Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick
Rev. Hillary Collins-Gilpatrick began her ministry at the First Universalist Church of Yarmouth in August 2020.
Prior to becoming First U’s called minister. Rev. Hillary served as a Director and Minister of Religious Education in large and mid-size churches in the Boston and Washington, D.C. areas. She received her MDiv from Harvard Divinity School with a focus in Buddhist Philosophy and her BA from Smith College in American Religious History. Alongside her calling to parish ministry, Rev. Hillary has taught high school and worked in youth centers and justice-seeking nonprofits throughout the northeast.
Born and raised in Maine, Rev. Hillary has a great love for the ocean and mountains, and over a decade’s experience working on organic farms. While she appreciates, studies, and respects all faiths, Rev. Hillary’s personal beliefs are rooted primarily in Buddhism, a religion she has practiced since childhood. In her free time, Rev. Hillary enjoys playing music, inventing recipes, hiking in the White Mountains, and going on gallivants with her greyhounds and partner.
All About Sabbatical
Rev. Hillary will be on Sabbatical July 1, 2026 – January 2, 2027. Rev. Hillary is taking a Sabbatical from July 1st through January 2nd. During this time she will not be participating in any congregational activities at First U, nor will she be in communication with congregants or church leaders.
What Is a Ministerial Sabbatical?
Sabbatical is an old concept that relates to a period of rest or change, usually after six years. The root is from the word “Sabbath”, the Biblical term, meaning the day of rest after six days of labor. Sabbaticals are strongly encouraged in our denomination, and First U, like most Unitarian Universalist congregations, grants their minister a sabbatical period with full pay in recognition of their difficult and consuming work. The result is a renewal of the ministers’ body, mind, and spirit, and the long term health and growth of a shared ministry.
What this Means for First U
While Rev. Hillary is away, First U has an opportunity to get to know one another and the inner workings of this beautiful spiritual community in deeper ways.
This is not a time for major changes; rather a time to celebrate and strengthen what we have built together in our shared ministry. During sabbaticals the UUA encourages churches to “nurture lay leaders – old and new – to build broader leadership and institutional knowledge.” First U’s project, then, from July to January is to continue the practice of being in relationship with one another, continue to increase love with justice, and to continue to lift up our values of peace and friendship.
Congregational Life: What to Expect
Though Rev. Hillary’s absence surely will be felt next fall, much of our congregational life will remain the same. We will still have regular Sunday worship services led by Sam and Gwen, and UU ministers from all over New England. Along with these guest leaders, the sabbatical provides a wonderful opportunity for congregants to collaborate with our Worship Council and create meaningful and community-centered worship services together.
Beyond Worship, we will also still hold our monthly Vespers, Lectio Divina, Dinner Church, and Soul Matters discussions. Our Councils and Committees will continue to meet monthly in order to support the hopes and needs of our congregation and broader community. You can expect enriching offerings from Adult RE, Faith in Action, and the Spiritual Care Council throughout the fall.
Extra Help While Rev. Hillary Is Away
Welcome to Our Sabbatical Minister, Rev. Lara Campbell! Rev. Lara is a lifelong UU and the former minister of First Parish UU in Kennebunk. She now serves as a full time chaplain at Maine Medical Center.
From August 15th through December 30th, Rev. Lara will be a resource for church leadership and staff to contact for complicated and pressing questions or situations. She will attend three meetings per month: the Board Executive meeting, the Board of Trustees meeting, and the Committee on Ministry meeting.
Rev. Lara will also be in communication with the Worship and Spiritual Care Council Chairs to support and advise programming plans and pastoral concerns as needed. While the Spiritual Care Council be will the primary source of ongoing care in our community, Rev. Lara will be on-call for acute pastoral emergencies should they occur. If there is a crisis or death in the congregation, the Sabbatical Minister, Rev. Lara, will determine if Rev. Hillary needs to know and what response, if any, would be appropriate.
Boundaries and Contact
Rev. Hillary’s last day at First U will be Tuesday, June 30th. At the end of that day she will officially be on sabbatical. All goodbyes, questions, and last minute requests should happen before that moment. As of July 1st she will no longer be checking or responding to emails, calls or texts until January.
Rev. Hillary will be extremely curious about the goings-on at First U while she’s away. Nonetheless, she will not be visiting or checking in with congregants during her sabbatical.
This boundary is difficult and may seem harsh, but it is an important part of finding the rest and renewal that is integral to a sabbatical leave. Throughout her sabbatical, Rev. Hillary will write periodic notes to First U and tell us a little about what she’s been up to and has been learning along the way. These notes will be posted in Channels for all to read.
We wish Rev. Hillary a restorative, spirited, and fun sabbatical and we can’t wait to see her in January when we can all get together and share about our sabbatical experiences – perhaps over coffee and pie!
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