Lóre Stevens, Minister

Lóre Stevens is the new settled minister of Oak Ridge UU Church!

Originally from Knoxville, Lóre attended Eastern Michigan University for both her BA in Literature and her MA in Gender, Media, and Culture. She then returned to Nashville, where she worked at both the Nashville Public Library and First UU Nashville, part-time as their Membership Coordinator.

Lóre earned her Master's of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. During divinity school, she worked at the New England Region of the UUA and did her field education at the UU Service Committee. She has served as a Board member for the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) and Harvard UU Ministry for Students (HUUMS). Lóre has been awarded the UU History & Heritage Society's Research Prize for UU Leaders as well as the Dana Greeley Sermon Award. She completed her ministerial internship at First Universalist of Minneapolis ('22-'23) and worked as the Contract Minister of Foothills UU Fellowship in Maryville, TN ('23-'24).

Currently, Lóre lives with her sibling and two cats. She enjoys illustrated journaling, reading science fiction, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and spending time with her family in Nashville. Lóre is queer, of Mexican and European descent, and identifies as an atheist mystic who is endlessly curious and open to all faith journeys.

You may reach out to Lóre by email at minister@oruuc.org.

On Sunday, April 28, 2024, 122 ORUUC members showed up for worship and the in-person vote that followed to call Lóre Stevens to serve as the next minister of our congregation. Lóre was ordained at First UU Nashville on May 18, 2024. Rev. Chris Buice of Tennessee Valley UU Church in Knoxville preached. Unitarian Universalist ministers must be both fellowshipped by the Unitarian Universalist Association and ordained by a congregation. This is the culminating ceremony which honors the work and support that goes in to creating a UU minister. ORUUC welcomed Lóre Stevens as our next settled minister July 17!