In our Unitarian Universalist tradition, our clergy also are called “ministers,” though our faith tradition practices “shared ministry” and believes that “ministry is all that we do together.” Some people are called to ordained ministry, which is known as being clergy, and they embrace a fuller and deeper commitment to embodying the faith tradition as professional religious leaders. Others are what are known as lay leaders or lay ministers, having particular limited callings to serve our faith tradition in particular contexts, including as formally commissioned lay ministers when recognized as such by a congregation.
Regardless, our clergy remain recognized as part of the shared ministry of all, honored as clergy in their commitment and additional trainings, while all leaders in our tradition are recognized as engaged some type of ministry. The root meaning of the word “ministry” is simply to be in service to something larger than oneself, and for us, that is our Unitarian Universalist values and principles.
Rev. Dr. Michelle A. Walsh served for many years as a community minister in both urban and academic contexts. Prior to serving here in Canton, she was a co-minister with her spouse, the Rev. Dr. Clyde E. Grubbs, for a Universalist congregation in Salem, and she also served as an affiliated community minister in Braintree where Rev. Clyde also served. Rev. Michelle served as the lead minister for an urban UU congregation in Taunton just prior to coming to Canton in August of 2023 when she joined her spouse here in a co-ministry for her first year with us.
As of August 2024, Rev. Michelle became our lead minister, and Rev. Clyde became our Affiliate Community Minister. Rev. Michelle also holds a Master in Social Work from Boston University’s School of Social work, is a MA licensed independent clinical social worker (LICSW), and also holds a PhD in practical and pastoral theology from Boston University’s School of Theology.
Rev. Michelle was honored to have her PhD dissertation selected to be developed into an academic book that was the first in an international Palgrave Macmillan series on societal challenges – Violent Trauma, Culture, and Power: An Interdisciplinary Exploration in Lived Religion. Both Rev. Michelle and Rev. Clyde are trained as spiritual directors as well from Still Harbor, an organization that has worked to diversify spiritual direction and spiritual directors by race, class, gender, and religion for many years.
Rev. Michelle previously served in volunteer leadership roles within our larger Unitarian Universalist Association for many years, including as the Membership Director for the UU Society for Community Ministry (UUSCM), on the board of the UU Scholars/Studies Network, and as a group facilitator for candidates for the UU ministry within the UU Ministers Association’s (UUMA) Ministerial Formation Network (MFN), including as a UUMA chapter liaison.
She has a passionate commitment to the power of lay ministry as she spent nearly 18 years forming and leading an urban youth ministry with the UU Urban Ministry, primarily as a lay person and social worker, before going to seminary and then on for her PhD and a career in higher education. While Rev. Michelle also has several additional chapters in academic books and worked in academic settings for many years, including as a retired lecturer from the BU School of Social Work, both Rev. Michelle and Rev. Clyde hold working-class heritages, were the first in their families to finish a college education, and appreciate the challenges of journeys in being ‘class travelers.’ They remain committed to the relevance of ministry and activism outside of the academic context.
Rev. Dr. Clyde Grubbs served congregations in Indiana, Quebec, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and California over the last thirty years prior to joining us here in Canton initially as our lead minister from 2022-2024. In August of 2023, Rev. Michelle joined Rev. Clyde as our co-minister, and then in August of 2024, Rev. Michelle became our lead minister, and Rev. Clyde became our Affiliate Community Minister upon his ‘retirement into elderhood’ with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA).
Rev. Clyde holds a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) and studied decolonization of religion at the former Andover Newton Theological Seminary. He also is trained as a spiritual director from the Still Harbor organization. Rev. Clyde and Rev. Michelle continue to work in a shared community ministry part-time in the Greater Boston area as coaches, spiritual directors, and activists.
Rev. Clyde has served in leadership roles within our larger Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) for many years, including on the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association’s (UUMA) Board and many additional invaluable advisory roles with the UUMA. He was a founding member of a major people of color organization within the UUA – the Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), served three years as an at-large member of the UUA Board of Trustees, and continues to serve on the board of the UU Scholars/Studies Network at present.
Before entering the ministry, Rev. Clyde worked as a community and labor organizer and has worked for peace, justice, and equality since he was in the Unitarian Universalist youth movement, Liberal Religious Youth. Most recently, Rev. Clyde was deeply honored to be awarded the 2026 Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism Award by the UUA’s Board of Trustees, the most major award that can be given within the UUA.
Rev. Clyde honors his Native American heritage (Texas Cherokee), which informs his spiritual understanding and practice, and his anti-racist and anti-oppressive commitment. He has spoken extensively on the Doctrine of Discovery and participated in leading the UUA in repudiation.
Clyde is active with the United American Indians of New England, as well as UU Mass Action, around efforts to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day across the country and to build solidarity with indigenous movements to defend Mother Earth. Rev. Clyde and Rev. Michelle share a deep commitment to bringing indigenous wisdom to the issues of our time with the worsening climate crisis and the intersectional anti-oppression work needed to truly live into a beloved and just community.
