Rev. Dr. Kenneth Claus "Vicar"

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Dr. Claus, "The Vicar," comes with an interesting bio to say the least. He is a long-term survivor of both a heart transplant and alcoholism. He has been a large church Sr. minister, a hostage negotiator and has just finished teaching (after 23 years) English literature and composition at Florida International University as well as founding the Religious Studies program at Miami Dade College - Kendall Campus, where he is still the lead REL teacher. Dr. Claus graduated from Union Theological Seminary (affiliated with Columbia University) and received his doctorate from Boston University. His major work in seminary was early church history and the history and practice of Christian worship.

He is married to Maria Teresa Estrada. Together they have four children and two wire-haired Dachshunds - The Wizard & Sadie Maria. Dr. Claus is an avid consumer of "steampunk," Victorian crime procedurals and "page turner" thrillers.

Rate My Professors listed Dr. Claus as one of the top 25 professors in the U.S. for 2009-2010 (he was 19th); in 2011 the student body of F.I.U. elected him out of 7,000 faculty to give the first "What Would You Say" (if it was your last lecture). Miami Dade College - Kendall Campus also heard that same lecture in 2011.

Dr. Claus can be reached at DrKennethEClaus@gmail.com or by calling/texting 305-898-2489.

Dr. Claus is an Associate Member, the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association.

Rev. Larry G. Deitch was born in Lexington, Kentucky and moved to Ohio as a child. He attended Salem High school in Salem, Ohio, Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia, and then Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

Larry was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ), served 3 Ohio churches, and the Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church. The congregation Larry served became an 1,100 member gathering of the most eclectic and elastic group of people in Greater Daytona Beach. They even had their radio station and used music as widely in range as we do now at All Souls Miami. They were as much an anomaly in their “denomination” as we are with UU’s in Florida.

Upon retirement, his wife Cindy bought him a horse and said, “Don’t stay home."

Cindy and Larry have been attending All Souls for the last 2 years. 

Andrea lives in the Quad Cities with her spouse Wren and two cats, an area of several cities clustered around the Mississippi River bordering Illinois and Iowa. She has her M.Div from Meadville-Lombard, and is progressing through a D.Min program at United Theological Seminary in St. Paul. She served as the interim Director of Faith Formation in Cedar Rapids, IA; She is an Army veteran, a musician, playwright, storyteller, and an award-winning poet who believes everyday can be just a little more beautiful if we let it.

Beyssa Buil is an endorsed Humanist Chaplain, Spiritual Director, Social Activist, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Educator.She graduated with a Master’s of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest Honor’s Society, and Theta Alpha Kappa, the National Honor Society for Religious Studies and Theology, for her Bachelor’s degree from Florida International University.

Beyssa’s call as a community minister is about social justice as spiritual practice, and to the church outside of the church walls, since our society is suffering from the inequities brought about by systemic oppression. By providing spaces of communal pastoral support, self-care, embodiment restorative practices and social emotional learning to dismantle our socialized individualism that gets in the way to connecting to ourselves and others. To address these systems of oppression and trauma that have been internalized. 

She serves on the Board of Trustees for the Unitarian Universalist for Social Justice, works with the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation supporting caregivers and individuals newly diagnosed with MS since she is utilizing her experience as a person living with Multiple Sclerosis to support others in their healing journey. 

Currently she is completing her Buddhist Ecclesiastical Endorsement studying under Roshi Joan Halifax. Beyssa is a lifelong fighter of systems of oppression since she believes in the words of Alice Walker, “Activism is my rent for living on the planet.” She is a parent to a teenaged son, a black cat named Mimi and her one hundred and eighty-seven plant family.

She can be contacted at: chaplainbeyssa@greyteakettle.com

Her website is: www.greyteakettle.com 

Donald Grimme is from Tampa, Florida, and started attending All Souls during the pandemic. The first thing I noticed about All Souls was that there was always a strong sense of community. Even though the members may be geographically apart, there was always that connection when participating or attending services. "The blending of technology and a church family is something that I love about all souls, how, through technology, we can combine many rooms into one". Donald previously taught English to International students in the United States and Online to students in  China, and throughout the world. He currently works in IT and enjoys the teaching and cybersecurity aspects of technology, making computers safe and accessible for others. When he is not in front of a computer, he enjoys Cycling, Kayaking, and Photography. 

If you need help with Zoom before a service send us an email at:  allsoulsmiami@gmail.com.