In Memory of Jeremy Taylor (January 27, 1943 – January 3, 2018)

The Rev. Dr. Jeremy Taylor died on January 3, 2018 at the age of 75, just two days after his beloved wife Kathryn.

Rev. Dr. Jeremy Taylor’s pioneering community ministry of dreamwork broke new ground and changed the landscape for community ministers who followed him forever. He was a fierce, lifelong supporter of community ministry, and believed that community ministry has a crucial and unique role to play in sustaining and preaching the transformative, unifying and healing vision of our Unitarian Universalist faith. He was deeply committed to the value of clergy and lay leaders working in concert to manifest “the priesthood and the prophethood of all believers.” as called for by James Luther Adams. When Jeremy sought an appointment with the Ministerial Fellowship Committee in the early 1970s, he was denied because at that time community ministry had not yet been recognized as a path of ministry. It was not then possible to receive an appointment with the MFC without stating an intention to serve a parish ministry. The Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, in recognition of Jeremy’s extraordinary gifts and unshakable commitment to his call to serve a community ministry of dreamwork, ordained him.

His ministry of dream work was conducted around the world, both online and in person with much of his ongoing work happening in Europe and Asia. As a founder and past president of the International Association for the Study of Dreams and The Marin Institute for Projective Dreamwork, Rev.Taylor created lasting institutional legacies for dreamwork as a powerful spiritual practice. He also influenced a generation of students at Starr King School for the Ministry where he served as adjunct professor for many years. He was the author of four books on dreamwork which have remained in continuous publication and was a featured speaker at several General Assemblies.

The Unitarian Universalist Society for Community Ministries is establishing a memorial fund to further the work of community ministry through special Board projects and initiatives. We welcome contributions in Rev.Taylor’s name at UUSCM.org.

There could be no greater tribute to Rev.Taylor’s life than for you to bring to life through your ministry, these words by Goethe, which Rev.Taylor often quoted:
“Whatever you can dream, begin it. Boldness has power and magic in it.”

The following are links to further tributes to Rev. Taylor’s life.

http://www.asdreams.org/in-memoriam-rev-jeremy-taylor/?

http://kellybulkeley.org/memories-jeremy-taylor/

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