During our “Different Lens” services we hear a message from faith leaders who are also BIPOC and/or Queer, who may have something to teach us about God when scripture gets a different lens put on it than the one we all probably grew up with. Our Different Lens speaker is Allison Connelly-Vetter, who earned a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary with a concentration in disability theology. She currently serves as Interim Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis. Allison is the co-chair of the United Church of Christ Disabilities Ministries Board, an alumna of the Collegeville Institute Seminar on Disability and Vocation, and a co-founder and co-convener of the Disability Theology Discussion Group. Allison is also a board member with Benincasa Community, a farm in the Catholic worker tradition.

Allison joins us as we celebrate becoming a “Reconciling In Christ” faith community that expresses a desire to welcome all kinds of people, a place where All Means All. This continues our  “Life Together” series by looking at some specific ways we are “Life Together.” We’ll celebrate today with a Different Lens Speaker, plus share a feast after worship. 

Allison writes, teaches, and preaches regularly on disability theology for local and national religious institutions and organizations.  Allison and her wife Brooklyn live in Minneapolis, Minnesota where they share space with many musical instruments including two trombones, two guitars, a ukulele, a homemade cigar box guitar, a player piano, and a double bass.