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The Reverend Shawn Newton
Hello, and welcome to First Unitarian—a congregation of open
hearts and minds in the city of Toronto since 1845. By our Sunday
morning worship and our actions throughout the week, we strive to
proclaim a faith that celebrates the great gift of life. In this,
we are guided by love, and reason, and tolerance.
Though we are a congregation diverse in many ways,
we affirm that the bonds of our community are stronger than our
differences. Indeed, as Unitarians, we believe we are ultimately
made stronger by our differences—for by honouring the range of
views and experiences found among us, we can find both
encouragement and challenge to live lives of deeper integrity,
meaning, and purpose.
Each week, during our service, we acknowledge that
we arrive at First Unitarian by many paths to build up a community
of love, and commitment, and hope. We invite you to join us,
whatever your path and wherever you find yourself on life’s
journey. May you find with us a home that nourishes your spirit,
engages your mind, and inspires you to engage the world with an
open heart and a helping hand.
In faith,
Shawn |
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About Shawn
The Reverend Shawn Newton became the 23rd minister of
First Unitarian in September, 2007, arriving in Toronto with
his spouse, Bob, after living for many years in Boston.
He began his undergraduate studies in the Conservatory of
Music at Oberlin College, eventually completed a bachelor
degree in religious studies at Harvard’s Extension School, and
later received a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity
School.
In the course of his preparation for ministry, Shawn served
five different congregations, including the Cathedral of Hope
in Dallas, Texas; Arlington Street Church in Boston, where he
was administrator; the Universalist Unitarian Church of
Haverhill, Massachusetts, as a student minister; the First
Unitarian Church of Cleveland, Ohio, as the Killam Fellow; and
the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley, as Assistant
Minister. Shawn’s clinical pastoral education was undertaken
at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
Shawn loves to travel, to take in theatre and classical
music, and to explore the fascinating array of neighbourhoods
in Toronto.
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