ABOUT

Verdis LeVar Robinson

Verdis LeVar Robinson  (he/him or they) is a fellowshipped Unitarian Universalist minister.  Verdis holds degrees in History, African American Studies, and Music Performance from SUNY College at Brockport, SUNY University at Buffalo, and Boston University.

“I grew up in an African-American Holiness-Pentecostal Church in Rochester, New York, and became a confirmed local minister prior to joining the First Universalist Church of Rochester, New York, in 2008.  I embraced Unitarian Universalism because it first embraced me and ALL of me. Not only did it embrace me but it affirmed me completely. It allowed me to live my true and authentic self. Love was and is at the center. I am truly blessed by it and by those who loved me here.”

During his previous career, Verdis was the National Director for The Democracy Commitment, the Director for Community College Engagement at Campus Compact, and a consultant for the Kettering Foundation specializing in deliberative democracy in community colleges and interfaith institutions.   Prior to leading community college civic engagement nationally, he was a tenured Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Monroe Community College in Rochester. 

“It was because of my own journey of becoming civically informed and engaged very late in life that I led my students on the same journey. Together we engaged our community and our democracy for resilience's sake. Teaching 200 students every semester was not easy feat, but I witnessed the power of educating for democracy first-hand and was blessed to have the opportunity to lead nattionally.”

Verdis completed a Master of Divinity degree in 2022 from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago specializing in Faith Formation Pedagogy. While at Meadville he was the Lenora Montgomery Scholar of Excellence and Co-President of the Student Advisor Council.

“I currently serve as the Ministerial Coordinator of Worship Arts Production and Adult Lifespan Spiritual Exploration for the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Vermont. It is with that congregation that I affirmed my call to Parish Ministry as it was where I served as a Ministerial Intern during the pandemic. It was a critical and challenging time, but it was confirmation for me that this what I meant to do for the rest of my life.”

Verdis also serves central Vermont as the Artistic Director of the Montpelier Community Gospel Choir sharing the hope, joy, and inspiration of African American gospel music in Montpelier where he resides with his two pandemic-rescued cats, Prince Caspian and Prince Ali of Vermont.