John Biedler, Minister

Our Minister, John Biedler, has recently completed his studies at Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago and the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Just over twenty-five years ago John was ordained as a fundamentalist minister by the Worldwide Church of God after receiving a bachelor's degree in theology and Biblical literalism from Ambassador College in Pasadena, Calif. He then pastored churches in St. Louis, MO and Tulsa, OK in the late 70's until his growing concerns with many unanswered questions regarding Biblical authority and interpretation led him to leave the ministry and fundamentalism in 1977. John first walked into a Unitarian Universalist service at Hope Unitarian Church, in Tulsa, OK, in 1980, and "knew he was home." He has remained active in UU congregations over these past 20 years, and decided, in his late forties, to return to the love of his life, ministry. John welcomes your inquiries and is ready to answer any questions he can.

John grew up near Kent, Ohio, where his father was a professor of education at Kent State University. As a boy, with his father and family, John had the opportunity of living in the Philippine Islands for two years as part of the United States "Agency for International Development" (USAID). John's father served as a teacher trainer for USAID, living and working in various developing countries throughout the world. John has traveled rather extensively in his life -- to such places as Hong Kong, New Delhi (where he walked through the Taj Mahal), Karachi, Beirut, Jerusalem (visiting the Mt. of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Golgotha, and other shrines), Bethlehem, Cairo, Athens, Corinth and Rome. From Rome, John and his family spent a summer camping throughout Europe before returning to their home in Ohio.

In 1963, John again went overseas with his family to live in Tanzania, E. Africa. John crossed the Serengetti Plains on his own at the age of 17 and also climbed Africa's tallest mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro, with the Outward Bound Mt. School of Kenya.

Recently, John married his college sweetheart, Gwen, on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, in June of 2002. John is the father of a wonderful daughter who is a lawyer in Tulsa, Oklahoma; is a private pilot, a sailor and canoeist as well as an avid outdoor camper.

You are welcome to leave him messages at jbiedler@uufd.org or you may reach him at (217) 963-2490 (home) or (217) 972-2184 (cell).

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