Reverend Dr. Shannah M. McAleer

I hear so often in television advertising that February is “the month of love” and indeed it is extra special with St. Valentine’s Day being celebrated, but isn’t it wonderful that EVERY month can be the month of love if we choose to see it and live it that way? 

In the Christian Scriptures we read that Jesus taught us, even commanded us, to love one another. It also tells us that God is love. I like to imagine God as Big Love—that all that I think, feel and know comes from a place of love. What a world we can co-create together when we do so with great love. We must affirm through words, thoughts and deeds, that we love God with all of our being and love others as ourselves. Such a powerful trinity of love-God-Self-others!

As Mother Teresa taught us-We may not always do great things, but we can do small things with great love. I challenge myself and all of you to live this day and every day from a place of open hearted love-no judgment-no anger-no sense of separation between one another and with God. We can do amazing thinks with love! God bless you and know that you are loved beyond measure.

Rev. Shan

Sebastian, the Church Dog

Hello everybody!

All the four-leggeds and birds and all creatures step forward and demonstrate your unconditional love—our people need it from us! You know some folks learn their biggest lessons about love through their pets. We are family with fur and fins and feathers (and everything else). We have a power of love in us beyond measure. We ask for love in return. We do not sprinkle out our love upon you –we pour it out and without measure! If you do not have a pet to love and love you now—consider adopting one---if you can’t have one for some reason—at least take the time to stop when you see one of us and say “Hi”. You are always welcome to come into church and say hi to me—I am there waiting to love you! Woof!

Sebastian, the church dog

Rev. Shannah's Bio

I am very happy to serve as Senior Minister with this amazing spiritual community at beautiful Unity Church of Lawrence. My partner of twenty plus years and I attended in the fall before I learned that the ministry would be opening the position of Senior Minister. I knew immediately that I would be applying as we were so well received and feel this is our "destination church" and spiritual family. We love Lawrence as a community in which to live as well.

I hold Bachelor and Master of Social Work degrees as well as a Doctor of Divinity. I have served as director of a large non-profit social services agency supporting individuals with disabilities and have been a university level faculty member teaching graduate social work in the areas of bereavement and death and dying. I have served in two ministries. The first as a Licensed Unity Teacher (2004), and the second as the Associate Minister and Chief Operating Officer. I was licensed as a minister in 2006 and fully ordained in 2008 through the Field Licensing Ministerial Program which allows you to remain working at your church while taking classes each spring at Unity Village. During my five years serving at Spiritual Life Center in Sacramento, CA, my duties included operations of a 600 active member ministry, oversight of the Youth Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Women's Ministry, retreats, volunteers, Wednesday services, and sharing Sunday speaking when the Senior Minister was not speaking (and anything else that was needed as I believe no job is too small or too large for any of us to do!). I served in the function of senior minister when the Senior Minister was not available. It is important to me to know one another on a personal basis. I enjoy being an active part of the ministry and love fun times with the spiritual family.

I served in various roles in the West Central Region on the board of trustees including my last two years as the board president. I also worked at the Association of Unity Churches International as director of a project called the Transformation Experience looking at development of Thriving Ministries and Enlightened Leaders.

My family and I (and our dog Ripley and bunny Dottie) love being here in the Midwest where we both have friends and family. I attended both junior high and high school in Kansas City, MO, and have always wanted to return home to this area.

I am a very open-hearted person with a zeal and exuberance for life. I love people and feel joy every day! I believe that when we are led by Spirit and demonstrate our love, compassion, and joy, we draw to us like-minded people, and a by-product of this demonstration of who we are is the ministry which will naturally grow. We can work together to transform ourselves and the world. We are a thriving community that shares a profound connection to Spirit, a varied and deep personal spiritual practice, a great sense of humor, laughs easily, cares deeply, listens carefully, and loves mightily. That is why I am humbled and honored to serve as the Senior Minister at Unity Church of Lawrence!

Namaste,
Rev. Dr. Shannah M. McAleer