CANTON -- The congregation of Canton’s Unitarian Universalist Church. 3 1/2 East Main St., will ordain long-time member and former Director of Religious Education Jan Hutslar to be a Unitarian Universalist minister.

The ordination service takes place Saturday, May 5 at 4 p.m. Members of the community are invited.

After serving the Canton church as DRE for 13 years, Hutslar completed seminary at Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkley, Cal. last spring, and was granted a Ministerial Fellowship in December 2017. She is expected to begin full-time settled ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Upper Valley in Norwich, Vermont, in late summer.

“In our denomination, only a congregation can officially set someone apart as a minister,” explains the Reverend James Galasinski, minister of the Canton church. “The UUA provides a rigorous formation process for a candidate but they cannot ordain a minister. Only a local congregation can do that. Jan’s ordination ceremony will be a grand celebration – for our congregation, for our community, and for our movement.”

“This congregation, the UU Church of Canton, has encouraged me and loved me and grown me into ministry, I am incredibly honored that they will be ordaining me,” says Hutslar.

Former ministers of the congregation, the Revs. Anne Marsh, Wade Wheelock, and Joel Miller, will participate in the ordination service. The Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake will preach during the ordination and also at the May 5 Sunday service. The Rev. Dr. Blake was Hutslar’s professor at Starr King; she says “he taught me much about being a minister of love, by his example, his open heart, and his life of integrity.”

A potluck will immediately following the service. RSVPs are appreciated by April 27 at www.uucantonny.org, [email protected], or 315-386-2498).

Sunday morning worship and religious education begin at 10:30 a.m.