On Sunday May 21st, the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson will have a guest preacher. Reverend Andrew C. Backus, PhD., will present his sermon, “What I Learned From My Aunt.”

My 88 year old aunt visited one summer a few years before she died. I liked her - well, sort of. Would I have chosen her as a friend out of a lineup of people? I don’t know for sure. She’s my aunt, after all. In her honor, I want to raise questions about the meaning of family - and the difference between commitment and attachment.

Biography - Rev. Dr. Andrew C. Backus, PhD.

Rev. Backus is a retired Unitarian Universalist parish minister who served 21 years in the active ministry. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., he was first educated as a scientist, earning a PhD in organic chemistry (1972) from Johns Hopkins University. After working seven years as a researcher and teacher, he made the decision to join the ministry. He trained and obtained his Masters of Divinity from the Harvard Divinity School in 1983.

Dr. Backus was ordained in 1983 by the First Parish Church in Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, which he served as a student. Following that, he served eleven years as minister to the Unitarian Society of Oneonta, New York and for six years as minister to the First Unitarian Society of Schenectady, New York He then joined the corps of interim ministers, serving The Unitarian Church of Vancouver, British Columbia and The First Unitarian Church of San Diego, California.

He and his wife, Chris, have retired to Bellingham, Washington where they have now lived for two years.