Tom Capo named new minister of DuPage UU congregation
The Rev. Tom Capo has joined DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church in Naperville as the called minister. Capo most recently was minister of Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
He comes to DuPage UU Church to bring the message that “there is a religion that people can be part of where they can find the spiritual belief that speaks to their heart of hearts.
“DuPage UU Church offers a safe place for people who are seeking, exploring and considering different faiths, different beliefs and different experiences of what 'spiritual' might be,” he said.
Capo brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience, not only in pastoring a church, but also in reaching beyond the walls of the church to provide spiritual sustenance to those in the community who might define themselves as spiritual but not religious.
At his previous church, he initiated a Twitter account, a YouTube page, a blog and live-streaming services, and provided support for the church's many Facebook pages. He believes many people are searching for spiritual sustenance and want to explore different faiths but may not initially want to set foot inside the walls of a church.
Capo has started a new blog as minister of DuPage UU Church, The Human Spirit.
“I will write about and struggle with 'what is the essence of being a whole, thriving, connected human being,” he wrote in the blog.
“Many people think of a church as a place of conservative values and intolerance of those who may be different,” Capo notes. “I want people to feel they can find some of what they need online. And I hope people who explore the online resources the church provides might one day find that being part of a community of seekers will aid them, support them and encourage them to look deeper within themselves.”
In his first service as minister of DuPage UU Church on Aug. 3, Capo explored the roots of Unitarian Universalism.
“Consider this faith, this religion, this association of congregations. Look at its history. Ideas passed from person to person provoking further ideas. Passion and beauty calls to us from past to present but does not mire us in traditions or creeds. Our past is part of who we are today. We are bold enough to acknowledge our Christological heritage; and we are called to find new meaning, new ideas, new passions that make sense to us today. To Unitarian Universalists, faith is a verb.”
Capo was a commissioner on the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission and served on many nonprofit boards and steering committees, including Family Promise of Linn County, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County, the Sexual Health Alliance of Linn and Johnson County, Planned Parenthood of East Central Iowa, the Partnership for a Drug-Free Cedar Rapids, and the Cedar Rapids “Blue Zone.” He also was a moderator for “Ethical Perspectives on the News,” a show sponsored by the Inter-Religious Council of Linn County and televised on the local ABC affiliate, KCRG.
DuPage UU Church is a growing congregation of more than 300 members who honor many belief systems and are united by shared values of justice, freedom of thought, and peace among all. In June 2013, DuPage UU Church received the Earth Flag for environmental sustainability from DuPage County and SCARCE. For information, visit DuPageUUChurch.com or call (630) 505-9408.