Elizabeth Norton, Good Offices Co-Chair

This year marks my 20th serving as Music Director to this large New England UU congregation.I came to Concord and to Unitarian Universalism after a decade of teaching music in independent schools and performing as a singer, conductor and violinist. I was raised as a Presbyterian, but had also attended and led music in other mainline denominations. Music ministry is definitely my calling.

My first UUMN conference was in 1996 in Santa Monica, California. I guess I said “yes” to leadership pretty early because I was elected to the Board as a member at large at that very first conference. Total immersion! Since then, I have accepted many other fulfilling leadership roles. I helped organize the first UU Children’s Choir at the Nashville GA in 2000 and was a member of the Professional Leadership Development Group that laid the foundation for the UUA’s Music Leadership Certification Program. I have served as President of the UUMN and am currently Co-Director of our Good Offices program. I have represented UUMN and served the wider association as a member of the Council on Church Staff Finances, the Council for Cross Cultural Engagement and as the Chair of the Music Leader Credentialing Committee. I’ve also had the honor of leading choirs at several General Assemblies over the years. This year, I completed the Music Leadership Certification program on the Portfolio Path for seasoned music leaders.

Why do I say “yes” to leadership in UUMN? Because I believe in our mission to nurture, educate and inspire UU music leaders. UUMN has profoundly enriched my own ministry and I treasure the connection if offers to colleagues throughout our association. Over the last two decades, I have seen Unitarian Universalism be transformed by the presence and persistence of the UUMN. I believe we have helped this movement express its heart.