David Becker named new minister of Tree of Life UU congregation

Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry, in partnership with Prairie Circle Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Grayslake, has named David Becker as the full-time minister serving both congregations starting on Jan. 1, 2024.

On Sunday, Jan. 28, he will lead his first worship in McHenry with “Widening the Circle of Love” at 10:45 am. at the Tree of Life, 5603 Bull Valley Road.

Becker is a recent graduate of Meadville Lombard Theological School, where he completed dual degrees of Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Leadership. He became a credentialed Unitarian Universalist Minister in May of 2023.

In his preparation for ministry, Becker trained and served as a hospital chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove and continues to consider chaplaincy and spiritual care as a vital component of his ministry. He also served as an Intern Minister for three years on Chicago’s west side at Third Unitarian Church of Chicago, where he was active in community ministry around food justice issues impacting Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Prior to entering professional ministry, Becker was active as a lay leader and lay minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of DeKalb, serving in areas of finance and fundraising, religious education, worship, and social justice committees for nearly 10 years.

Becker also brings with him a wealth of complimentary experience from his 15-plus year career in social services and 27-plus year career in informational education, including the past 18 years as the senior manager of learning experiences at the Brookfield Zoo.

For most of his adult life he has been actively involved in issues of environmental justice, racial justice, immigration, child advocacy, and the intersection of those issues with faith formation and community building.

In a message to his new congregants Becker wrote, “I am so overjoyed to be joining the community of communities of Tree of Life and of Prairie Circle, to be sharing your ministries with you; as individual people, as individual congregations, and who we can become together.” He is excited to take on the challenges of serving two religious communities splitting his time in the pulpit with both, providing pastoral care, and engaging social justice work that is at the heart of Unitarian Universalism. Details of the joint ministry are still being worked out by the congregations.

Unitarian Universalism is a small denomination that has deep roots in American history dating back to Colonial New England and in European history dating back to the Reformation period. It is a non-creedal faith that centers reflection and action around shared values, principles, and commitments. Unitarian Universalists are diverse in faith, ethnicity, history and spirituality and Unitarian Universalist congregations strive to be open-minded, open- hearted spiritual communities that help people to lead lives of justice, love, learning, and hope.

Becker resides in DeKalb, Illinois with his family and many pets. For more information, visit the Tree of Life website at treeoflifeuu.org.