a member of several local interfaith organizations and justice-seeking groups active in Pennsylvania.
- Youthworks, Inc!, Philadelphia. KidsClub Director, Summer 2009
- Unitarian Society of Germantown, Philadelphia. Student Minister, August 2014-May 2015
- Chesapeake UU Ministers Association- Worship leader, March/May 2017
- UU Congregation of Fairfax, Oakton, VA- Ministerial Intern 2016-2017
- UUs for Social Justice- 2016-17, helping to organize local advocacy groups and connect to larger UUSJ movements; organizing lobbying training for the Northern Virginia UU cluster
- Northern Virginia Interfaith Clergy group- 2017, helping to organize a response to hate-speech graffiti at the Little River UCC and Jewish Cultural Center of Northern Virginia.
- Allies for Racial Equality- Member, 2016
- Association of Clinical Pastoral Educators- Member, 2016-present
- Association of Professional Chaplains- Member, 2018-present
- Sanctuary DMV- Supported movements for immigration justice and reinstatement of DACA at US Capitol and White House, 2016
- Psychiatric Chaplain Resident, St. Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, DC- 2017
- Minister, UUs of Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, PA- 2018
Rev. McKinley L. Sims, M.Div. 