Senior Rev. Maggie Alderman begins her new position as Unity Church minister. (Screenshot from CCU Orlando’s YouTube)
New Senior Rev. Maggie Alderman began ministering at Christ Church Unity (CCU) Orlando on March 7. Alderman described her preaching style as progressive and open, and she says her first Sunday attracted the church’s largest turnout since the pandemic started with 90 in-person attendees and about 300 live streamers.
“We did a nationwide search for our new minister and could not be more pleased with the selection of Rev. Maggie Alderman,” said Sunni VonMutius, president of the CCU Orlando Board of Trustees. “Her ability to lead with kindness, vulnerability and authenticity is clear.”
Alderman says one of her primary values is encouraging openness and embracing all.
“We have the opportunity to reach out to all communities through just personal awareness,” she says. “I would be the type of minister in a smaller town to go and explore to connect with everyone — white, black, brown, gay and straight — and let them know we have a place for them to come and celebrate their divine spark, the connection that we have within us.”
Alderman felt called to embark on this new career and spiritual journey, saying the church she previously ministered at was much smaller with only 80 committed members compared to the Orlando location with more than 200 committed members.
“It was a leap of faith and I thought, ‘I will go where the spirit calls.’ I just allowed for the guidance to take me each step of the way,” Alderman says. “Which lead me to pull out of my driveway in Texas with my teenage son, two cats and my dog, and make my way halfway across the country to take the position.”
In addition to being excited to reach a larger direct audience, Alderman was particularly excited to reach a more diverse population like Orlando. She highlighted the importance of diversity within a church community as a tenant for growth and proper awareness.
When speaking about balancing the harsh realities 2020 brought, large charged headlines dominating the public conscience from the pandemic to protests that followed into this year, Alderman says she had to step back and think about how to discuss and incorporate social issues.
“I’m human and got exhausted, through the trials and tribulations of the pandemic, and a very tense election year,” she says. “Though we’ve had great strides in the social action arena, people seem to have started to wake up again to the injustices happening in our minority populations.”
Alderman says last year brought to the forefront how to respond to charged moments and emphasized the need for humility and the ability to listen.
“How do I talk about this, and should I even be talking about this as a white woman?” Alderman asked. “When it’s not my place, I’ll step aside and invite another teacher to take the pulpit on that Sunday and they’ll tell their story from their perspective and tie it to unity principles.”
In light of a year full of grief and abrupt change, Alderman says she’ll use storytelling and empathy to connect.
“It is my job to be creative and to bring stories in a way that lets my congregation know I’m not living my life with my head in the sand, and I too am struggling and hurt,” she says.
Alderman believes it’s essential to maintain the balance of one’s spirituality with intentional awareness.
“I am trying to understand the battle of struggling with balancing humanity and spirituality,” she says. “I feel embracing that builds an even deeper relationship where people leave here knowing their spiritual leader is not different.”
CCU Orlando, located at 771 Holden Ave., is open in a modified way to maintain 6- foot social distancing and enforces mask wearing. The church continues a virtual presence on Facebook and YouTube live streaming. Find more information on Christ Church Unity Orlando by visiting CCUOrlando.net.
You can watch the live stream of Senior Rev. Maggie Alderman’s first sermon from Christ Church Unity Orlando below.
