Reverend Bob Klein
Our Minister, the Rev. Bob Klein, was installed as our settled minister on November 17, 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 has two grown children, Jessica and Aaron, who live in Phoenix. Before joining UUCLR, Rev. Bob served with Rev. Jane Bechle as a Co-Minister at Pacific Unitarian Church in Rancho Palos Verdes, California (1996-2004) and also as Consulting Minister 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.
Reverend Alexander "Scotty" Meek, Minister Emeritus
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. Scotty was elected as UUCLR's first Minister Emeritus as of April 11, 2004. He is now "retired" in Arizona, but welcomes contact at golfrev@webtv.net
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 has been an interim minister at: Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Green Valley, Arizona (elected Minister Emeritus, March 2000); Bay Area Unitarian Univ. Church, Houston, Texas; 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.
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 has chaired the UUA Nominating Committee; been Treasurer, LREDA; and has been Dean and Theme Speaker at numerous UU summer conference centers. He has chaired the Interim Minister's Advisory Committee, UUA Dept. of Ministry. He has been Past President and Secretary, Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association.
His community involvement has included Chair of RAPELINE (Sexual Violence Program) Rochester, Minnesota; President, Rochester Chemical Dependency Services, Inc.; Chair, School District 535 Affirmative Action Committee. Other memberships include the ACLU, YMCA and NAACP.
Scotty has been married to Dorothy May Caldwell since 1956 and has two children, Steven of Arlington, Texas, and Sheralyn, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His extracurricular activities include cooking, shopping and especially golf.
