Rev. James has overall responsibility for the ministry at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh. He assists the board in creating an overall vision for the congregation, regularly leads worship on Sunday morning, and supervises the staff.
Rev. James shares the following about himself…
“I grew up in the Chicago suburbs as the oldest of four children. While my mother was raised as a Southern Baptist and my father was raised as a Roman Catholic, I was raised ‘unchurched,’ yet I always had spiritual and religious longings.’
“I discovered Unitarian Universalism in the Chicago suburbs in my early twenties, but didn’t immediately discern a call to ministry. Before becoming a minister, I worked as a journalist and a teacher. I spent for of those years living in Tokyo, Japan, which is where I met Hiromi, my wife.
“After attending seminary in Chicago, I served a congregation in the Seattle suburbs for 16 years. Then I worked on the Unitarian Universalist Association staff for three years. I became the Lead Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh in August 2019.
“I enjoy serving UUFR. For me, ministry is all about helping people grow spiritually and helping make the world a better place.
“I live in Cary with my wife Hiromi, our teenage son, and Yakumo, our miniature Australian shepherd.
“Together, my wife and I enjoy taking walks, cooking together at home, discovering new restaurants, watching foreign films, and occasionally bingeing on a TV series. My son and I like going on bike rides together, playing golf, and playing chess. I enjoy playing the piano and guitar, but mostly for myself these days. In quieter moments, I like doing the New York Times crossword and reading literary mysteries.
