Celie Katovitch Ministerial Intern I am currently studying at Harvard Divinity School, where I am a second-year student in the Master of Divinity (M.Div) program. My greatest love academically is Universalist theology, which proclaims, essentially, that God loves all without exception. Concurrently with my studies I have worked at First Church Shelter, a homeless shelter in Cambridge that seeks to help its guests transition into stable housing. This summer I served as a hospital chaplain in my hometown of Syracuse, New York. Before seminary I studied philosophy at Gettysburg College and was active with several Gettysburg-based peace and justice organizations, as well as with the town's new UU congregation. I am fortunate that I can call Gettysburg, Syracuse and Boston each "home," in different ways. I owe my name to the world of literature (my mother chose "Celie" after the heroine in Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple), so perhaps it's not totally coincidental that the literary arts - particularly the power of poetry - grounds much of my ministry and my own spiritual care. My spiritual practices also include walking through nature, painting, and beginning to pick out a few songs on the guitar. At one point the main character in The Color Purple muses that "we come to church to share God" with one another. I believe that sharing - at church on Sunday and throughout the six days following - gives us a chance both to support and to challenge one another, and, above all, it is a sacred exchange that gives us strength and courage on our journeys. Thank you for inviting me to share these years with you. Click here to learn more about First Parish's Ministerial Internship Program