ELLSWORTH – If Leela R. Sinha had chosen to stay home with her father and study the Hindu holy books, she might never have become a minister, let alone pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church.

She was called to lead the congregation last fall.

“My dad is a practicing Hindu,” said Sinha, 32. “Mom was raised a Unitarian. Our parents gave us the choice of studying with my father or going to church with my mother. My brother stayed home and I went to church, but I didn’t really like it.”

That changed once the native of Stamford, Conn., was old enough to join the church youth group.

“We talked about ethics and issues that really engaged me,” she said. “At the time, we did a program called ‘Your Sexuality.’ It was a very in-depth, non-judgmental yet realistic program. It really impressed me.”

It affected Sinha so much that she decided to teach the program. By the time Sinha was 20, she was doing just that, but never suspected it was her first step toward ordination.

She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., with a degree in American studies. Her senior thesis focused on the history of Unitarian Universalist youth movements.

After working for a year as the director of education at the UU church in Bangor in 1998, Sinha went to India for eight months. On her return, she had every intention of enrolling at the University of Minnesota to work on a graduate degree in writing.

“But just about the time I was getting ready to do that, I attended our General Assembly and had a call experience there,” Sinha said. “In my theology, we don’t really believe in an interceding God who would do that, so it was weird to be there and have that realization.

“I’d promised myself that I was never going to go to Chicago or be in ministry,” she added. “So, what did I do, moved to Chicago to do seminary.”

Sinha graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School. Her first job was as an assistant minister at a 1,200-member church in Portland, Ore.

In September, she became the full-time minister at the Ellsworth congregation.

“This feels like a good match,” she said of her flock. “The congregation is poised on the edge of transformation. I like to facilitate people when they want to change. They say they are ready to grow and I would love to take them there.”

David Towle, 66, Bar Harbor, was a member of the church hiring committee. He agreed Sinha is the kind of minister the church needs now.

“We’re a growing congregation that’s developed some new energy recently and I think she is tapping into that,” he said.

She also is the first full-time minister the church has had in recent history and the 33rd to serve the congregation, Towle said.

The church was formed in 1835 and worshipped in a building at the corner of Oak and Main streets, the site of the former Dunkin’ Donuts, for more than 100 years. In 1973, the current building was completed.

“As a congregation, we were ready for some new leadership especially from a young person,” Towle said. “She’s very warm, very inclusive and thoughtful beyond her years.”

Sinha lives in Ellsworth with her partner, two cats and a Chihuahua.

jharrison@bangordailynews.net

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