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The Queerness of the Crucifix (a less preachy version for UUs)
Led by Jeff Crim
Welcome to your first Sunday Service during Rev. Mandy's sabbatical. We are pleased to have Jeff Crim delivering the sermon. The cross is a ubiquitous symbol on many churches. Historically, it was a primary symbol for both Unitarians and Universalists. Many of us have a personal history with the cross that isn’t always pleasant. We’ll look at the forgotten, bur real, history of the cross and ask ourselves: “Who rightly inherits this symbol today.”
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Jeff Crim is part of a distinct community of people in Chattanooga: people who used to attend this church.
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In the early 90’s: Frustrated by the reality of his own Lutheran church’s inability to accept LGBTQ people—or to give meaningful answers to his questions after a friend of his suffered a hate crime—Jeff found a welcoming, if temporary, home here during his last year and a half of high school. The week before he left for college, Interim Minister Francis Day invited him to give his very first sermon from this pulpit.
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A lot has happened in the years since. In college, Jeff dated a woman from New Jersey who turned out to be the niece of Delores Wood—office manager, and later Director of Religious Education, here at the church. Eventually he went to Earlham School of Religion, a Quaker seminary in Indiana, where one of his classmates cited Jack Young and Jay Abernathy—two former ministers of this church—as role models for ministry.
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Jeff’s life just keeps intersecting with this community. In 2009, after a change in Lutheran polity, he returned to the Lutheran church and eventually to Chattanooga, becoming pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church on Germantown Road. Embracing the inevitable, he became friends with Mandy Goheen.
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Today he works full time as a hospital chaplain, and enjoys doing pulpit supply at Lutheran and Episcopal churches in the area—as well as his favorite occasional preaching and speaking spot: here.
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He is also the author of the award-winning book Queering My Religion: Biblical Stories of Queer Love in the ’90s. His nonfiction work has appeared in publications as diverse as The Hill, The Forward, and Lutheran Forum.
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This Sunday, July 13, 2025
11 am - Sunday Service
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4:30 PM Standing Out Chattanooga
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7:00 PM Eating Disorders Anonymous
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10:00 AM Small Group Ministry
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6:30 PM Church Band Practice
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6:00 PM Narcotics Anonymous Meditation Meeting
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9:00 AM 12 Step Group (Forum Room)
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The Social Justice Committee has many planned actions for the 2025-2026 year. Click here to see them all.
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The Art on the Walls Program presents the June & July exhibit
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Black In Bloom:
A Showcase in Black Thriving
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This exhibit presents the art of two talented local artists: S.Ja FineArt (Sharketa Penn) and Nola x Trinity (Andrea Sanders). Their creations proclaim Black creativity and beauty.
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Both artists are members of The MFA (Music+ Fashion+
Art) Foundation. S.Ja FineArt creates using the digital
painting app Procreate. Nola X Trinity presents prints of her
works on canvas. Much thanks to Karla Scaife for inviting
these gifted artists to exhibit at UUCC.
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Nola strives to depict “...black women in an array of colors
and phases; viewed as majestic, demure, soft, warm,
welcoming, revolutionary and captivating.”
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The art will remain in the church’s gallery through July 27. To purchase the art or additional prints, refer to the wall label. The artists will donate 30% of proceeds to the MFA
Foundation.
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REconnect Nature School is now offering tutoring services! If you need Summer Tutoring, they are offering tutoring for all subjects for Upper Elementary, Middle, and High School as well as Test Prep! They will also work on a sliding scale for pricing. Use the QR Code to learn more, or email jaime@reconnectnatureschool.org
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