Forest Hills Councilwoman Pursues Seminary Education While Leading Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry

Devon Wood, a Forest Hills councilwoman, is preparing to become a fourth-generation minister, also known as “Rev. Dev,” as she pursues seminary school while leading campus ministry at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Shadyside. Her journey into Unitarian Universalism began when she and her husband sought a faith community that would accommodate their differing backgrounds. “It was more about the people in the pews than the pews themselves for me,” she said.

Wood’s transition includes balancing her new role as enrollment and marketing coordinator at Waldorf School of Pittsburgh with her duties at the First Unitarian Church and her position as co-chair and treasurer of the Council of Religious Advisors at Carnegie Mellon University. The Waldorf School, founded in Germany in response to world wars, emphasizes critical thinking and compassion, values Wood said she aims to uphold in her work.

Wood, who has a daughter, 7, and a son, 3, both attending the Waldorf School, begins her full-time position in August. She will continue her involvement with campus ministry at the University of Pittsburgh and her leadership roles at Carnegie Mellon. Despite having been three credits shy of a religious studies minor, Wood had never heard of Unitarian Universalism until her grandfather, a Methodist minister, encouraged her and her husband to explore it before marriage.

The couple joined the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside in 2001, shortly after 9/11. Pastor David Herndon married them at Phipps Conservatory in 2002. Soon after, a part-time membership position opened at the church, and Wood, drawn to the community, applied for the job. “I have always been interested in religion and spirituality,” she said. “It took me so long to find the First Unitarian Church, so I applied for the job and thought I would just do it for fun and as my service to the church.”

Wood’s involvement grew as the church responded positively to campus ministry. She helped develop a college program, which led to more hours on her job. She envisions expanding the campus ministry program to engage more young adults and offer cooperative housing. The church’s nondogmatic and welcoming approach has been central to her experience, reflecting a commitment to inclusivity and community.

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