We are excited to welcome our new minister, Rev. Beau Rivers. She will lead her first worship service at Ingathering on Sunday, Sept. 8. Here is a profile of her that we have created based on the essays she provided to us during the application and interview process.
Rev. Beau received her call to ministry after a 15-year career in retail management and a 15-year career in social work and community mental health. The daughter of French-Canadian immigrants and descendants of the Wolastoqiyik [Wall-a-stow-key-ick] First Nations of Canada, she grew up in Lewiston, Maine and moved to Portland, Maine upon completion of her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Southern Maine.
She received her M.Div. at The Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, MA in 2016. Prior to her ordination in 2020, she served as contract minister at The Unitarian Universalist Church of Weymouth, MA and as WorshipWeb assistant and chaplain coordinator at The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in Boston, MA. She served as sabbatical minister at The United First Parish Church of Quincy, MA during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. She then went on to serve as senior/solo minister at All Souls UU Church in Braintree, MA from 2021 to 2024, where she helped them assess their resources emerging from the pandemic and supported their decision-making regarding a reduction in ministry and programming going forward.
Rev. Beau views ministry as a communal endeavor; she sees herself as a “catalyst” in the life of the congregation. She values collaboration and egalitarian, inclusive decision-making. She has worked with churches to create desired congregational change around attracting young families through “child friendly” open houses and vibrant RE programs. She sees the importance of stewardship and healthy financial management.
She is excited about many opportunities in parish ministry, from pastoral care, to community building and long-range planning, and religious exploration with children, youth, and adults. She loves exploring ways to bring a worship theme to life through the visual and performing arts. She has deep interest and experience in public ministries such as social justice programs, interfaith coalitions, support for the well-being of immigrant neighbors, and other values-based activities open to the public.
Rev. Beau welcomes the use of technology to enhance the worship experience. She created many different kinds of online gatherings for her congregations during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, from intimate gatherings for lighting Candles of Remembrance to full worship services. She is no stranger to the intricacies and logistics of Zoom and PowerPoint.
She brings a calm and grounding personal presence to her ministry, infused with her lifelong meditation practice and her training in Reiki. She is someone who can lead and who can also observe and listen and hold space for others to grow into their best selves. Her personal theology is based in Process Theology and an openness to the “transcendent mystery of life and love.” She honors and supports each individual’s personal beliefs. She understands the importance of self-care, and she nourishes her spirit through participating in retreats, workshops, collegial gatherings, study leave, and daily practices of meditation and physical exercise.
Rev. Beau is a sincere, compassionate, dedicated, fully-embodied person and spiritual leader. We welcome her to our congregation with open arms! You may read more about Rev. Beau on her website at: beaurivers.org.
