Arsenault ordained
Called 'to love, to challenge
By Sharon Hall
The Nugget
The Rev. Charlotte Arsenault never
had "a burning bush" experience, she
said, but after attending services at a
Unitarian Universalist (UU) church
she "felt a calling, and decided that's
what I wanted to do for the rest of my
life."
Arsenault was recently ordained as
a UU minister, and serves Dahlonega's
Georgia Mountains UU congregation.
Unitarian Universalism is based
on seven principles--the inherent
worth and dignity of every person;
justice, equity and compassion in
human relations; acceptance of
one another and encouragement to
spiritual growth; free and responsible
search for truth and meaning; the
right of conscience and the use of
the democratic process within the
congregation and society; the goal of
world community with peace, liberty
and justice for all; and respect for the
interdependent web of all existence.
Arsenault was raised in the
Presbyterian church, but began
questioning the tenets of her religion
after losing her father at the age of
nine.
"My family turned to their religion.
I tried to learn all I could about
different faith systems," she said.
Arsenault earned a BA in English
and Philosophy/Religion from Queens
University of Charlotte, in Charlotte,
N.C. in 2006. It was after college,
and moving back to her hometown
of Atlanta, that she happened into a
service at the UU church there. She
found the people there to be "seeking,
and curious about world religions.
That was important to me. I instantly
felt at home," she said.
And she felt called.
"In my introduction to ministry
class I was asked to write out my
calling," Arsenault said. "I never had
a burning bush experience. I think it
was the suffering of humanity that
called me--the love I have for people
and wanting to create a world my
daughter can be nurtured and loved
in. I think I was called to love, to
challenge when necessary and call
out the beautiful in people."
She applied to and was accepted
to Harvard Divinity
School in Cambridge,
Mass., where she earned
a Masters in Divinity
with a concentration in
counseling, theodicy and
thanatology in 2011.
(Theodicy is a branch
of theology concerning
the defense of the
attributes of God against
objections stemming
from the existence of
evil. Thanatology is the study of the
psychological and social aspects of
death and dying, with an emphasis on
looking at ways to lessen suffering and
address the needs of the terminally ill
and their survivors.)
Arsenault completed an internship
in clinical pastoral education,
providing pastoral care to residents
in various environments, including
independent and assisted living,
rehab, skilled nursing and hospital
settings.
She then completed a ninemonth
internship with the Harvard
University Chaplaincy. While there
she honed her skills ministering to
patients and their families; developed
weekly inter-religious meditation and
reflection services; helped develop
and led on-site memorial, holiday,
Sunday worship and bedside services;
helped patients and families with
Advance Directives; and researched
and developed a comprehensive grief
packet for family of the deceased, staff
members and patients.
From September 2011 through
2012, Arsenault interned at Emerson
Unitarian Universalist Congregation
in Marietta developing and leading
multi-generational services; adult
and children's religious education
curriculum; and life-event
ceremonies--weddings, funerals and
others. She also learned about other
church duties during this time,
such as attending board meetings,
congregational committees and
participating or leading social action
events.
It took seven years of school,
internships, residencies, interviews,
psychological and career assessments
before Arsenault was approved to become an ordained
UU minister.
"The process is one of the most difficult in the country,"
she said.
She is currently the Staff Chaplain at Athens
Regional Medical Center in Athens as well as serving the
congregation at Georgia Mountains UU once a month;
beginning in November she will preach twice each month.
Other Sunday services are lay led, or led by a visiting
minister or seminarian.
This is the first church where Arsenault has been
"the" minister, she said.
"I had some experience with preaching when I was an
intern, but I used to be terrified of public speaking. But
because this congregation is so supportive and so loving,
I'm not at all afraid to preach," she said. "I feel lucky
every single time I walk into this congregation because
of the people here that I have the honor to serve."
And its getting to know the people and developing
relationships with the members of the congregation that
are Arsenault's favorite part of ministry, she said.
She least enjoys the board and committee meetings,
though, she said, "I recognize their value. They're just
less exciting."
Arsenault and her husband of nearly seven years,
Leo, live in Athens with the couple's 2-year-old daughter,
Lilah.
"I love watching her grow and learn. It inspires wonder,
awe and delight, and helps me be a better minister,"
Arsenault said.
Georgia Mountains UU Church, a welcoming
congregation, holds Sunday services at 11 a.m. with
fellowship at 10:30 a.m. and after church. Children's
classes begin at 11:15 a.m. and nursery is available for
infants and toddlers. The church is located at 439 Park
Street, just off Morrison Moore Parkway across from
Madeleine K. Anthony Park.
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