Rev. Justine Sullivan
Lead Minister - joined the staff in 2022
Ordained in 2017 by her home congregation of Northborough, MA, Rev. Justine served our UU faith for several years before entering seminary as a leader in her congregation and a congregational consultant and facilitator across New England and beyond. Prior to ministry, Rev. Justine worked for 20 years as a social worker and psychotherapist and as a technical writer and manager in high technology. Her ministerial record speaks to her passion for transitional ministry: mentoring, leadership development, preaching, pastoral care, and leading congregations through major transitions of growth and service. She served as president of the Clara Barton district board in New England from 2012 to 2015 and president of the District Presidents’ Association from 2014 to 2015. She was recently nominated to run for the UUA Board of Trustees and, if elected, will begin her 3-year term in July of 2022. Rev. Justine believes strongly that times of major transition in the life of a congregation are not just something to get through but offer great possibility for healing, discernment, and transformation. She has served congregations in Massachusetts, Maine, and Virginia as an interim minister. She looks forward to joining us for her 4-year commitment as our developmental minister. Her top goal for First UU is to help our members gain clarity and renewed enthusiasm for our mission. She will also be helping to guide us through the board's developmental goals, including governance and staffing needs, rebuilding trust and engaging conflict in healthy ways, and deciding whether to stay in Hillcrest or find a new location. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Ordained in 2017 by her home congregation of Northborough, MA, Rev. Justine served our UU faith for several years before entering seminary as a leader in her congregation and a congregational consultant and facilitator across New England and beyond. Prior to ministry, Rev. Justine worked for 20 years as a social worker and psychotherapist and as a technical writer and manager in high technology. Her ministerial record speaks to her passion for transitional ministry: mentoring, leadership development, preaching, pastoral care, and leading congregations through major transitions of growth and service. She served as president of the Clara Barton district board in New England from 2012 to 2015 and president of the District Presidents’ Association from 2014 to 2015. She was recently nominated to run for the UUA Board of Trustees and, if elected, will begin her 3-year term in July of 2022. Rev. Justine believes strongly that times of major transition in the life of a congregation are not just something to get through but offer great possibility for healing, discernment, and transformation. She has served congregations in Massachusetts, Maine, and Virginia as an interim minister. She looks forward to joining us for her 4-year commitment as our developmental minister. Her top goal for First UU is to help our members gain clarity and renewed enthusiasm for our mission. She will also be helping to guide us through the board's developmental goals, including governance and staffing needs, rebuilding trust and engaging conflict in healthy ways, and deciding whether to stay in Hillcrest or find a new location. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Dr. Omega Burckhardt
Assistant Minister - joined the staff in 2021
Omega Burckhardt (she/they/ella) serves as Assistant Minister, splitting her time between the Hillcrest and South Bay campuses. She recently relocated from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she was active with Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and UUPMI, UU Prison Ministry of Illinois. On a path that, in retrospect, has led directly to serving FUUSD, Omega holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in Hispanic Literatures, and she taught for ten years at Marquette University where she lead programs in intercultural communication and language acquisition. Omega has served congregations in Racine, Wisconsin and in Rockford, Illinois an Ministerial Intern, and she looks forward to getting to know this vibrant, sunny, and historic congregation in San Diego. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Omega Burckhardt (she/they/ella) serves as Assistant Minister, splitting her time between the Hillcrest and South Bay campuses. She recently relocated from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she was active with Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice and UUPMI, UU Prison Ministry of Illinois. On a path that, in retrospect, has led directly to serving FUUSD, Omega holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kansas in Hispanic Literatures, and she taught for ten years at Marquette University where she lead programs in intercultural communication and language acquisition. Omega has served congregations in Racine, Wisconsin and in Rockford, Illinois an Ministerial Intern, and she looks forward to getting to know this vibrant, sunny, and historic congregation in San Diego. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Jim Grant
Affiliate Minister - joined the staff in 2010
Rev. Jim Grant has been with First UU Church since 1996, having joined the church with his wife Betty in 1998. During this time Rev. Grant served as an Interim or Consulting minister in ten different UU Congregations and was away for the periods he served. Since retiring in 2010 he has been active without interruption with First UU. As Affiliate Minister he fills in on an "as needed" basis, primarily providing pastoral care and "rite of passage" services such as weddings and memorial (Celebration of Life) services, additionally teaching Adult Religious classes and workshops. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Jim Grant has been with First UU Church since 1996, having joined the church with his wife Betty in 1998. During this time Rev. Grant served as an Interim or Consulting minister in ten different UU Congregations and was away for the periods he served. Since retiring in 2010 he has been active without interruption with First UU. As Affiliate Minister he fills in on an "as needed" basis, primarily providing pastoral care and "rite of passage" services such as weddings and memorial (Celebration of Life) services, additionally teaching Adult Religious classes and workshops. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Julie Forest
Affiliate Community Minister
I began my ministry on Bainbridge Island and have served churches in Washington, Wisconsin and most recently in the Rancho Mirage / Palm Springs area of the Southern California dessert. Ministry is my second career after being an on air radio programmer, DJ, and music director. I have been married to my wife since we got illegally married at First UU San Francisco. In addition, I am a mom of a young adult.
Although I retired at the General Assembly last year in Spokane Washington, I still maintain a private practice of spiritual direction as well as clergy coaching. I also do some community ministry for the LGBT center.
I am grateful to the board and the other ministers at First SD for welcoming me as an affiliate minister. I preach for this congregation occasionally and also do some teaching and some group facilitation. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
I began my ministry on Bainbridge Island and have served churches in Washington, Wisconsin and most recently in the Rancho Mirage / Palm Springs area of the Southern California dessert. Ministry is my second career after being an on air radio programmer, DJ, and music director. I have been married to my wife since we got illegally married at First UU San Francisco. In addition, I am a mom of a young adult.
Although I retired at the General Assembly last year in Spokane Washington, I still maintain a private practice of spiritual direction as well as clergy coaching. I also do some community ministry for the LGBT center.
I am grateful to the board and the other ministers at First SD for welcoming me as an affiliate minister. I preach for this congregation occasionally and also do some teaching and some group facilitation. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Katy Kroll Swanson, BCC
Affiliate Community Minister
I am an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and I serve as a Hospital Chaplain at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego. I was ordained in 2018 by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach, the church I grew up attending. I am Board Certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains.
At Rady Children's Hospital, I provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and families experiencing significant change and/or loss, and to the staff caring for them. I enjoy getting to know families from many different backgrounds, hearing their stories, and helping them make meaning from and find hope in challenging experiences. I feel especially called to walking with families in moments of crisis. I work with my colleagues to confront racial and economic healthcare inequity.
My husband, Steve, and I are members tof First UU Church and we have a young daughter. I have preached at our South Bay campus, sung in the JUUL Tones choir, and serve as a co-facilitator of the Caregivers & Allies Support Group at First UU.
I love working in healthcare, where I learn something new every day. I co-facilitate a Facebook group for UU Chaplain Colleagues which I worked to establish in 2017. It is an engaged, active group of approximately 80 UU chaplains working in healthcare and other community settings who support each other personally and professionally.
In my free time I enjoy swimming in the ocean or pool with my master's swim team, running, or taking my daughter to one of our local playgrounds. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
I am an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and I serve as a Hospital Chaplain at Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego. I was ordained in 2018 by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach, the church I grew up attending. I am Board Certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains.
At Rady Children's Hospital, I provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and families experiencing significant change and/or loss, and to the staff caring for them. I enjoy getting to know families from many different backgrounds, hearing their stories, and helping them make meaning from and find hope in challenging experiences. I feel especially called to walking with families in moments of crisis. I work with my colleagues to confront racial and economic healthcare inequity.
My husband, Steve, and I are members tof First UU Church and we have a young daughter. I have preached at our South Bay campus, sung in the JUUL Tones choir, and serve as a co-facilitator of the Caregivers & Allies Support Group at First UU.
I love working in healthcare, where I learn something new every day. I co-facilitate a Facebook group for UU Chaplain Colleagues which I worked to establish in 2017. It is an engaged, active group of approximately 80 UU chaplains working in healthcare and other community settings who support each other personally and professionally.
In my free time I enjoy swimming in the ocean or pool with my master's swim team, running, or taking my daughter to one of our local playgrounds. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Bonnie Tarwater
Affiliate Community Minister - joined the staff in 2018
Rev. Bonnie Tarwater was ordained at First UU Church of SD in 1999, and is their first “affiliated community minister.” She has served as a parish minister in both UU and UCC churches and currently serves, Church for Our Common Home, a church and counseling center, churchforourcommonhome.com a non-profit thatprovides artistic, religious and psychological services to awaken to the moral and ecologic crisis as an invitation for spiritual growth and creating loving community with all of creation, caring for our common home, Mother Earth. Bonnie is a Unitarian Christian dedicated to eco-feminism, the divine feminine, and AWE, Art, the Wisdom traditions and the Earth. Working previously in the professional theater she explores metaphor, symbol, color, dreams, visions, story, music, ritual, and dance for healing, community building and transformation. A devoted grandmother, she has a BA, from UCSD in Visual Art, an MFA, from ACT in theater, a CA Teaching Credential in Art and Theater from USIU, is certified from the Marin Institute of Projective Dream Work and received her M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology. She honors dreams as an ancient spiritual tradition whose time has come back and is the SD Rep for the International Association for the Study of Dreams for San Diego. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Rev. Bonnie Tarwater was ordained at First UU Church of SD in 1999, and is their first “affiliated community minister.” She has served as a parish minister in both UU and UCC churches and currently serves, Church for Our Common Home, a church and counseling center, churchforourcommonhome.com a non-profit thatprovides artistic, religious and psychological services to awaken to the moral and ecologic crisis as an invitation for spiritual growth and creating loving community with all of creation, caring for our common home, Mother Earth. Bonnie is a Unitarian Christian dedicated to eco-feminism, the divine feminine, and AWE, Art, the Wisdom traditions and the Earth. Working previously in the professional theater she explores metaphor, symbol, color, dreams, visions, story, music, ritual, and dance for healing, community building and transformation. A devoted grandmother, she has a BA, from UCSD in Visual Art, an MFA, from ACT in theater, a CA Teaching Credential in Art and Theater from USIU, is certified from the Marin Institute of Projective Dream Work and received her M.Div. from Claremont School of Theology. She honors dreams as an ancient spiritual tradition whose time has come back and is the SD Rep for the International Association for the Study of Dreams for San Diego. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Ministers Emeriti
Rev. Dr. Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle
Carolyn Owen-Towle served as a UU Minister for many years. She is also a published author and popular speaker. As the daughter of renowned watercolorist Millard Sheets, Carolyn has always been immersed in the world of art and continues to be actively involved with many arts organizations. Carolyn served as co-minister of First UU Church of San Diego with her husband Tom from 1978 to 2002.
Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
With over four decades in Unitarian Universalist ministry and leadership in the men’s movement, Tom Owen-Towle brings a seasoned perspective to the topics of progressive religion, partnership, gender justice, parenting, and citizenship in the global family. Tom Owen-Towle served as a parish minister since 1967 and is the author of two dozen books on various topics of personal growth, social compassion, and spiritual depth. He has been partnered in marriage for 40+ years to Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle, and they are devoted parents of four and active grandparents of six. He is also a guitarist, a Little League coach, a budding magician and merry-maker, especially with seniors. Owen-Towle is a national leader who continues to conduct workshops and retreats on the core themes of his books. Tom served as co-minister of First UU Church of San Diego with his wife Carolyn from 1978 to 2002. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
Carolyn Owen-Towle served as a UU Minister for many years. She is also a published author and popular speaker. As the daughter of renowned watercolorist Millard Sheets, Carolyn has always been immersed in the world of art and continues to be actively involved with many arts organizations. Carolyn served as co-minister of First UU Church of San Diego with her husband Tom from 1978 to 2002.
Rev. Tom Owen-Towle
With over four decades in Unitarian Universalist ministry and leadership in the men’s movement, Tom Owen-Towle brings a seasoned perspective to the topics of progressive religion, partnership, gender justice, parenting, and citizenship in the global family. Tom Owen-Towle served as a parish minister since 1967 and is the author of two dozen books on various topics of personal growth, social compassion, and spiritual depth. He has been partnered in marriage for 40+ years to Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle, and they are devoted parents of four and active grandparents of six. He is also a guitarist, a Little League coach, a budding magician and merry-maker, especially with seniors. Owen-Towle is a national leader who continues to conduct workshops and retreats on the core themes of his books. Tom served as co-minister of First UU Church of San Diego with his wife Carolyn from 1978 to 2002. For contact info, see our Ministers and Staff page.
