Over its lengthy history, UU Wellesley Hills has had several ministers who offered distinguished service to the congregation, to the larger UU religious movement, to this local community, and to larger humanitarian causes. Among these ministers was the renowned theologian James Luther Adams and Waitstill Sharp, who along with his wife Martha was counted in the “Righteous Among Nations” for relief work done with Jewish refugees during World War II William Rice was the Chair of the Merger Committee when the Unitarians and Universalists consolidated into the UUA in 1961. In addition, our congregation has been proud to serve as a teaching congregation that has graduated many Intern Ministers; it now has a dedicated endowment named after its Minister Emeritus to fund their stipends.
Senior Minister, the Rev. Mark Robel
Rev. Mark began his tenure at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills as contract minister in January 2022, and was called as their settled minister in February 2023. He received his MDiv. in 2018 from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and completed a two-year internship at First Church Sterling, MA.
Prior to answering his call to ministry, Rev. Mark had a career as a Pediatric
Nurse/Nurse Practitioner for twenty-five years. He holds an RN diploma in
Nursing from Somerville Hospital School of Nursing, Somerville, MA, and an MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) from Simmons College in Boston. His years as a pediatric nurse have had a profoundly effect on his understanding of compassion and empathy.
Theologically, Rev. Mark is a Universalist at heart. He sees the universal power of love as that which connects us and that which sustains and empowers us. Love is the power that changes the world.
Rev. Mark lives in New London, CT with his husband Tom and their rescue dog “Harley.” Both love living close to the beach and are avid gardeners. Their son Mark lives and works in Boston and all three of them love and celebrate each other.
Our Minister Emeritus, the Rev. Dr. John H. Nichols
UU Wellesley Hills voted to confer the title of Minister Emeritus to the Rev. Dr. John H. Nichols and held a ceremony celebrating that in November 2015. Dr. Nichols served as Senior Minister of UU Wellesley Hills from 1977-2000 before serving as an Interim Minister at a number of UU congregations. He is the author of Lives that Speak and Deed that Beckon: A History of the Unitarian Society of Wellesley Hills.