BLUU Genes for Unitarian Universalism

January 22, 2023

Speaker: Rev. Mel Hoover, Rev. Rose Edington

Melvin Hoover will be presenting alongside his wife Rev. Rose Edington, who wrote a dissertation on that period in the 60's when the UUA lost a tradition of heavy membership and participation from People of Color. It covers the recent decades of effort to "widen the circle of concern", an effort in which Mel was at the center and in the lead.
Mel is a recipient of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s annual Distinguished Service Award in recog­nition of his work in anti-racism, anti-oppression, community-building, gender equality and environmental jus­tice.

For many years Mel served as the director of the UUA’s Faith in Action Department and as a member of the UUA Executive Council. Mel also served as co­-minister of the UU Congregation of Charleston, WV, with his wife, the Rev. Rose Edington.

Rose's ministry has primarily been to UU congregations. Her Doctor of Ministry thesis in Feminist Liberation Theology centered on the role of the UU minister in congregational antiracism work. As an expression of their ongoing involvement in social justice concerns, in retirement, Mel and Rose co-founded MelRose Ministries for Positive Transformational Change. Now living in Bellingham WA, they co-lead, with minister Paul Beckel and RE Director Genia Allen-Schmid BUF's "Widening the Circle" study.