About Our Minister
The Rev. Terre Balof comes to First Unitarian Church after serving eight years as minister at the
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, SC. Rev. Balof has served UU congregations in
Marietta, GA; Montgomery, AL; Athens, GA; Glen Allen, VA; and Clemson, SC.
Rev. Balof grew up in Clarksdale, MS, where she was very active as a United Methodist young
person. She attended Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, where she majored in religion. She then
spent two years as a short-term United Methodist missionary doing campus/urban ministry at
VCU in Richmond, VA. After her seminary training at Candler School of Theology at Emory
University in Atlanta, Rev. Balof was director of an inner city ministry in Atlanta, then was
Regional Director of Middle East Peace Education Program for the American Friends Service
Committee.
After a close friend "came out of the closet" and could not be openly gay in the United Methodist
church, she realized she could not be part of a ministry that did not welcome all people. Rev.
Balof embarked on a search for a faith tradition that truly affirmed the "inherent worth and
dignity of all people." After some years of searching, friends introduced her to Unitarian
Universalism--a profound gift. Realizing she had found her religious home, Rev. Balof went
through a three year process to change her ordination from United Methodism to Unitarian
Universalism. In 1997 she received Final Fellowship as a Unitarian Universalist minister. She
has enjoyed serving and learning with the members of each of her congregations.
Being in ministry with the members and friends of First Unitarian Universalist is exciting. The
members are engaged and engaging. Lynchburg is a beautiful city. She looks forward to getting
more involved in the Lynchburg community and in a growing visit of what our church can
become.
Rev. Balof loves travel, seeking to learn from people about their cultures, beliefs and
perspectives on life. She likes reading, spending time with family and friends, trying to learn
Spanish and having new adventures. In recent years her spiritual journey has taken her into an
exploration of the Sufi path brought to America by the Sufi mystic Hazrat Inayat Kahn and
learning from the Aramaic scholar Neil Douglas-Klotz. Rev. Balof is also always game for a
road trip and particularly likes trave Rev. Balof has three adult children who live in a suburb of
Atlanta, GA; Hillsborough, NC; and Champaign/Urbana, Il. She also has two granddaughters
and is happy to share their pictures with interested folks.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clemson, SC. Rev. Balof has served UU congregations in
Marietta, GA; Montgomery, AL; Athens, GA; Glen Allen, VA; and Clemson, SC.
Rev. Balof grew up in Clarksdale, MS, where she was very active as a United Methodist young
person. She attended Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, where she majored in religion. She then
spent two years as a short-term United Methodist missionary doing campus/urban ministry at
VCU in Richmond, VA. After her seminary training at Candler School of Theology at Emory
University in Atlanta, Rev. Balof was director of an inner city ministry in Atlanta, then was
Regional Director of Middle East Peace Education Program for the American Friends Service
Committee.
After a close friend "came out of the closet" and could not be openly gay in the United Methodist
church, she realized she could not be part of a ministry that did not welcome all people. Rev.
Balof embarked on a search for a faith tradition that truly affirmed the "inherent worth and
dignity of all people." After some years of searching, friends introduced her to Unitarian
Universalism--a profound gift. Realizing she had found her religious home, Rev. Balof went
through a three year process to change her ordination from United Methodism to Unitarian
Universalism. In 1997 she received Final Fellowship as a Unitarian Universalist minister. She
has enjoyed serving and learning with the members of each of her congregations.
Being in ministry with the members and friends of First Unitarian Universalist is exciting. The
members are engaged and engaging. Lynchburg is a beautiful city. She looks forward to getting
more involved in the Lynchburg community and in a growing visit of what our church can
become.
Rev. Balof loves travel, seeking to learn from people about their cultures, beliefs and
perspectives on life. She likes reading, spending time with family and friends, trying to learn
Spanish and having new adventures. In recent years her spiritual journey has taken her into an
exploration of the Sufi path brought to America by the Sufi mystic Hazrat Inayat Kahn and
learning from the Aramaic scholar Neil Douglas-Klotz. Rev. Balof is also always game for a
road trip and particularly likes trave Rev. Balof has three adult children who live in a suburb of
Atlanta, GA; Hillsborough, NC; and Champaign/Urbana, Il. She also has two granddaughters
and is happy to share their pictures with interested folks.