|
|
|
|
|
|
His last MInister's Musings for WUUC was published June 1, 2008. Alex was born in northern New England and educated in both Maine and Pennsylvania. Later, he moved to the West and worked as a university administrator, bank manager and insurance adjuster before starting seminary at Starr King School for the Ministry at Berkeley, California in 1988. He later interned in Massachusetts and served churches in Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Illinois before returning here to the Pacific Northwest. He has been a Zen practitioner for nearly a decade studying with Rev. Jan Chozen Bays of the Zen Community of Oregon and Great Vow Zen Monastery in northern Oregon. He and Debra met at a Zen retreat in 1997 and both continue their formal training. Besides Zen practice and ministry, Alex enjoys hobbies of reading, cooking Asian food and newly interested in bonsai gardening. He also confesses an ongoing enthusiasm for medieval Icelandic literature. Rev. Alex Holt is involved in national and regional programs
to create and support addictions ministry. As a recovering alcoholic,
Alex is well aware from direct experience as to the harmful effects of
addiction. The Buddhist training he takes also looks at addiction as "desire
gone mad" and that can include the more subtle addictions such as
food, shopping, and materialism. He is working with the Pacific Northwest
District to create an Addictions Ministry program to be available to laity
and clergy for support, safe conversation and resources to help families
and individuals heal from addictions. These include alternatives to the
traditional 12-step models. He is also working with the UUA Department
of Ministry and Professional Leadership to create a program for addictions
education for our clergy. Please contact Alex if you have questions or
comments about these programs on addiction ministry.
|
Our
last service with Rev. Alex Holt was Sunday, June 2nd. He will be with
the