Our Chaplains – Requesting Pastoral Care

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We believe spiritual wellness is a human right, particularly for Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color who experience disproportionate trauma and harm. Pastoral care and chaplaincy is the support and love we offer each other within our Beloved Community. Led by volunteer ordained Unitarian Universalist BIPOC Clergy, the DRUUMM Chaplain Team, in covenant with the DRUUMM Steering Committee, works collectively to provide care to individual DRUUMM members through virtual and remote contact.

Please let us know of your individual request or referral of someone via our online DRUUMM Pastoral Request Form or by emailing [email protected]. A member of our team will get back to you within a week. If it is urgent, we will endeavor to respond within 24-48 hours.

The priority of our volunteer chaplains is to support our beloved DRUUMM Community and our Core Value of Healing from Oppression:

“In recognizing our systematic oppression and woundedness, we work towards personal and social transformation by providing sacred space to heal from internalized racism and other oppressions. By honoring the suffering, grieving and letting go, we engage in emotional release and catharsis. Seeking self-care, a safe and supportive community, and allies, we work towards collective liberation and healing.” – DRUUMM Values

DRUUMM Chaplains are available to you if you are personally experiencing:

  • Grief related to the loss or upcoming loss of someone important to you.
  • Illness (your own or that of someone close to you).
  • Stress or trauma.
  • Challenges in racial justice organizing or in your faith community.
  • Other life transitions/situations.

What the team can provide:

We know that grief, illness, isolation, and immobility can have a profound impact on health and well-being. You don’t have to do this alone. Pastoral care is a spiritual practice that we all deserve.

We provide one-on-one pastoral support . . .

  • For those experiencing death and grief over loss(es).
  • For those who might be struggling with life transitions.
  • By connecting individuals with resources and other referrals.
  • Through consultation on personally difficult situations.
  • Through a compassionate presence.
  • Through cards and notes of appreciation.
  • By holding you in collective prayer on our DRUUMM Chaplain Team.

What the team cannot provide:

DRUUMM’s pastoral care program is small and volunteer-based.  As such, while we recognize that there are often pastoral needs at the level of a group, a community, or a whole congregation, DRUUMM’s pastoral care program is focused on individual, one-on-one pastoral support of a finite or one-time nature.  We are unable to take on systems or group-level needs.  We are also unable to take on ongoing or indefinite pastoral counseling needs.

How to reach the DRUUMM Chaplain Team

If you find yourself in a hardship or otherwise stressful situation, our Chaplain team may be able to assist you. Communications are considered confidential. Every effort is made to maintain the privacy of a DRUUMM member.

Just as important, if you know that a fellow member needs support, let us know your concerns. Always obtain permission before sharing details about someone else’s medical or personal condition with the team.

Please let us know of your request or referral of someone via our online DRUUMM Pastoral Request Form or email [email protected].

Chaplain Team Members

Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti, Lead Chaplain, he/him (through 2023)

Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti serves as Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is a co-editor of the 2018-2019 UUA common read, Justice on Earth: People of Faith Working at the Intersections of Race, Class, and the Environment. He has served extensively in Unitarian Universalist leadership, including as a member of the UUA Board of Trustees; President of DRUUMM; Commissioner on the UUA Commission on Appraisal, co-authoring its report Engaging Our Theological Diversity; Secretary of the Board of Starr King School for the Ministry; and as an author and advocate of the 2007 General Assembly resolution confronting gender identity-related discrimination. He brings to the ministry his multicultural experience serving as a U.S. diplomat during the Clinton administration.

Rev. John Crestwell, Chaplain Team Member, he/him (through 2024)

Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr. is a called “minister of equal standing” at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis. He was the founder and lead organizer of UUCA’s AWAKE Ministries, an innovative approach to worship and small groups where he sought and successfully broadened the emotional, racial, and intercultural competencies of children and adults through contemporary worship, music, mentoring, life coaching, and community service. Rev. John is a UUA President’s Council member and on the Intramural Review Board (IRB) under the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He formerly served on boards for Hospice of the Chesapeake, the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of Maryland (UULM-MD), where he was briefly the Director of Outreach, and on boards for United Methodist Reporter Communications in Dallas, Texas, and the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF). Previously, Rev. John was an affiliated faculty professor at the UU seminary, Meadville Lombard Theological in Chicago, and also an adjunct professor at Potomac College in Washington, DC, teaching Comparative Religion, African American History, and Public Speaking.

He is the author of 3 books and has written for many publications. Rev. Crestwell was the Sunday Morning Worship leader/speaker at the 2012 UUA General Assembly in Phoenix, Arizona, delivering a sermon to over 4,000 people.

John has always been committed to working with/for the marginalized and is a self-proclaimed UU Evangelist. He is married to Joni R. Crestwell and has five adult children.

Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons, DRUUMM Consulting Minister & Chaplain Coordinator, he/they

Joseph Santos-Lyons (he/him pronouns) is a biracial Asian-American (Chinese and Czech) organizer and minister based in Antipolo City, The Philippines. With a background serving youth and young adult ministry in the UUA, and leading APANO, an Asian and Pacific Islander community based organization, Joseph’s current calling is in cultivating a new cohousing, chapel and retreat space in Southeast Asia through the Center for Organizing, Renewal and Leadership. A second generation UU, Joseph’s theology is grounded in mutuality, liberation and the unknown. Joseph is the past president of DRUUMM, and working on a doctor of ministry with the Pacific School of Religion. He and his partner Aimee co-parent their three children, and stay engaged with the UU Church of the Philippines and the Church of the Larger Fellowship.

Rev. Sangye Hawke is a recent graduate of the progressive Unitarian Universalist Seminary, Starr King School for the Ministry of Oakland.

Sangye graduated UC Berkeley at age 20, married, and became a stay-at-home mother of two daughters. Sangye also received the Bodhisattva Vow in Karma Kagyu Buddhism, became a Martial Arts instructor, and a historic cemetery preservationist in the city of Santa Cruz, California. It was here that the Call to Unitarian Universalism Ministry and a passion for local history guided Sangye as they/she unearthed new discoveries of Unitarian ancestry and activism in “pre-statehood” California. In early 2021, after receiving her/their Master of Divinity, Sangye was welcomed into Fellowship by the UUA and ordained by two congregations, each historically part of California’s history: the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Santa Cruz County, California. Sangye also identifies as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous Person of Color) and serves as an active executive member of Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM).

Rev. Xolani Kacela, Chaplain Team Member, he/him (through 2024)


The Rev. Xolani “xk” Kacela, Ph.D. serves as the interim Senior Minister of the First UU Church of San Jose, California. Previously he served as the minister of the UU Church of Las Cruces, New Mexico, Eno River UU Fellowship in Durham, North Carolina, and the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Texas. 

Rev. Claudia Jimenez

Rev. Claudia Jimenez, UU Congregation of Asheville NC Minister of Faith Development since 2018, is deeply devoted to pastoral care and Congregational Care ministry. With a rich background including serving as the Director of Religious Education in Vero Beach, a decade of international teaching experience, and roles on the Indian River County School Board, she’s also a certified Religious Educator and sexuality educator. Revered for her compassionate counseling, she collaborates with a team of Pastoral Visitors to offer support via phone, email, or in person. Outside her ministry, she is a proud mother of two adult daughters.

Rev. Cathy Chang (she/her)

The Rev. Cathy Chang (she/her) is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and chaplain. She currently works at Ascension Health as a Director of Spiritual Care. Cathy graduated with a bachelors of arts degree from Columbia University, and received her masters of divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School. She is a Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. Cathy enjoys hanging out with her spouse, children and dog, reading, and playing card, board and video games. 

Former Members:

Rev. Marta I. Valentín, Chaplain Team Member, she/her (through 2024)

Rev. Marta I. Valentín is the Professional Development Director in the Ministry and Faith Development staff group at the UUA. She has ministered in several churches of all sizes, but her most memorable was her first: First UU Church in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She brings experience from other UUA-wide positions: New England Regional Staff, former staff group, Identity-based Ministries, Public Information Office, and Beacon Press. She has shared her gifts as well with the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association’s (UUMA) CENTER continuing education team and as a chaplain with DRUUMM and Finding Our Way Home. Her meditation manual “A Long Time Blooming” was the first by a sole BIPOC author, and her work has appeared in many anthologies. She was a Berry Street “Essayist” with the longest poem she ever wrote in 2017 and was the Sunday morning worship leader and preacher at the 2019 General Assembly in Spokane, WA. She lives in Metro West Boston with her spouse Alison, daughter Jaiya, poodle mix Jack, and the queen of the house, Siamese cat Cleo.

Rev. Dr. Danielle Di Bona, Lead Chaplain

Rev. Di Bona has served Unitarian Universalism for 30 years and she was the 2018 recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service to the Cause of Unitarian Universalism. In her retirement, she continues to serve as the Palliative Care chaplain at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, MA. She has served as a member of the UU Nominating Committee and on the UU Women’s Federation board. She is the former President of the Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries. Rev. Di Bona also serves on the Board of the Church of the Larger Fellowship. She is a Chaplain to the UUA Board of Trustees and Finding Our Way Home.

Rev. Leslie Takahashi

Rev. Leslie Takahashi is the lead Minister of the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, a position she has held since 2015. She has been active in many volunteer roles in the UUA, UUMA and at the local level, where she now participates as part of the Faith in Action East Bay justice network. Her work has been published in many anthologies. She is the primary author of The Arc of the Universe is Long:  Unitarian Universalism and the Journey Towards Wholeness and of Widening the Circle of Concern:  The report of the Commission on Institutional Change. She is the mother of two children and two bully-breed pups and loves walking, water, and gardening.

Rev. Christina Shu

I’m a Unitarian Universalist minister serving as a hospital and palliative care chaplain in Los Angeles. I identify as a third generation Chinese-American cisgender, straight woman. I love serving our BIPOC UU community. I enjoy reading, tea-drinking, and snuggling with my rescue pitbull Myrtle.