Our Minister

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 Reverend Bob Klein
uurevbobk@sbcglobal.net

The Reverend Bob Klein was installed as our settled minister on November 17,2004.

Below is some information on his background.

REV. BOB’s OFFICE HOURS

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-4 p.m.
Wednesdays from 4-6:30 p.m.

By Appointment: Mornings and lunch hour Tuesday-Friday, some Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings. (Saturdays usually are sermon prep time, but some appointments are possible).  If you would like to talk, please call or e-mail and we will find a time!

Our Minister, the Rev. Bob Klein, came to UUCLR in August of 2004. A native of the Chicago area, he may not yet talk like a Southerner, but is very much enjoying our church, Little Rock, and the Natural State. Bob is married to the Rev. Jane Bechle, who assists with and supports Bob’s ministries as our very part-time Affiliated Minister. Bob has two grown children, Jessica and Aaron, who live in Phoenix and Jane has one grown daughter, Jenn, who lives in New York.  Bob and Jane share their home with three small dogs.  Before joining UUCLR, Rev. Bob and Rev. Jane served as Co-Ministers at Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, California (1996-2004) and also as Consulting Ministers to the UU Fellowship of Kern County, in Bakersfield.

Rev. Bob received his training for ministry at Bethany Theological Seminary (Church of the Brethren) Master of Divinity 1982. He also holds a Bachelor of General Studies with a Contract Major in Religious Studies from Northern Illinois University and an M.A. in Spirituality from the Institute for Culture and Creation Spirituality (where he studied with Matthew Fox and Brian Swimme) at Holy Names College, Oakland, CA. Bob was originally Ordained as a United Methodist minister and served Methodist congregations in Wyoming, Colorado, and Montana. He also spent a few years in Child Protective Social Work.

Rev. Bob is interested in humanistic spirituality, cosmology, ecology, matters of war and peace, homelessness, and ways that we can help to shape a healthier world. He is excited about the possibilities for reaching more people with the hopeful message of Unitarian Universalism and providing an accepting and welcoming community for all persons. 

Scotty, while "mostly retired"  agreed to join our church for six month interim period beginning in January, 2003 which he graciously extended to April 2004, was elected as UUCLR's  first Minister Emeritus and is now "retired" in Arizona, but welcomes contact at golfrev@webtv.net

He has been an interim minister at: Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Green Valley, AZ. (elected Minister Emeritus, March 2000); Bay Area Unitarian Univ. Church, Houston, Tx; First Unitarian Church of Brooklyn New York; All Souls Unitarian Church in Kansas City Missouri; First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; Universalist Unitarian Church, Wausau, Wisconsin; Unitarian Universalist Church, Tucson, Arizona; and the Unitarian Meetinghouse, Madison, Wisconsin.

Former: Extension Minister, Pacific Southwest District, UUA 1983-87. Elected District Minister Emeritus, 1987.

Married to Dorothy May Caldwell since 1956.  Has two children: Steven of Arlington, Tx. and Sheralyn, of Minneapolis, Mn.

A Massachusetts native, Scotty is a graduate of Tufts University with a BA in sociology (1956).  An S.T.M. from Crane Theological School (Tufts - 1959), he also studied at Harvard Divinity School & Univ. of Colorado.

He is the author of "Building Family Religion at Home" and an editor of UUA pamphlets REACH stores and ceremonies.  Originally a Universalist Minister, he has served churches in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, California, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Texas, Missouri and New York.  He chaired the UUA Nominating Committee; Treasurer, LREDA; Dean & Theme Speaker at numerous UU summer conference centers.  Chaired, Interim Minister's Advisory Committee, UUA Dept. of Ministry.  Past President and Secretary, Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association.

His community involvement has included Chair of RAPELINE (Sexual Violence Program) Rochester, Mn.; President Rochester Chemical Dependency Services, Inc.  Chair, School District 535 Affirmative Action Committee.  Memberships include the ACLU, YMCA, and NAACP.

His extracurricular activities include Cooking, Shopping and especially Golf.