Judy Harrison and her husband, Rowland Johnson

Judy Harrison received UUCF's annual Founder's Award at services on June. 17. The Founder's Award is given by the Board of Directors each year to a member who exemplifies the spirit of our congregational founders with long-term, sustained service and dedication to our community. Incoming Board of Directors President David Addis presented the award to Judy Harrison with the following accolades.

"Judy's contributions to the life and spirit of our congregation, and to the strength and growth of our congregation, can hardly be overstated. She became our music director some 30 years ago and retired in 2007, after 25 years and several ministers, but her commitment to UUCF remains strong and she has continued to participate as a member.

"Dr. Judy Harrison is a remarkable and talented musician, performer and music scholar, and she brought the quality of music and arts in our worship services and in our congregational life to a new level of energy and quality. She built the Chorale from a small group gathered around the piano to a large and vibrant chorus. She established children's choirs and many performing groups. She led the Chorale to Transylvania on the first trip from our congregation to our partner church there. She has also had an impact on our wider faith as a charter member of the UU Musician's Network. Her tenure as director of music and arts has been a success by any objective measure.

"But all of that is only part of the picture, and it is not really why we recognize her with the Founder's Award today. It is Judy's ministry of music - her welcoming spirit - that invites everyone into the musical circle.

"Judy has a remarkable ability to encourage and nurture people's musical talents, and then give them the role in which they can shine. She created intergenerational ensembles with middle-school players and adults struggling side-by-side to learn the music and in the process forge unique bonds. Judy brought people into our community and connected many others more strongly to our community, through the music we made together. She expects excellence; but she supports your efforts with good cheer and a warm smile and makes you know you can do it. Plus, she makes the work fun - and the music excellent.

Kären Rasmussen at the Valentine's Day Rally in February.

As Social Justice Minister, Kären will identify and recruit new social justice leaders and activists in the congregation, communicate social justice activities to the congregation on a regular basis, coordinate congregation-based activities and themes across a wide range of groups and interests and represent UUCF to the larger community.

"I am so happy be UUCF's part-time Minister for Social Justice! I'm looking forward to working with our long-time members and friends and the many new people I haven't met yet," says Kären. "There is much to do in bringing both fairness and justice to our world both locally and globally."

Kären has been a Unitarian Universalist for more than 26 years. After retiring from the Navy in 2000 and then working for a defense contractor for two years, she  "heard a different calling," she says. "After the timeless struggle of discernment, I released my heart to the call and entered seminary five years ago."

After receiving her Masters of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary in 2010, Kären was ordained by UUCF in September 2011. She has served UUCF in several leadership positions, including Lay Minister for Social Justice. She completed her ministerial internship at the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in 2011 and finished serving as the interim assistant minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, MD, in spring 2012.

Kären began working as the part-time assistant minister in Columbia, MD, in June 2012, and works in community outreach at Our Daily Bread, a non-profit providing temporary food subsidies to people in need in Fairfax.

Kären and her partner Barb live in Annandale with their black lab Zoe.