Our Minister
Rev. Darcey Laine grew up in a musical family, and has a bachelor’s degree in Music performance from Indiana University. She attended Star King School for the ministry where she developed a passion for ministry with children and youth. After her ordination in 1998 to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry she served as DRE for the First UU Church of Stockton, then settled in Silicon Valley where she served as Minister of Religious Education for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto for seven years.
In the summer of 2007 Darcey and her partner, Eric and son, Nick moved to Ithaca, New York to be closer to family. In 2008 she was called to serve as Parish Minister of the UU Church of Athens and Sheshequin and has served as their settled minister ever since.
In 2018 Rev. Laine began her ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Cortland, where she found the loving heart of Universalism manifest in their caring for one another. Together we hosted the first ever interfaith Pride service in Cortland, and completed our application as a Welcoming Congregation.
When the Covid Pandemic prevented in-person gatherings, Rev. Laine helped Athens and Cortland enter into a congregational partnership of mutual support, collaboration and care that has continued to this day.
Restoring our relationship to the web of life and sharing a sense of wonder in the natural world is a guiding passion in all her work. She believes Universalism calls us to ongoing work for the liberation of all, and is proud of her congregations’ lasting commitment to anti-oppression, particularly LGBTQAI+ rights and the work of anti-racism.
Parish ministry is complemented by Rev. Laine’s work as a spiritual director and as a labyrinth facilitator. She believes that each of us has access to a vibrant and unique spiritual life, which can be supported by a diversity of spiritual practices. She offers workshops and spiritual direction to individuals and groups through the “Finger Lakes Anam Cara: a center for spiritual direction” of which she is a co-founder.
Rev. Laine’s sermons and columns can be viewed here: