Rev. Kris Light
Pastor
Pastor Kris Light has been serving as Sr. Minister of UniPlace since January 1, 2012. Early in her tenure, the congregation identified its mission as connecting campus and community through Christ. With an outward facing posture, in recent years the church has poured its energy into serving Champaign-Urbana neighborhoods in partnership with UIUC volunteers, interns, and many different student organizations. Pastor Kris has a passion for coming alongside learners of all ages, encouraging them to test new ideas, gain competency, and build meaningful relationships.
It is in this context that she has led the congregation in an expanding commitment to Creation care through advocacy and action in areas of environmental concern, addressing food insecurity, supporting spiritual work to confront racism, and providing hands-on experiences for preschoolers through adults in embracing a healthier approach to growing and preparing food.
More about Rev. Kris
Current Interests
- Working with LAS Leaders, our UniPlace RSO, student leaders from the University YMCA, children in the DREAAM program, and members of our congregation as we expand our native plants and pollinator gardens on the church grounds and add vermi-composting, vegetable gardens, and receptacles to encourage our neighbors to compost vegetable waste at our soon-to-arrive demonstration garden for a circular food system.
education background
- BA from University of Nebraska at Omaha
- MDiv from Lexington Theological Seminary
Church Tradition
- Ordained to ministry in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in June 1986.
- Served churches in Nebraska, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kansas and Georgia before coming to Illinois